Almost one-third of Americans are planning more leisure travel in 2023

Port Washington, N.Y., February 13, 2023 – As travel aspirations became more of a reality in 2022, the travel accessories market in the U.S. grew 16%, year over year, generating $7.6 billion in 2022, according to The NPD Group. The travel accessories market, including luggage, backpacks, duffle bags, fanny and chest packs, garment bags, and toiletry cases, not only regained the revenue it lost in 2020 but also added more than $1 billion in U.S. sales revenue.

“Economic uncertainties persist, but new travel behaviors are providing growth opportunities for the travel goods business,” said Beth Goldstein, footwear and accessories analyst at NPD. “Competition is heating up, and the travel goods industry looks very different than it did just a few years ago. Product innovation and experiential brand narratives that align with consumers’ new lifestyles, priorities, and needs across product categories will create the demand that drives consumers to spend.”

Almost one-third of Americans are planning more leisure travel this year than last year, according to NPD Omnibus Survey results from December 2022. Rising travel demand is also revealing itself in the sales trends of other general merchandise retail categories, including books and apparel.

For example, print unit sales for travel books reached 6.6 million in the U.S. in 2022, growing 6%, year over year, according to NPD BookScan. In terms of apparel, U.S. consumers are transferring some of their apparel spending toward travel plans. In the fourth quarter of 2022, 41% of consumers reported giving up apparel purchases in favor of travel, according to NPD Future of Apparel findings.