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

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Recreation and Travel CPMs are consistently below market: the 12‑month average is $11.01 vs a global baseline of $19.80 (about 44% lower).
  • Clear seasonality: a Q4 peak in November ($13.18), a trough in January ($8.27), and a late‑Q3 lift into September ($12.53).
  • Higher volatility than the market: average month‑to‑month movement is ~14.5% vs ~7.7% for the baseline (about 1.9x more volatile).
  • Trend direction diverges from global: Recreation and Travel CPMs rose +26.4% from October to September, while the baseline declined −5.0%.

Scope and context

This analysis looks at cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) trends for industry Recreation and Travel and target country All countries available compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Selected trend overview

  • Average CPM: $11.01 across the last 12 months.
  • High/low: High in November 2024 at $13.18; low in January 2025 at $8.27. The range is $4.91 (~45% of the average), indicating meaningful swings.
  • Direction: From October 2024 ($9.91) to September 2025 ($12.53), CPMs increased +26.4%.
  • Volatility: Average absolute month‑to‑month change is ~14.5%. Notable moves:
  • November spike: +33.0% vs October.
  • January dip: −28.0% vs December.
  • September lift: +20.1% vs August.
  • Seasonal pattern: Costs typically rise in Q4 around peak holiday demand, pull back in January, then stabilize through spring/summer with a late‑summer/early‑fall uptick.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Level: Recreation and Travel CPMs average $11.01 vs the baseline $19.80, keeping the category below market every month in the period.
  • High/low comparison:
  • Category high $13.18 (Nov) vs baseline high $24.67 (Nov) — ~47% lower.
  • Category low $8.27 (Jan) vs baseline low $17.97 (Jan) — ~54% lower.
  • Volatility: Category ~14.5% average MoM change vs baseline ~7.7%, showing more pronounced monthly swings.
  • Directional trend: While the category climbed +26.4% from first to last month, the baseline eased −5.0% over the same window, suggesting category‑specific demand dynamics.
  • Seasonality alignment: Both series show a November peak and January trough, consistent with Facebook Ads benchmarks where Q4 holiday pressure raises CPMs and January softens.

Monthly highlights

  • Peak: November 2024 at $13.18 (category) vs $24.67 (baseline).
  • Trough: January 2025 at $8.27 (category) vs $17.97 (baseline).
  • Stable middle: April–July mostly held between $10.58–$11.69, indicative of steadier mid‑year pricing before a September rise to $12.53.

Understanding cost-per-thousand-impressions benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Recreation and Travel and All countries available helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

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.