If you build it they will come: the five travel trends that will define traveler behaviour in 2025

Like culture, travel is a reflection of our times. New travel trends are emerging as the seasons change, along with new dance moves, hit songs, and fashion trends that I have never seen or heard before. Can someone tell me what happened with James Bond?

Amadeus is the best place to find out who will be the next Chappelle-Roan. Amadeus is all about working with the brightest and best to create an ecosystem that puts travellers first. The only way to achieve this is by knowing what they want. Our position at the centre of the travel industry gives us a unique view of the future of travel.

We’ve combined the latest proprietary data with leading industry insight and expert analyses from around the world to predict the top five trends in travel that will influence travel behaviour by 2025.

Where are the travellers going next year, and what is it that attracts them? Here’s an early look.

New Holidays

Popular culture is stuck in the 1990s. Green Day, Blink 18, Oasis, and Eminem are all 90s music stars who are currently on tour. Hollywood and Bollywood are flooded with fans who want to see reruns and remakes of old movies. Street style around the world is a big hit of 90s nostalgia. Travel is not an exception. It seems that people yearn for familiarity with music, movies, and fashion from earlier times. Holiday companies report that as Millennials reach middle age, they are nostalgically looking to relive their childhood holidays, but this time with the kids. Savvy hotels have already picked up on this trend. New lodgings in Brownsea Island are attracting UK families with fond memories from Enid Blyton’s Five Have a Mystery to Solve the 1960’s book. Airbnb in the US launched a Polly Pocket-themed home rental that will “take guests back to their childhood.” Travel companies are taking note.

Find out more about the latest trend.

Flying

It’s cute to time your in-flight movie so that you start it at the same time as a travel companion, even if you didn’t want to watch the film in the first place. Please have your in-flight options as personalized as the streaming services at home. Airlines are stepping up the game by combining hyper-personalized systems with algorithmic entertainment that delivers fresh content, from movies and television series to advertisements and things to purchase.

Delta Air Lines has turned seat-back screens in SkyMiles members into smart TVs that remember where the user left off when watching a favourite movie or TV show. Airlines could even start giving out VR headsets in first and business class. When you have unlimited entertainment choices at your fingertips, you may be less likely to watch the same movie as your seatmate.

Find out more about the latest trend.

Trailblazer Hotels

In the past, people would choose their destination and then look for a hotel. But a few eye-catching hotels have flipped travel on its head, becoming a reason to travel. Melides, Portugal, was not a popular destination until Christian Louboutin opened Vermelho, his beautifully crafted 13-room hotel. Since then, many unique properties around the globe have opened, luring tourists with their exclusive, intimate, and Instagram-worthy decor and surroundings. Hilton announced recently that it will be adding nearly 400 boutique luxury hotels to its portfolio. DataIntelo estimates that the global boutique hotel market will reach US$ 179.7 billion by 2032.

Find out more about the latest trend.

Asia uplift

It’s not only big in Japan. According to our latest travel data, the APAC region will see a huge resurgence of travel. In 2025, foreigners will flock to Asia, lured by weaker currencies and new luxury hotels, as well as easier visa requirements and more flight options. Asian travellers, too, are eager to explore new horizons. Chinese tourists make up a large percentage of global tourism, but after COVID, the majority were only interested in domestic travel. It appears that the tide has finally turned, and it is expected that international Chinese tourism will return to its pre-2019 level in 2025. This is not a one-time trend: According to IATA, over the next 15 years, the growing middle class in Asia-Pacific will account for 50% of the global growth in air passengers.

Find out more about the latest trend.

Connections in Real Life

Romance is in full swing. 79% of Gen Z say they have experienced “burnout” from dating apps. 2025 will be the year that singletons book “Flights of Fancy”, hoping to experience their version of Before Sunrise. Travel is a great way to meet new people, whether you’re looking for a partner or just chatting with friends. G Adventures has recently launched Solo-ish Adventures, a series of small group itineraries that are designed to “transform strangers in to a tight-knit team”. Solo travellers tend to be more open-minded and willing to try new things. These are traits that can lead them to develop friendships and love. Find out more about this trend.

The following is a brief overview of the five major travel trends we see for 2025. Click here to read the full article.