Expedia Group has unveiled its annual data-driven outlook for travel trends in the new year.
Unpack ’25 harnesses first-party travel data, insights from 25,000 travellers, and the latest industry innovation to identify eight noteworthy travel trends for 2025.
1. Detour destinations
In 2025, travellers are not only visiting the tried-and-true tourist destinations, but also adding detours. Expedia’s destinations of the year are near popular hotspots, making them ideal day trips while also being attractive as main attractions. In the hunt for the less crowded and less well-known, 63% of consumers say they are likely to visit a detour destination on their next trip.
The 10 trending Detour Destinations for 2025 based on increase in flight searches include Reims, France (detour from Paris); Brescia, Italy (detour from Milan); Cozumel, Mexico (detour from Cancun); Santa Barbara, California, the US (detour from Los Angeles); Waikato, New Zealand (detour from Auckland); Girona, Spain (detour from Barcelona); Fukuoka, Japan (detour from Tokyo); Abu Dhabi, the UAE (detour from Dubai); Krabi, Thailand (detour from Phuket); and Canmore, Alberta, Canada (detour from Calgary).
2. Goods getaways
TikTok has inspired travellers to take trips in search of share-worthy speciality goods. Whether it is a viral chocolate bar from Dubai, butter from France, skincare products from South Korea, or Japanese candy, travellers are making extra space in their carry-ons for unique treasures, even creating entire trips around getting the goods.
When going on holiday, 39% of travellers visit grocery stores or supermarkets and 44% shop for local goods they cannot get at home. Coffee tours in Costa Rica, tea tastings in China, and matcha experiences in Japan are some of the most popular goods getaway experiences bookable on Expedia.
3. All-inclusive era
Today’s all-inclusive resorts are attracting Gen Z travellers who seek stress-free stays and a good deal. One-third of these travellers said their perception of all-inclusive hotels has changed for the better and 42% say an all-inclusive resort would be their preferred hotel type. The top three reasons Gen Z travellers are drawn to all-inclusive resorts are minimal stress (41%), ease of booking (39%), and for luxury (38%).
4. Hotel restaurant renaissance
When booking hotels, travellers are not just making room reservations – they’re making dinner reservations, too. Hotels around the world have opened restaurants featuring Michelin-starred chefs and rotating seasonal menus to attract guests.
Travellers are seeking standout hotel dining experiences; positive reviews about hotel restaurants, chefs and bars increased by 40% YoY on Hotels.com. Furthermore, nearly a third of travellers say room service from a famous hotel restaurant would make them more likely to book, while 31% say restaurant tables reserved exclusively for hotel guests would be their top reason.
5. JOMO travel
In 2025, travellers will embrace JOMO – the joy of missing out. JOMO travel means doing less on holiday to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and staying at cosy cabins or peaceful beach houses to boost relaxation and reconnection. Two-thirds (62%) of travellers say these types of trips reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half say that it enhances quality time with loved ones.
The best way to experience JOMO travel is from a beach house, lakeside lodge or mountain chalet. The top holiday rental amenities JOMO travellers are seeking are pools, tranquil gardens, hot tubs and porches with a view.
6. The phenomena list
Droves of travellers booked private holiday homes along the path of totality to see the total solar eclipse in 2024, proving people will travel great distances to see natural phenomena in real life. Survey data revealed that the Northern Lights (61%) are the top phenomenon travellers want to see, followed by geological phenomena (30%) like volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. 80% of travellers say it is important to stay in a place that offers prime viewing for these natural wonders, so it is no surprise that private holiday homes in secluded or rural destinations are ideal for phenomena-seekers.
Vrbo hand-picked these natural phenomena that travellers will want a front-row seat to in 2025:
- International Dark Sky Park – Arches National Park, the US
- Synchronous firefly season – Great Smoky Mountains, the US
- Penguin parade – Phillip Island, Australia
- Bioluminescent plankton – Vero Beach, the US
- ‘Black Sun’ starlings’ migration – Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark
- Ballet of Japanese cranes – Hokkaido, Japan
- Highest tides in the world, walk on the ocean floor – Bay of Fundy, Canada
- Starling murmurations – Somerset, the UK
- Volcanoes, lava fields and black sand beaches – Reykjavík, Iceland
- Northern Lights – Lapland region, Finland
7. Set-jetting forecast for 2025
From binge-worthy streaming shows to reality TV, travellers keep turning to the screen for trip inspiration. Since Expedia Group identified set-jetting as a travel behaviour in 2022, the trend continues to grow. Two-thirds of travellers say that films, streaming services and TV shows have influenced their travel choices, a 16% increase from last year.
For the second year, Expedia Group’s units, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, compiled the Set-Jetting Forecast to reveal what entertainment-inspired destinations travellers will head to in 2025: Dubai inspired by The Real Housewives of Dubai; Montana and Wyoming inspired by Yellowstone; New York City inspired by And Just Like That…; Cape Town inspired by One Piece; and Scotland inspired by The Traitors.
8. One-click trips
Half of consumers make daily, weekly or monthly purchases because of trusted influencer content. Although shopping on Instagram and TikTok has become the new normal for lower-ticket items like fashion and beauty, travel shopping on social media is still in its early stages. Half of consumers say they have wanted to book a trip they saw on their social feeds, but cited time and complexity as the primary barriers. In response to this, Expedia recently launched the travel industry’s first shop-able storefronts curated by social media creators, tastemakers and brands with more than 100 Travel Shops live on the Expedia app.
