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Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks for Recreation and Travel

Understand how your CPM compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type

CPM (Cost Per Mille) for Recreation and Travel

June 2025 - June 2026

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Introduction

Recreation and Travel CPMs ran meaningfully below the global benchmark for most of the year, then exploded in June 2026 with a dramatic outlier. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Recreation and Travel in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for Recreation and Travel started at about $11.63 in June 2025 and finished at $59.55 in June 2026 — a rise of roughly 412% from start to finish driven almost entirely by the June 2026 spike. Across the 13-month window the mean CPM for Recreation and Travel was about $15.23 while the median was $11.63, highlighting how the June surge skews the average. The low point was $9.55 in December 2025; the high point was the outlier $59.55 in June 2026.

By contrast the global (baseline) CPMs hovered between roughly $18 and $24, averaging about $20.49 and with a median near $19.92. Most months the Recreation and Travel CPMs were materially lower — commonly 35–55% below the global level — until the June 2026 anomaly, where Recreation and Travel jumped to roughly 228% above the baseline.

Volatility paints the same picture: including the June 2026 outlier, Recreation and Travel’s month-to-month absolute percent change averaged about 39% (driven by the last month). Excluding that single spike, the average monthly swing was nearer to 14%. The baseline market showed steadier movement, with an average absolute monthly percent change of about 8.4%.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Through late 2025 the Recreation and Travel CPMs showed a gentle seasonal rhythm: a modest dip into September and December (September ~ $9.63, December ~ $9.55), then a recovery toward spring 2026 (April–May rising into the $13–$15 range). March 2026 represented the widest underrun versus baseline early in the year — roughly 55% below global CPMs. April and May ticked upward but still remained below average.

June 2026 is a clear departure from that cadence. The sudden more-than-fourfold jump in CPM upends the prior seasonal pattern and creates an outsized influence on the period-average and measured volatility.

Country vs. Global

Across the reporting period Recreation and Travel CPMs were below global levels in 12 of 13 months, trailing the baseline by between about 35% (narrowest gap, May 2026) and roughly 55% (widest gap, March 2026). The global benchmark itself rose and fell within a tighter band (roughly $18–$24), exhibiting smaller monthly swings and a steadier trend line. At its narrowest pre-spike separation Recreation and Travel sat around 36% below the global CPM; at its widest it sat roughly 55% below — before flipping to a roughly +228% gap in June 2026.

Closing

This CPM analysis adds context to Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPM analysis, CPC trends and industry ad performance for Recreation and Travel across All countries available — and highlights how one extreme month can reshape averages, volatility measures, and the comparative story against global baselines.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Cost Per Mille (CPM) is the cost advertisers pay for 1,000 impressions of their Facebook ad. In the Recreation and Travel industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

What affects CPM rates on Facebook Ads?

CPMs are heavily influenced by competition, seasonality (e.g., Q4 costs more), audience size, and ad quality. Smaller audiences and lower relevance scores often lead to higher CPMs.

Why does my CPM vary so much between campaigns?

Different campaign objectives, bidding strategies, and even time of day can change your CPM. For example, conversion campaigns usually have higher CPMs than traffic ones. Also, broad targeting tends to drive lower CPMs.

What's a competitive CPM for 2025?

In most industries, CPMs range from $5 to $18 depending on the region and objective. Retail and e-comm campaigns often sit at the higher end. Our live data above shows a breakdown by country and industry.

Does audience size or targeting affect CPM more?

Both matter, but audience quality (intent + match with your offer) usually has more impact than pure size. However, extremely tight audiences often lead to expensive CPMs due to limited delivery opportunities.

Should I worry more about CPM or CPC?

Depends on your goal. For awareness, CPM is more relevant. For performance campaigns, CPC and CPA matter more. But all are connected—inefficient CPMs can inflate your entire funnel.