What are the travel trends for 2025?

• 29.10.2024.
• News, User experience

Online travel sites such as Expedia have their own predictions based on the behaviour of the people on their website. It’s interesting to find how people book, travel, what they are interested in, and how their preferences are changing. Let’s see where and how people are travelling next year.

Everyone who is selling and promoting travel and vacations in any form has to adjust to new trends.  
For yacht charter companies, new trends should also be interesting, and adjusting is a must, or else...  
  
What to expect in travelling in 2025?  
First-party data on travel and global search terms for travel trends says that traditional value vacations are experiencing “a comeback". Especially from the “young” generation—Gen Z.  
  
   

On the travelling bucket list? New places and “detour destinations”  

Traditional vacations and experiences they are connected to are on the rise... Young people want to experience something new. And for them, it seems something new is something old (for people older than 30 at least).  
  
Young people travelling are also taking alternate routes to experience new places.  
  
These destinations are not so well known, not so popular, or crowded as tourist hotspots.  
But they are being put on travel itineraries as the main destination or as a substitute for jam-packed destinations everyone goes to.  
  
“Detour destinations” have a significant increase in searches, and 63% of people travelling say they will most certainly visit a detour destination next time.  
   
Some of the detour destinations based on a percentage increase in searches are:  

• Reims, France (detour from Paris)  
• Brescia, Italy (detour from Milan)  
• Cozumel, Mexico (detour from Cancun)  
• Girona, Spain (detour from Barcelona)  
• Fukuoka, Japan (detour from Tokyo)  
• Abu Dhabi, UAE (detour from Dubai)  
     

People want all-inclusive experiences more than ever  

All-inclusive services used to have mixed reputations.  
But it seems as though they're experiencing a fresh makeover—and Gen Z is embracing the trend.  
  
About one-third of Gen Z reports a more favourable view of all-inclusives as of late, with 42% of them saying an all-inclusive resort is their preferred choice.  
  
#allinclusive is trending on TikTok, and searches with the "all inclusive” filter jumped by 60% year-over-year.    
Big names like Hyatt and Marriott are joining the all-inclusive space, enhancing offerings worldwide.  
      
Why are young travellers choosing all-inclusives? For 41% of Gen Z, reduced stress tops the list, followed by ease of booking (39%) and a sense of luxury they experience (38%).  

  

JOMO travelling  

You’ve probably heard of FOMO (the fear of missing out)?   
People booking private vacations are embracing the JOMO—the joy of missing out.  
What does that mean?  
  
Information shows growing interest in beach and mountain destinations ideal for relaxation and leisure, with many travellers viewing JOMO travel as a way to boost their mental health and prosperity.  
   
62% of travellers report that JOMO travel helps reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half say it enhances their connection with loved ones.    
Survey results show that the top vacation rentals for JOMO travel include beach houses, secluded lakeside lodges, and cosy mountain chalets.  
    
JOMO travellers also prioritise rentals with amenities like swimming pools, peaceful gardens, hot tubs or spas, and scenic views for relaxation and detachment from the real world.  

 

Homemade and local experiences are the new gift shop items  

Travelling trends are telling us this: it's time to make a difference.  
People are getting away from bulk items, magnets, and poorly made souvenirs; they want authenticity and something that will delight them.  
  
Did we mention that it needs to be authentic?  
  
If you follow travelling influencers on TikTok, everything from chocolate to skincare to candy has gone viral.  
Gen Z wants speciality goods, aside from seeing unique sights and attractions that location offers.  
New kinds of travellers want to experience local offers, food, wines, and other delicacies, authentic food, and dining experiences.  
  
Data shows that around 40% of people who buy local goods they can’t find elsewhere.  
Similar to the most popular experiences in the world, what can “we” do here?  

Wine tastings, olive oil tastings, homemade products, honey, prosciutto, cheese—all of the things that our country and the coastal area have in abundance.  
All of these are a great opportunity to attract travellers that are looking for “the local”. 
  

Set-Jetting? Yes, you read that correctly.  

Expedia states Set-Jetting has emerged as a pattern for travel in 2023.  
The small (and the big) screen is a growing travel inspiration.  
  
Two-thirds of people state that movies, series, and TV shows have influenced their travel choices.  
Even better, this influence is on the rise, and 36% say TV and films are influencing their travel plans more and more.  
  
The trend of travellers exploring famous filming TV and film locations is on the rise.  
The UK takes the lead as the top Set-Jetting stop..  
Why? They have hundreds of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Outlander, and Bridgerton themed tours on offer.  
  
Among UK, most popular destinations are Dubai, Paris, New York, and Yellowstone National Park.  
In Croatia? Dubrovnik, of course.  
   
Influences are doing their job of influencing as people trust people they follow and trust their recommendations and judgements.  
  
Social shopping has become routine on social media. However, the growing e-commerce trend has only begun to tap into larger-ticket categories like travel.  
Half of the people surveyed say that they wished to book a vacation as seen on social media but had issues such as the complexity of the procedure and time-consuming bookings.  
  

Connect with people looking for their next vacation  

Whatever hospitality service you are in, you know you have to be visible to be successful.  
  
But how to work on that visibility for your yacht charter company?  

• Promote new routes or deals  
• Target engaged travellers exploring certain destinations  
• Make custom ad to promote all the benefits you offer  
• Update your information regularly (make it easier for people to find) to  
• Include details and descriptions of your yacht so people know what they are booking   
• Include all the options, extras, and activities and their prices, and do it transparently  
    

Trend in 2025? Make it easier for your guests.  

It's apparently time for package bookings. For all, not just yacht charters.  
  
The latest trend is showing us that people are looking for easy booking and simple (but all-inclusive) vacations.  
 
So the package deals are the best option for the people who actually don’t have time to overly explore. You should really optimise your website so it's easy to navigate, has many filters, and has easy booking processes.  
The easiest way to achieve that is to look at your website as you were the guest—would you be satisfied with the user experience offered?  
  
  
Back to packages: see to it that you connect your guests by air, by car, or even additional accommodation, tickets, museums, and local farms and restaurants working hours if needed.  
This would be especially beneficial if you have set-jetters booking with you.  
  
Yacht charters? Make packages for all obligatory items and basic items (for outboard engines and such); you can even make a couple of packages depending on the needs and wishes of your charter guests.  
  
And as we said before, make it as easy as possible for your current, former, and potential guests.  
Don’t let people who are searching for their next vacation option be turned away by your bad web, bad booking systems, or slow web. Additionally, offer them what you can to enrich their experience.  
  
It’s easy to turn a satisfied guest into a returning customer, especially if you show them what else there is to experience in the Adriatic, except the blue sea, blue skies, and endless sunshine.  
 
  
  
Sources: Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo  

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