According to the latest data, in Catalonia (where I am from) there are already TWICE as many pets as babies. And this is nothing unique but a global trend that will surely push forward the future of how we travel.
Catalonia, which currently has a population of a bit more than 8M inhabitants, has officially registered over 109K new pet registrations compared to 53K newborns in 2024. The capital, Barcelona (which recently has ranked as the top city most visited in the world) leads with 20K new pet registrations and 11K births in 2024.
Births have fallen ~32% over the last 20 years, while pet registrations have grown approx 62%. This isn’t just a regional anomaly, it reflects a shift we’re seeing globally: more people form pet inclusive families, where animal companions are core to daily life.
But how the global picture aligns with few examples?
Very much similar, across the world there are more pets than children.
Pet Ownership vs Birth Rate (2024)
🇺🇸 United States 193 million pets
New pet registrations: 2M
Newborns: 3,6M
🇨🇳 China: 124 million pets
New pet registrations: 2,5M
Newborns: 9,54M
🇮🇹 Italy: 62 million pets
New pet registrations: 1M
Newborns: 393K
🇯🇵 Japan: 16 million pets
New pet registrations: 767K
Newborns: 686K
There is no question that the decrease in natality and the increase in pet ownership is due to structural changes in society: housing crisis, labour precarity, changing family formation norms. The traditional “car-house-family” model is less prevalent than in the late 20th century.
🤔 And what this means for pet travel?
The fact that pets are outnumbering babies and being treated like family members signals major implications for travel, tourism and mobility. The entire travel & hospitality industry and services sector must adopt pet friendly design and services, mirroring how we once adapted to families with children.
Travel infrastructure and policies must reflect wellbeing, safety, and transparency, not just logistics. Businesses in the pet industry have a growing market with households that prioritize their animal companions.
The data is a wake-up call: the new family model of TODAY (not the future) deserves the same dignity, comfort, and inclusion as any other family.
It’s time to rethink what “family travel” means.
Original LinkedIn Post 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angels-bosch
