A recent Expedia Media Solutions study on where and why British, American, Chinese, French and German travellers are travelling to found that British and German travellers were more likely to travel outside their country, while American and Chinese travellers took trips in their own countries. French travellers value relaxing and sightseeing on their trips, while American travellers value visiting family.

The study looked at responses from 6 005 travellers from five countries: China, UK, America, France and Germany. They were asked to go through different screens where they were asked about the types of vacations they had taken in the last year, and whether the trips were inside or outside their home country.

China (122 million outbound travellers)

• 27% of Chinese tourists travel outside their country, while the remaining 73% travel within their country.
• In the past year, 74% took trips that focused on relaxing.
• Sightseeing trips were the next most popular, with 62% taking such a trip in the past year.
• 43% of trips were taken that involved the family and family play.
• Only 26% of trips taken where for romantic reasons.
• Even fewer trips were taken to see family. Only 19% of trips taken in the past year by Chinese travellers were to see family.

US (66 million outbound travellers)

• 18% of American tourists travel outside their country, while the remaining 82% travel within the US.
• 55% visited family, the highest of all the travellers surveyed.
• 52% took trips that focused on relaxing.
• 45% took trips to sightsee.
• 36% took trips that revolve around family play.
• Only 24% of American travellers took romantic trips.

UK (70 Million outbound travellers)

• 68% of British travellers take overseas trips, while 32% travel within the UK.
• 53% took trips to sightsee.
• 52% took trips that focus on relaxing.
• 40% of travellers went to visit family.
• 22% took trips that revolve around family play.
• 26% took romantic trips.

Germany (85 million outbound travellers)

• 72% of Germans travel outside their country while 28% travel within Germany.
• 62% took trips that focused on relaxing.
• 36% took trips to sightsee.
• 33% went to visit family.
• 23% took romantic trips.
• 15% took trips that revolved around family play.

France (57 million outbound travellers)

• 56% of French tourists travel outside their country and 44% travel within their country.
• 51% took trips that focused on relaxing.
• 46% took trips to sightsee.
• 39% went to visit family.
• 35% took trips that revolved around family play.
• 24% took romantic trips.