International pet travel is getting more expensive, and hospitality operators who cater to relocating families should take note. Starwood Pet Travel, a Florida-based international pet transportation company, has released its 2026 International Pet Travel Cost Report, offering one of the most granular looks to date at what families are spending to move dogs and cats across borders — a trend with direct downstream effects for hotels, extended-stay properties, and destination resorts.
While the report focuses on transportation logistics, the ripple effects reach deep into the hospitality sector. Guests relocating internationally with pets are among the highest-value travelers: they typically book longer stays, require specific amenities, and are willing to pay premium rates for properties that genuinely accommodate animals rather than simply tolerating them. For operators who have invested in pet-friendly hospitality programming, this data reinforces the business case for doubling down.
The pet travel services market has matured considerably in recent years, driven by a rise in expatriate relocations, remote-work-enabled lifestyle moves, and a generational shift in how consumers view companion animals. Pet owners increasingly treat their animals as family members, and they make lodging decisions accordingly — often choosing a property based on its pet policies before considering price or location.
For food and beverage operators within hotel environments, the trend also carries menu and service implications. Pet-friendly outdoor dining spaces, in-room pet meal service, and curated treat menus have moved from novelty to expectation at upscale properties. Operators tracking restaurant and hospitality consumer behavior will recognize this as part of a broader premiumization shift across the travel segment.
Starwood Pet Travel's report arrives at a moment when the hospitality industry is actively reassessing amenity investment priorities. Properties that position themselves as genuine destinations for traveling pet owners — rather than an afterthought — stand to capture a growing and demonstrably loyal guest segment as international mobility continues to rise through 2026 and beyond.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
