The Pawprint Economy: What the Pet Travel Boom Means for Hotels

Pet travel has moved from niche to mainstream, and the numbers behind it are large enough to reshape hospitality strategy. Amadeus, in partnership with Globetrender, named the Pawprint Economy the first of six defining travel trends for 2026, and the data behind the designation is hard to dismiss. Bloomberg forecasts the global pet industry will reach $500 billion by 2030, representing 45% growth from current levels. 56% of people worldwide now own a pet, according to the Mars Global Pet Parent Study.

The hospitality industry is being asked a direct question: Is your property part of this economy, or is it watching from the outside?

How Big Is the Wave of First-Time Pet Travelers?

It is bigger than most hotel operators realize, and it arrived in 2025. A Shape Insight survey of 2,896 travelers in the UK and USA found that 27% of pet owners who took their pet on their main holiday in 2025 were doing so for the first time. That is not incremental growth in an existing segment. It is the formation of a new one, and the guests in it are actively looking for hotels that can serve them well.

First-time pet travelers are forming their preferences right now. Hotels that show up for them early build loyalty that is very difficult for competitors to displace later.

What Is Changing in Pet Travel Infrastructure?

The shift is happening across every mode of transport simultaneously, which signals structural change rather than a temporary trend.

Rail

China Railway Express is piloting pet-friendly journeys on its Beijing-Shanghai route. This is one of the busiest rail corridors in the world. If the pilot expands, it sets a precedent that rail operators globally will face pressure to follow.

Air

Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, introduced new rules allowing medium and large dogs to travel in the passenger cabin, not just cargo. This is a meaningful regulatory shift. Most large airlines still place medium and large dogs in cargo holds, so any jurisdiction that changes this creates an immediate competitive advantage for routes and destinations that comply.

SkyePets, an Australian operator, is rolling out long-haul transpacific in-cabin pet flights between Australia and the US in 2026. Fares range from $23,990 to $29,990 per trip. These are not budget travelers. They are premium spenders who have found that mainstream aviation cannot meet their needs, and are paying accordingly.

US-based Bark Air describes itself as “the only dog-first travel service” and has expanded to European cities, including Paris, Lisbon, and Milan, offering small-jet services where dogs travel freely in the cabin.

Loyalty and Hotels

AKA Hotels has launched the Canine Club, integrating pets into its loyalty program. This is a structural move, not a marketing stunt. It creates a direct retention mechanism tied to the pet-owning guest, making the hotel the preferred choice for any future trip where they travel with their animal.

The Pawprint Economy: Where the Industry Is Moving

Pet travel is evolving on three tracks at once: infrastructure, experience, and technology. Understanding where each is heading gives hotels a clearer picture of what guests will expect by the time they book.

Infrastructure

• China Railway Express is piloting pet-friendly trains on the Beijing-Shanghai route
• Italy’s ENAC authorizes medium and large dogs in passenger cabins
• SkyePets launching in-cabin transpacific long-haul pet flights in 2026
• The UK is re-implementing the pet passport for British pet owners

Experience

• AKA Hotels Canine Club: pets integrated into loyalty programs
• Bark Air expanding dog-first jet services to European cities
• Hotels offering pet rewards, personalized amenities, and in-room pet wellness
• Dog-welcome experience bookings up 260% year-on-year (Tripadvisor, 2026)

Technology

• AI-powered tools tracking pet biometrics during stays and travel
• 24/7 global veterinary telehealth access for traveling pet owners
• Digital pet profiles streamlining check-in, preferences, and care continuity

What Does This Mean for Hotels Specifically?

It means that the gap between “we allow pets” and “we serve pet travelers well” is becoming visible in booking behavior. TripAdvisor’s 2026 Trendcast reported dog-welcome experience bookings surged 260% year-on-year. That demand is not going to properties that technically permit pets. It is going to properties that have built an actual experience around it.

What Does That Experience Actually Require?

Three things, in order of impact:

• Policy clarity before booking. Pet travelers are filtering based on specific information: which pets are allowed, what the size limits are, which hotel areas are accessible, and what fees apply. If that information is not easy to find before they book, they book elsewhere.
• In-stay infrastructure. Designated rooms with appropriate flooring and furnishings. Pet amenities upon arrival. Access to outdoor areas and local walking routes. These are table stakes, not differentiators, in markets where competition for pet travelers is intensifying.
• Staff capability. As Dean Culpan of South Place Hotel has described it, hospitality has to extend to the companion, not just the guest. Staff who are confident, warm, and knowledgeable about the property’s pet offering deliver a fundamentally different experience from staff who are uncertain or uncomfortable with animals.

What Should Hotel Operators Do With This Now?

Audit your current pet offering against what the Pawprint Economy traveler actually expects. The Amadeus report frames this as pets gaining “freedom of movement” rights, a shift in how the entire travel system thinks about animals. Hotels are part of that system, and the ones that are already ahead of the curve on policy, infrastructure, and experience are not waiting for the trend to peak before responding to it.

The $500 billion pet industry projection is not just a number about pet food and vet bills. A meaningful and growing share of it is being spent on travel. The question is which hotels capture that share and which ones continue to lose it to competitors who moved earlier.

Conclusion

The Pawprint Economy is Amadeus’ first travel trend for 2026 for good reason. It is not a soft story about people who love their dogs. It is a hard commercial opportunity backed by a 45% forecast growth in the global pet industry, a 260% surge in pet-friendly experience bookings, and a wave of first-time pet travelers actively deciding which hotels deserve their loyalty.

The infrastructure is moving. The regulations are shifting. The guests are already booking. Hotels that treat this as a strategic priority will capture the trend. Hotels that treat it as a policy footnote will watch the revenue go elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pawprint Economy?

A term coined in Amadeus' Travel Trends 2026 report to describe the structural growth of pet-inclusive travel, covering infrastructure changes across rail, air, and hospitality, as well as technology innovations supporting traveling pet owners.

How large is the global pet industry projected to become?

Bloomberg forecasts the global pet industry will reach $500 billion by 2030, a 45% increase from current levels.

How many pet travelers are new to traveling with pets?

27% of pet owners who took their pet on a main holiday in 2025 were doing so for the first time, according to a Shape Insight survey of 2,896 travelers in the UK and the USA.

What airline-level changes are happening for pet travelers?

Italy's ENAC authorized medium and large dogs in passenger cabins. SkyePets is launching long-haul in-cabin transpacific pet flights. Bark Air has expanded dog-first jet services to Paris, Lisbon, and Milan. Most major airlines still require medium and large dogs to travel as cargo.

What does AKA Hotels' Canine Club represent for the hotel industry?

It is the first major example of a hotel chain integrating pets into a formal loyalty program, creating a retention mechanism specifically tied to pet-owning guests and signaling where the competitive landscape is heading.