Student Group Travel Market Stabilizes as Costs and Changing Preferences Redefine the Landscape, New SYTA Report Finds

WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 27, 2025 — The Student Travel Business Barometer 2024, published today by the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) in partnership with global research firm BONARD, reveals that the student travel industry has reached a post-pandemic stabilization point. In-country student travel has returned to 104% of 2019 volumes, while out-of-country travel has exceeded pre-Covid-19 levels by 32%. This growth comes despite economic pressures, rising costs, and changing student priorities that are reshaping the nature of educational travel.

The latest edition of the Barometer draws on survey responses from 59 tour operators and education travel agencies across nine countries. It presents a comprehensive view of student group travel trends, with a particular focus on the highly active North American market.

“After several years of uncertainty and rapid shifts, the industry is finding its footing,” said Carylann Assante, CEO of SYTA. “While 2023 marked a surge in travel driven by pent-up demand, 2024 reflects a more measured pace—closer to normal operations, yet responsive to new economic and social dynamics.”

Key findings from the 2024 Student Travel Business Barometer include:

• In-country student travel declined slightly by 2% in 2024, with 848,000 students traveling domestically—just under the 861,000 originally forecasted. Smaller group sizes and shorter trip durations reflect continued cost sensitivity among schools and families.
• Out-of-country student travel reached 176,000 students, falling short of projections but still significantly ahead of 2019 benchmarks. Travel to Tier 2 destinations is growing in popularity as schools seek more affordable and safe alternatives to high-cost locations.
• Travel costs have risen across the board. A four-day interstate trip with air travel now averages $2,156 per student, while a seven-day international trip to a Tier 1 destination can exceed $4,000—placing pressure on budgets and prompting many schools to explore new payment and planning models.
• Student and school preferences are shifting and reshaping student travel, with some opting for internships, themed travel, local enrichment programs, and extracurricular activities in lieu of traditional educational tours.
• Safety and geopolitical concerns continue to influence international travel decisions, as families and administrators weigh risks and costs more carefully.

Despite these challenges, the outlook remains positive. Travel volumes for both in-country and out-of-country trips are expected to stabilize further in 2025 and grow again by 2026. As schools and tour operators adapt to changing conditions, the demand for experiential learning and cultural exchange remains strong.

The Student Travel Business Barometer is the only longitudinal, quantitative study of its kind in the student travel sector, providing tour operators, destinations, and educators with critical data to benchmark performance and plan strategically.

SYTA is the premier association of businesses dedicated to providing life enhancing travel experiences to students and young people. SYTA Student Travel Research, the association’s research brand, conducts independent research to provide global evidence of the size, trends, and importance of student travel to assist our members in achieving data driven strategies for building their businesses. The Student Travel Business Barometer is the only comprehensive quantitative study of year-on-year growth and forecast data for national and international tour operators who serve student and youth travelers.

To find out more about SYTA’s research, please visit www.syta.org/ student-travel-research

BONARD Education is an independent market research provider with more than 15 years of experience in the student travel industry. Leveraging evidence-based solutions, it assists governments, destinations, and individual providers to create bespoke strategies and policies. The company is a member of ESOMAR World Research. For more information about the Barometer, please contact us at: ivana.bartosik@bonard.com.

To find out more about BONARD, please visit www.bonardeducation.com

For more information about the report, please contact:

Carylann Assante, SYTA CEO, cassante@syta.org

Ivana Bartosik, BONARD’s International Education Director: ivana.bartosik@bonard.com