Facebook Ads Insights Tool

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

January 2025 - January 2026

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Introduction

Recreation and Travel CPMs ran well below the global market in 2025, but with a recognizable Q4 surge and a sharp year-end reset. Across all countries, costs rose from winter into spring, steadied through summer, spiked in October–November, and then fell back in December—mirroring broader platform seasonality, but at a lower cost base and with slightly choppier month-to-month moves.

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 compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

  • Starting point and finish: Recreation and Travel CPMs opened at $9.00 in January and closed at $8.84 in December, essentially flat for the year (−1.8%).
  • Average, highs, lows: The category averaged $11.01 CPM in 2025, with a high of $13.12 in November and a low of $8.84 in December. The annual range ($4.28) equates to about 39% of the average, signaling a moderate band but meaningful Q4 moves.
  • Key movements: A steady climb from January to March (+32%) set the early tone, followed by a mixed Q2 and a summer plateau (June–July hovering near $11.8). September softened to $9.78, then costs jumped +33% into October ($13.01), held near-peak in November (+0.8%), and retrenched −33% in December.
  • Volatility: Average absolute month-to-month movement was $1.36 (about 12% in relative terms), a bit more turbulent than the broader market.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonally, the category followed a classic arc. Early Q1 costs were subdued, then lifted into March. Q2 and summer were comparatively steady, aligning with sustained travel interest but without runaway pricing. September marked a shoulder-season dip. The Q4 run-up was clear: CPMs surged in October and held in November—typically when competition intensifies—before easing sharply in December as auction pressures reset post-peak.

Country vs. Global

Against the all-industry global baseline, Recreation and Travel ran structurally cheaper across all countries:

  • Average gap: $11.01 vs. the global $20.19, about 45% below market.
  • Trajectory: The global benchmark climbed from $17.75 in January to $22.41 in December (+26%), peaking at $25.26 in November. Recreation and Travel, by contrast, finished flat year-over-year after its own November peak.
  • Monthly spread: The narrowest gap occurred in March (about 38% below global), while the widest was in December (around 60% below). For most of the year, the category sat 40–50% below market CPMs.
  • Volatility comparison: The global market’s average monthly swing was $1.18 (about 6% relative), smoother than Recreation and Travel’s $1.36 (about 12%), indicating more pronounced category oscillations even at a lower cost base.

Closing

In summary, Facebook Ads benchmarks show Recreation and Travel CPMs across all countries averaging $11.01 in 2025—consistently below the global market, with a recognizable October–November peak and a December reset. This CPM analysis underscores industry ad performance dynamics for Recreation and Travel across all countries, offering a clear read on country-agnostic ad costs relative to global patterns. Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-thousand-impressions benchmarks for Recreation and Travel in all countries helps advertisers evaluate cost trends against the global baseline.

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.