We read about Rome having gone to the dogs, given the spate of reports on overcrowded European cities. However, it might in fact be more accurate to state that the dogs have gone to Rome, if my recent trip is any indication.

My Hop On Hop Off bus had not one but two canine customers onboard as we toured the highlights of the Eternal City. The pooches and their American owners were a small sampling of the findings in a recent Allianz study on American travel trends, which highlighted the growth of pet travel. (I’m still wondering how they access Trip Advisor with their little paws, but I digress.)

“Four-legged passengers now accompany a quarter (24%) of senior travelers, gaining four points over last year, and four out of ten (41%) of 34- to 54-year-olds, an increase of five points. Pets remain a top priority for 18–34-year-olds at 40%, down just a point from 2023.” the report states.

It’s not just pet travel leading the way in travel trends. Empty nesters might have gotten rid of the kids at home, they’re also not taking them on holidays. A quarter of travellers aged 55+ are venturing out solo, driving the growth in this category as their younger counterparts (aged 35-54) are close behind, up four points in solo travel over last year. Sorry, kids, the dogs are in, and you’re out.

Other trends identified in the fourth year of this study are an increase in health and wellness travel, the pay-cation (working remotely while at a vacation destination) plus a new category just emerging. For the first time, the survey asked about the influence of social media when planning travel.

“Not surprisingly, young travelers significantly lead the way in this area with nearly four in ten (39%) indicating they seek inspiration through their social channels. Those ages 34 – 54 were benchmarked at 24%, and 55+ travelers at just 5%.” according to their findings.

Travel providers may want to explore the possibility of promoting a vacation destination with Wi-Fi, health and wellness facilities, no single booking charges…and a leash-free park. Woof.

*The Vacation Confidence Index has been conducted each summer since 2009 by national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Allianz Partners USA. A vacation is defined as leisure travel of at least a week to a destination at least 100 miles from home.