Top Travel Trends in 2025
Now that the New Year is here and you find yourself Googling “holidays in 2025” to prep for your travel plans, it’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the top travel trends. Gone are the days when tourists would travel to one place just because of its popularity or because it’s a must-see destination or to soak up the sun. For this year, top travel trends include traveling to cooler destinations, places that will let you experience the cosmos, and visiting more affordable destinations.
Top Travel Trends in 2025
Here are the top travel trends in 2025 to experience and see the world like never before.
Soft Travel
More and more people are now opting for “soft travel” or trips that focus on simplicity, which have numerous mental health benefits, according to Forbes. The goal of soft travel is to spend your time slowly in a new place instead of trying to see it all. Trying to plan your itinerary with loads of activities is one of the reasons why you feel more stressed and tired even if you just came back from a holiday. With soft travel, you get to “experience the rhythm of local life rather than rushing from tourist site to tourist site and giving yourself permission to slow dow.”
Holistic Wellness Vacations
Sure, we typically go on holidays for rest and relaxation, but in 2025, more and more people will travel for holistic wellness. According to Southern Living (per Yahoo!Life), wellness trips are becoming more holistic, encompassing all aspects of a person’s health—not just the physical. Resorts are now offering amenities that also focus on mental and spiritual well-being.
“Coolcations”
If your idea of a holiday includes donning thick winter clothes, walking around with a hot cup of coffee in hand, and breathing in the crisp, fresh air, you’re one of those who prefer “Coolcations.”
According to Misty Belles, vice president of global public relations at Virtuoso, a network of travel agencies (per Vogue), there has been “a significant increase of 44% in travel to cooler destinations like Canada, Finland, and Iceland in June, July, and August, while warmer destinations only saw a slight 0.5% decrease.”
This travel trend began this year but will undoubtedly become more popular in 2025.
Cosmic Getaways
No, we don’t mean space travel since most of us have the money to pay for it. But the next best thing is traveling to unique locations and connecting with the cosmos by star gazing and naming all the constellations. According to Travel Noire (per Yahoo!Life), the trend started during the pandemic, when more people found comfort in looking at the stars.
It’s a travel trend that saw a significant rise in interest this year, and with advancements in technology and astronomy, it will continue to be one of the top travel trends in 2025 and beyond.
Destination Dupes
Do you want to see the world but are short on funds? Fret not, because in 2025, destination dupes are here to the rescue! Travelers are becoming wiser and are now opting to visit destinations that aren’t the typical tourist hotspots. According to Lemongrass’ Travel Trend Report 2025 (via Forbes), affordable alternatives are emerging as a top trend for 2025. “In Spain, skip Barcelona and visit Girona. Swap Venice, Italy for Ljubljana in Slovenia. And book a trip to Maratea to instead of Positano in Italy. These are among the alternative (but comparable) destinations holiday planners are seeking out that promise to be less expensive and crowded than popular hotspots, making this the year of the ‘destination dupe.’”
Set-jetting
Yes, please! This is one of the top travel trends of 2025 that we can get behind! “Set-jetting” is when you visit on-set locations of your favorite movies or TV shows. According to Lauren Gumport, vice president of communications and brands at Faye Travel Insurance (via Travel Pulse), “Younger travelers are increasingly turning their screens into travel inspiration, spending an average of $2,357 to visit these iconic filming locations. This trend combines fandom with adventure, offering travelers the chance to step into their favorite on-screen worlds while boosting tourism in these regions.”
BBC also reported that, because of shows like Emily in Paris, the number of visitors to Paris increased, and the rise in interest in Bangkok, Phuket, and Ko Samui can be attributed to Season 3 of White Lotus.
