2025’s Ultimate Travel Guide
Hello, wanderlusters! If your year has been anything like mine, you’re probably also replaying your favourite 2024 travel moments on a loop. As I look at my weathered running shoes, my go-to suitcase now missing a front wheel, and my passport that’s fatter than a double-stuffed croissant, I’ve come to a profound realization - nothing gives me more joy than throwing my essentials into a bag and heading off on yet another adventure!
Looking at how 2024 was, I can feel it in my bones that 2025 is going to shake things up. It won’t be the same old routine of ‘pick a destination, check-in, sightsee, eat, sleep, repeat’. Nope, this year promises to be something different, something really exciting.
After sifting through notes from my journeys, swapping stories with fellow wanderers, and soaking up nuggets of wisdom from hoteliers and travel experts, I’ve pieced together a list of trends that perfectly captures how the world will travel in 2025.
Spoiler alert: it’s going to make your eyes shine and your suitcase dance with excitement!
So, buckle up and let's have a look at the hottest travel trends for 2025.
We all have that friend who’s Instagram handle creates a massive sense of FOMO, with photos of that ‘must-click’ in front of the Jumbotron on Times Square, or the post-skiing ice cream in Megève or that lah-di-da dinner with the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop. (I know, I know, I am probably that friend :P. But hey, travelling is my passion AND my job.. so have a heart!). After the pandemic, Revenge Travel became a thing, and people tried to cram as many things in their itineraries as they could.
But now, the travel vibes are changing, my vacation-obsessed comrades. In 2025, luxury travel is getting a tranquil makeover with a generous smattering of JOMO: the joy of missing out.
Remember when vacations meant adrenaline-fueled days of visiting places and taking pictures that basically screamed “Look at my Instagram story!”? Not anymore. People are consciously hitting the pause button. They’re unplugging from the noise, and saying a hard ‘Nope’ to the frenzy. Forget the latest club opening at a swanky five-star in Dubai or blowing a fortune on front-row seats to some global superstar’s concert in Singapore. The vibe now will be not keeping up with the Kardashians, thank you very much!
Just imagine spending 10 amazingly peaceful days in a secluded forest cabin (with all the luxuries of course) with a stack of books, steaming mugs of hot chocolate (or mulled wine), and the soothing crackle of a fireplace in the background. Or a quiet picnic at the Mirabell Palace and Gardens in Salzburg, where you just chill with a book, a giant straw hat and a jar of Red Wine Sangria. That is my kind of heaven. JOMO at its finest!
https://www.canopyandstars.co.uk/glamping/cabins/lake-district/
https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/la-maddalena-sardinia-italy
DINK couples (Double Income, No Kids) and nuclear families might still dominate the overseas leisure travel scene, but let me tell you, there’s a new wave crashing in, and I’ve seen it first-hand on my adventures. Post the pandemic, families are craving togetherness like never before, and intergenerational trips are on the up and up.
Young adults today are all about experiences over materialistic pursuits (seriously, will a fancy watch give you the same high as watching the Northern Lights float in the skies above you?). A close friend of mine did just that, ditching the idea of splurging on a car and instead took his parents on a magical Northern Lights cruise in Norway. Another friend wanted his kids to bond with their grandparents, so they all packed their bags and spent 7 days together in Lucerne attending concerts, eating fondue, and making memories so sweet they’d rival the best Swiss chocolate!
Even tour operators in luxury destinations are noticing this shift - bigger groups, luxury experiences, and more laughter-filled evenings. Because, let’s be honest, if you got a chance to have a holiday with your favourite people, wouldn’t you grab it?
Hot Tip: Get quirky custom t-shirts made with slogans like ‘Vacation Chaos. Family Edition” or “Vacation mode. Activated” and get everyone to wear it for your family photos on the trip.
Back in the day, holiday seasons were as predictable as your in-flight safety demo - Summer season (May to July) and Winter season (November to January). But lately, things have started to blur, and honestly, I’m loving it. Thanks to the world embracing the ‘work from home’ lifestyle, peak seasons are getting fuzzier, and I predict 2025 will stretch them even further. That is because more and more travellers are asking themselves, “Why wrestle with crowds when the off-season (also called ‘shoulder’ season) lets you enjoy the same destinations with fewer people and all the luxury?”
Think about it. No long immigration queues, no battling selfie sticks at tourist hotspots, and a travel pace that actually feels like a vacation. Hotels are more affordable, service feels more personal, and the overall vibe is gloriously unhurried.
I remember going to New York in March, which is the off-peak season, strolling through Times Square and soaking in the relaxed off-season vibe of the city without the usual swarm of tourists. The weather was perfect for a light jacket and long, lazy walks actually made me take in the city more. But the best part was that I got to enjoy a luxe getaway (and get an upgrade to a massive suite) within the same budget. Such simple joys in life!
Then why not avoid the crowds and experience the charm of off-peak travel? It’s like having your cake (or pierogi) and eating it too!
This is hands-down one of my favourite travel trends for 2025 (probably because I’m in desperate need of a digital detox!). With social media and WFH blurring the lines between life and screen time, more and more travellers are heading outdoors to escape the digital overload, basically anything that gets them far, far away from mobile coverage and email notifications.
I can tell you, the guilt hits me hard when my phone tells me I’m averaging 7 hours and 13 minutes on messaging, email, and social media apps. 7 hours! That’s enough time to hike through the Dolomites or take a scenic drive through the Alpilles mountains in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence! What I really want is a holiday where I can feel the grass under my feet, wake up to birdsongs instead of my phone alarm, and let the natural world hit reset on my senses.
Maybe I’ll tag along some friends who are already planning a glamping trip to Istria, Croatia, with some pretty strict rules: luxury resort vibes but no TV, no Wi-Fi, and no phones at the dinner table. They want to go hiking, swimming, experience shinrin yoku ( or forest bathing), eat the local cuisine, sleep in the hammock outside, and rinse and repeat. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Vacations like this help you feel rested and restored, and also make sure you don’t need another holiday to recover when you get back home.
If not Croatia, maybe I’ll finally tick off a kayaking trip through Norway’s fjords or go explore the lava tunnels of Pico Island in The Azores with my best friend. If there's a natural wonder you want to see, make 2025 the year you toss your smartphone away and make that dream come alive.
https://www.catterfly.com/package/nature-immersion-in-bali?parentLocation=bali-indonesia
https://www.emea.marriott.com/en/destinations/spain/canary-islands
With rising global temperatures, tourists from India and globally are seeking destinations where they can literally cool their heels. Coolcations are not just about the weather, they are also about going to cold-climate destinations where the crowds are sparse and the places tranquil.
More than chilling on Mediterranean beaches or scuba diving in Bali or parasailing in Spain, people are heading to the hottest (errr.. I mean coolest) destinations like South Tyrol’s ski slopes, Iceland's glaciers, Alaska's fjords, and even Antarctica’s white wilderness to holiday in style.
I have to say, I am 100% riding this trend. When I visited South Tyrol in Italy , I felt I had landed on another planet, the place was white, clean and idyllic. There is something magical and soothing about snow, it’s like therapy for the soul. My travel stress practically melted away as I sipped on hot mulled wine, gazing at those endless Alpine views.
That reminds me of the time when I took the Glacier Express scenic train ride and enjoyed the 8-hour visual feast of the Swiss Alps. And how can I forget Svalbard, Norway, the favourite stomping ground of polar bears and probably the coldest, quirkiest place I’ve ever been to! So yes, Coolcations definitely get my ‘thumbs-up’.
Fun fact: Svalbard has more snowmobiles than people, even though the population is only about 2,700!
There you have it my lovelies. 2025 is going to shape up to be a year of meaningful, transformative travel. Pick the trend that suits your fancy, and whether you’re chasing snowflakes, bonding with family, or just unplugging yourself from the chaos, I hope you find the joy, peace and fulfilment that you are looking for.
I’m going to get started with my bucket list for 2025, buy myself a bigger suitcase (because if I need 5 outfits, I pack 10 just to ‘be safe’ ☺) and make this year all about Vitamin T – Travel!
What’s going on your bucket list for 2025?
Journey into Joy with these Hot trends
