The turn of a year is always an excellent time to reflect on what the year we’re leaving behind brought and what the one we’re jumping into has in store. As for travel trends among consumers, 2024 saw a greater shift towards sustainable options, unique travel types like surprise travel emerge and an increase in choosing alternative destination options to more popular places, dubbed destination dupes.
As we dive into 2025, travel brands are taking a look at what trends came about in 2024 among their travelers and which ones they believe they’ll see throughout the new year. Read on to see what a variety of brands have to say about upcoming consumer travel trends.
Small Group Travel
“Small is big,” said Jeremy Palmer, president of Tauck. “At Tauck, we have various group sizes, but we always aim to be on the smaller side of the industry so we can provide that care and intimate interaction with culture. Those are really sort of hot themes at the moment. Our small groups business is up almost 50% from before COVID. We’re actually launching a line of even smaller groups.”
Value Trumps Cost
“Today’s travelers aren’t just booking vacations — they’re maximizing every moment,” said Jim Tedesco, senior vice president, sales at ALG Vacations. “We’re seeing a shift toward more intentional travel, where people are willing to invest more as long as the trip is unforgettable. This could mean adding pre- or post-cruise stays in bucket-list destinations or choosing a shorter trip packed with high-value experiences. Or maybe they are considering flights like ALGV’s Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flights (ENVFs) for the first time so they can fly direct around ideal times at a competitive price. It’s no longer about the number of days away; it’s about making each one count.”
E-Bikes Grow in Popularity
A key trend mentioned in a recent State of the Cycling Tour Operator Industry report is that there is a “rapid adoption of e-bikes.” These electronic bicycles assist in making biking accessible for more travelers. “E-bikes are a silent revolution helping to make the magic of cycling accessible to many more people for longer,” said Stevie Christie, managing director for Wilderness Scotland. “Available as an option on cycling trips alongside normal bikes, they level up the group, taking the strain out of cycling consecutive days. For anyone who loves life on two wheels but is worried about keeping up, it's the perfect option.”
Shorter Tour Lengths
“One of the things that we have seen is that post COVID, people were going on long tours, and I think it was the backlash from being couped up. The average length of tour has been shortened a bit. We do see that people are taking slightly shorter trips,” said Rosanne Zusman, chief commercial officer at CIE Tours, adding that there’s also an uptick in the Daytripper Tours, where travelers stay in one hotel and take various day trips.
Rail Travel Grows
“We see 2025 as the Year of Rail Travel — it is booming with more places to go, experiences to have both on and off the train at a growing number of places across the globe,” said Frank Marini, group president & CEO at Railbookers. “As a company, we are seeing very strong growth going into 2025 (up 30 percent for next year versus the same time a year ago), and the company will again record the best year in its history. We also continue to see a trend in luxury and what we call ‘little luxury,’ where customers and travel advisors upgrade specific hotels, suites and experiences in their overall trip.”
Adults-Only Travel Increases
“We’ve never believed in nickel and diming our Sailors – we’re staying committed to delivering epic, kid-free vacations on our fleet of not too big, and not too small, boutique-sized ships that keep Sailors coming back time and time again,” said Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages. “Market experts are saying that adult-only travel is expected to double in size over the next decade because of the elevated experiences they deliver, so we’re excited about the growth potential that lies ahead in 2025 and beyond.”
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