Holidays & Seasonal Trends

Economic uncertainty and rising prices are causing consumers to pull back on discretionary travel, opting for shorter, regional "micro-cations." This shift is reshaping the traditional summer vacation, leading to less driving and flying, a trend visible in gas station and airport traffic data. This cautious consumer behavior is expected to influence the broader retail and travel landscapes for the remainder of 2025.

Staples defied retail challenges and store closures by pivoting to services and B2B solutions. Overall visits in Q2 2025 exceeded 2019 levels, and average visits per location significantly increased. This strategic shift has also led to more frequent customer visits.

Summer 2025 airport visits lag overall YoY since February, hinting at a slower season. Despite this, New England and Northwest states show growth. Specific DMAs in Florida and California also defied overall declines. This suggests travelers are more discerning, impacting broader travel patterns.

Target's visits slowed post-mid-2022. August's seasonal strength offers a comeback chance. Its August audience includes families, singles, and students. Target can leverage diverse offerings and in-store experiences to drive loyalty and year-round traffic.

Retail traffic is up slightly in 2025 (January-May). Western states show strong growth, while Eastern states see declines. Last year's top back-to-school categories will likely perform well again. This year, secondary categories like home furnishings, off-price, and thrift stores may see stronger growth, driven by early buying and value orientation.

Memorial Day – the unofficial start of the summer season – is typically accompanied by major retail promotions and movie releases. We dove into the visit data to see how consumers celebrated the holiday and see how brick-and-mortar retail traffic compared to last year's numbers. 

Find out which retail categories got the biggest visit boosts from Mother's Day 2025.

We take a closer look at the discretionary retail categories that outperformed during 2024's holiday season - home furnishings, beauty, and apparel.