Travel expenditures, 2005–2013: domestic and international patterns in recession and recovery

Using data from the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey, this article examines travel expenditures—both in general and for specific expense categories—on domestic and international trips for the 2005–2013 period. It describes patterns of spending, along with trip characteristics (e.g., destination and length of stay), against the backdrop of the recent recession and subsequent recovery. Consistent with previous research, the analysis finds that the business cycle has an effect on travel patterns, but that this effect is more pronounced for international than for domestic trips.