According to DataM Intelligence, the travel eSIM market reached US$1.46 billion in 2024 and is projected to more than double to US$3.08 billion by 2032, growing at a steady 9.8% CAGR. The growth story here isn’t mysterious. Travelers are finally back in motion, smartphone penetration is nearly universal, and the old habit of hunting down a local SIM card is fading fast. travel eSIM market growth

Travelers want connectivity that just works. They want instant activation. They want to avoid €10-per-MB roaming surprises. And increasingly, they see eSIM as the easiest, most predictable solution.

Global tourism recovery supercharges eSIM adoption

The UN Tourism data for 2024 paints a clear picture of demand driving connectivity choices. International travel reached 1.4 billion arrivals — a 99% rebound and 11% jump over 2023. That kind of volume is exactly what lifts infrastructure-heavy markets like travel connectivity.

Every major region contributed to the rebound. The US received 72.4 million visitors (91% of pre-pandemic levels). Asia and the Pacific hit 316 million arrivals, about 87% of its 2019 benchmark. The Middle East even outperformed pre-COVID numbers by 32%, while Africa (+7%) and Europe (+1%) continued their steady upward climb. Europe in particular benefitted from strong intraregional travel — the kind of multi-country movement where eSIMs are especially attractive.

More travelers crossing more borders equals more demand for seamless mobile data. It’s exactly the environment where eSIM thrives.

New launches and product expansions fuel competition

The travel eSIM market has never been more dynamic — and 2025 is shaping up to be a turning point for product innovation.

In May 2025, SimCorner upgraded its Europe unlimited eSIM plans, expanding coverage to 35+ countries and rolling out durations from 5 to 30 days. Instant activation, multi-country compatibility, and unlimited data hit the sweet spot for tourists and digital nomads traveling across the Schengen area.

A month later, Vodafone launched its new global travel app, offering mobile data eSIMs in 200+ countries with access to over 700 partner networks. The interesting twist? The service is open to non-Vodafone users as well — a signal that telcos increasingly see travel eSIM as a gateway to new customer segments, not just a value-added extra.

These moves aren’t outliers. They reflect the direction the entire sector is moving: broader coverage, easier onboarding, cleaner UX, and flexible data plans tailored to real travel patterns.

Growing appetite for seamless connectivity reshapes customer behavior

If 2024 proved anything, it’s that today’s traveler expects to stay connected everywhere — instantly, cheaply, and without a trip to a local operator store.

Millennials and Gen Z travelers, who often book everything from accommodation to day trips on their phones, simply don’t want to deal with physical SIM cards anymore. Flexible, short-term data bundles — not long-term plans — are what shape the market now.

A BICS survey of over 2,100 UK adults confirmed this shift: 56% said they would consider an eSIM for travel, 10% already use one, and 40% would even buy an eSIM from non-traditional players like supermarkets or airlines. That last number is especially interesting because it demonstrates how eSIM is becoming an everyday consumer product.

The challenge? Awareness.
Forty percent of respondents said they had never heard of eSIMs, and 41% did not know if their phone supports it. For the industry, this is both a friction point and an opportunity: whoever educates best will convert best.

Europe leads: high awareness, strong recovery, unlimited plans boost adoption

European travelers are consistently ahead of the curve when it comes to embracing eSIM. In 2024, 24% of eSIM-aware Europeans used a travel eSIM, and 87% recognized its value — an unusually high sentiment score for a telecom product.

Germany, France, and Poland stand out with travel eSIM usage around 61%, driven by cross-border mobility and the pain point of high roaming fees.

Providers are responding with aggressive rollouts.
In May 2025, SimCorner expanded unlimited Europe packages.
In August 2025, TravelKon launched its own Europe eSIM with unlimited data in 35 countries, including the UK and Turkey. The pitch? Save up to 80% on roaming and eliminate SIM-swapping headaches.

Europe’s combination of traveler expectations, high smartphone penetration, and strong regional mobility is why it remains the most fertile ground for travel eSIM adoption.

North America’s regulatory push gives eSIM a new tailwind

In North America, regulators are increasingly encouraging digital alternatives that reduce environmental waste and improve consumer choice — two boxes that eSIM ticks easily.

The FCC (US) and CRTC (Canada) have both taken steps to support competition, digital transformation, and next-generation connectivity. As carriers roll out 5G and prepare for 6G, the pressure to modernize provisioning systems grows. eSIM sits at the center of that transition.

Meanwhile, private companies are building services that match regulatory momentum. A standout example: Grover partnering with Gigs to enable seamless eSIM activation for rented devices. No SIM swaps, no physical cards — perfect for short-term usage in an increasingly flexible, on-demand hardware economy.

Usage grows quickly: eSIM becomes a default travel tool

Travel eSIM usage is growing at a pace that suggests it will soon be the default option for frequent travelers. Estimated global connections:

2022: 208M
2024: 279M
2026: 369M
2028: 458M
2030: 522M

The drivers are consistent everywhere: fast activation, avoidance of roaming charges, and subscription-free short-term packages. As competition increases, pricing becomes more attractive, accelerating adoption even further.

Juniper Research expects travel eSIM revenue to grow rapidly: their 2025 forecast anticipates global travel-eSIM revenue of US$1.8 billion, and projects that number to rise to US$8.7 billion by 2030, which corresponds to a roughly 380% increase in the 2025–2030 period.

Competitive landscape: the key players shaping the next phase

The travel eSIM ecosystem is crowded — and getting more competitive each month. Major players include:

Airalo, Airhub, Nomad, aloSIM, Airhub, Holafly, MobiMatter, SimOptions, Ubigi, GigSky, Redtea Mobile, RedteaGO, SimCorner, Simify, O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Telstra, Yesim

These companies are expanding coverage, pushing unlimited plans, improving pricing, and simplifying onboarding — exactly what travelers expect as eSIM evolves from niche tech to mainstream utility. travel eSIM market growth

Future outlook: eSIM becomes the universal travel companion

The next seven years will reshape how travelers think about connectivity. By 2032, several trends are expected to define the market:

• More travelers will use eSIM as their primary connectivity tool
• Airlines and OTAs will bundle eSIMs with tickets
• AI-driven plans will optimize cost and network quality
• Multi-country travel passes will become standard
• Wearables, IoT luggage, and smart travel gear will rely heavily on eSIM
• 5G and early-stage 6G services will boost performance for global travelers

Conclusion about travel eSIM market growth

Travel eSIM is no longer an emerging niche — it’s becoming the backbone of global travel connectivity. The market growth aligns with trends seen in adjacent sectors like global roaming platforms (e.g., Airalo, Nomad), digital-first MVNOs, and telecom-as-a-service providers like Gigs, all of which benefit from the shift toward frictionless activation and flexible data use.

The competitive landscape is maturing, but unlike legacy roaming markets dominated by a few giants, the travel eSIM space rewards agility and user experience. Providers that combine broad coverage, transparent pricing, and instant onboarding — rather than simply relying on network ownership — will shape the next chapter.

The forecasts from DataM Intelligence, recovery metrics from UN Tourism, and consumer sentiment data from BICS all point to the same conclusion: travel eSIM is on track to become the standard for borderless connectivity, and its momentum mirrors broader digital travel trends. For an industry once defined by plastic cards and long queues, the shift is overdue — and the next few years will determine which brands become the global travel connectivity leaders.