Livingetc's Travel Trends 2025 Report, Revealed: Where, Why, and How to Satiate Your Wanderlust, According to Industry Experts

Every year, as the darkness of the coldest months sinks in, the only thing that keeps me going is knowing that, sooner or later, I will take a break from my work routine, pack my bags, and travel somewhere I have likely never been before. Of course, I am not the only one to feel this way. The fact that most vacation bookings are made between the end of the holiday season and January is a clear indication of how our wanderlust peaks in winter, prompting us to search for the latest travel trends and the best destinations to tick off our bucket list as we wait impatiently to visit them first-hand.

But travel trends, or the forecasting of the places, interests, and modalities that will define people's journeys in the year ahead, don't exclusively concern "travel". Quite the opposite, they are a reflection of society as a whole; a reaction to the myriad of phenomena that — however consciously — shape the way we live right now, from the rise of social media and AI, to the hyper-productivity demanded by contemporary workplaces, the unfolding of climate change, and pop culture. What does that mean? It means that, whether or not we are aware of it, the locations at the center of our travel itineraries, how we choose to reach them, and the reasons and purposes behind our vacations are not casual, but embody the state of our lives today. These travel trends reveal what drives and inspires us, what we fear we lack, and are therefore trying to get more of, and what we would like to become in the future.

Merging exclusive insights from multiple industry experts, this Livingetc report doesn't bring mere advice on where to go in 2025: it also captures the nuances of our urge to explore, and outlines how we can continue to do so without harming the nature and the communities around us — all while putting extraordinary design at the forefront.

What Are the Biggest Travel Trends for 2025?

While travel trends may differ from nation to nation, our look forward at the moods, hobbies, and countries that will serve as the real protagonists of 2025 gives a polarized portrait of the world at a glance. If, on the one hand, more and more wanderers seem to be seeking holidays that can grant them the peace of mind they miss in their everyday lives by chasing after wellness retreats, slow living destinations, and quieter getaways than the usual city breaks, for others, travel is all about adrenaline. Electrifying solo — or train-hopping — adventures and wilderness-absorbed accommodations that evoke thrill, awe, or even danger, are as appealing to the world's travel community as their calm-inducing counterparts.

Despite their diverging end goals, both are brought together by the same rule: where we travel in 2025 is not that important; what matters is when, how, and why we do it. Shoulder seasons, or the periods between a region's peak season and offseason, are gaining momentum, with travelers opting for less canonical moments of the year to be on the move, or planning their escapes to coincide with the coldest — or hottest — months. This helps mitigate the environmental and social impact of over-tourism, also granting vacationers a more enjoyable stay. As for the how, 2025 travel trends are synonymous with restfulness, connection, and personalization: think curated itineraries that unearth hidden trails, blending art, culture, food, community, and sport into a multifaceted experience to be savored on your own or with your loved ones.

Without further ado: these are 2025's biggest travel trends.

1. Calmcations

Image 1 of 4

If 2025 travel trends could be summed up in a sentence, it would be: we need a break. And no, it is not the winter blues speaking, it is the global community as a whole. Two weeks into the year, "we're seeing a rise in clients booking 'quiet travel', with travelers seeking to escape the noise of everyday life — whether that's noise from content, work, other people, or even your own thoughts," Carolyn Weppler, Senior Vice President at Goway tells me.

Directing visitors towards more rural, secluded locations instead of bustling metropolises, these "calmcations" are characterized by a stronger immersion in nature and a focus on restoring our physical, mental, and emotional balance. Prioritizing our primal needs over visits to "must-see attractions", quiet travel invites us to put ourselves first — even, and especially, on vacation.

Wellness Retreats

This isn't a travel trend that is bound to fizzle as people settle into the year, but the opposite. In the coming weeks, "the demand for wellness-focused retreats is only set to rise as wanderers seek restorative experiences that prioritize their physical and mental well-being," says Rebecca Harley, Marketing Manager at Journeyscape. "Coastal destinations, mountain resorts, and lakeside lodges across North America are tailoring their offerings to include mindfulness workshops, yoga retreats, and nature-based therapies." Providing an antidote to the fast-paced digital world, these experiences emphasize "the importance of rejuvenation, making them particularly attractive to both solo adventurers and groups seeking meaningful connection."

Agrotourism and Natural Wonders Getaways

Places like Fairfield's Caymus-Suisun, a sun-baked Californian winery spectacularly crafted by local design studio The Bureau, offer an alternative way of embracing the 'calmcation' concept. Open for food and wine tastings, here you can "pick fruit in our orchards, and walk the vineyards and vegetable garden," explain Founders Chuck, Charlie, and Jenny Wagner, whose project falls under the newly surfacing category of 'agrotourism'.

In recent years, more hotels and resorts have started integrating visits to kitchen gardens and connected farms in their offering, showcasing the quality of their produce and facilitating enriching exchanges between staff and visitors. At Poggi del Sasso's Castello di Vicarello, for example, "you'll enjoy farm-to-table dining with organic ingredients sourced directly from the estate's gardens and olive groves," East End Taste founder Vanessa Gordon tells me, recalling her sojourn at the property. "With over 50 varieties of vegetables and 30 aromatic herbs, their chefs craft authentic Tuscan dishes that highlight the freshest local flavors, and the castle even has their own wine that they bottle and sell."

Another local resort, Rosewood's Castiglion del Bosco, "utilizes a similar approach on a grander scale," she says. "They grow much of their own herbs in a garden that guests can walk around, besides having onsite cooking classes and truffle hunting classes, and a winery near the premises." Particularly popular in American states like Arizona and California, and Italy's evergreen Trentino, Tuscany, and Umbria, 'agrotourism' is just another form of quiet travel. This also counts for "natural wonders getaways," explains Weppler. "Think of excursions to places like Kenya's Maasai Mara and Serengeti, Australia's Great Barrier Reef and Uluru, Mount Fuji, the Alaska Glaciers, and the Swiss Alps."

2. Slow Travel

Image 1 of 6

While quite travel values repose and regeneration through activities that can favor a better quality of life, slow travel extends that invigorating effect to the places we visit, too. Contrary to the past, "2025 is seeing a real move towards less rushed vacations; stays that can foster deeper interactions with a place than whistle-stop tours to tick off bucket-list sights," Harley explains. As one of the biggest travel trends of 2025, slow travel wants us to reassess what it actually means to travel, making us aware of the impact of our choices.

Since the pandemic, "people seem to be much more thoughtful about how they travel," Brenda Beltrán, Travel Writer and Content Manager at Holafly, tells me. They don't just look for experiences "that feel personal and that matter to them," she adds, "but they are also more inclined to engage with local cultures, make sustainable choices, and spend more time in one place."

Staycations

'Staycations', or vacations spent in our home country rather than abroad, have first come to the fore amid the post-COVID-19 limbo, when people didn't brave venturing outside of national borders for fear of unexpected negative repercussions. Nearly five years on since the outbreak, and with overseas travel now back in full force, this trend hasn't got any less prominent. Instead, it has just become one of the best, most popular, and most sustainable, ways to travel.

According to recent research from Away Resorts, 52% of UK travelers will spend their time off somewhere in the country this year, while in the US, domestic travel is "projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, driven by a renewed interest in local experiences". Staycation options are as varied as ever, and not always requiring you to jump on a plane in order to reach them, rather eco-conscious, too.

Still wondering where to go in 2025? You could opt for an under-the-radar lodge, like Livingetc's Style Editor Julia Demer did when she spent a weekend at the surreally beautiful Daniel Arsham's Kohler cabin, or, drawing on insights from Campspot's (Re)Creation Vacation 2025 Trend Outlook, drive to the 'nostalgic hotspots' expected to enjoy a renaissance as some of this year's most popular outdoor destinations, including West Yellowstone, Traverse City, Miami, Bar Harbor, and Grand Canyon. You could check if the minimalist chic guesthouses of Danish furniture and homeware brand Vipp have landed anywhere near you, making them your refuge for a day or two. Alternatively, if you are in Britain, you might indulge in the design-forward resurgence of historical pubs with rooms — as I did during a recent stay at the modern rustic décor idyll that is The Bull Charlbury.

Off-the-Beaten-Path

Although it might sound counterintuitive, going for unconventional and less traveled destinations — however remote those might be — is yet another side of the slow travel movement. Making a conscious effort not to flock in mass to the ever-crowded Rome, Paris, Barcelona, and New York, instead booking longer holidays in 'off-the-beaten-path' regions, might well be the way forward, or at least that is what experts suggest in regards to travel 2025 trend predictions. So what are some of the best places to visit this year if you want to give slow travel a go? Get ready to be spoilt for choice.

"A less crowded alternative to Dubrovnik in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina is being heralded as the rising star of The Balkans for 2025," says Wild Frontiers' Clare Tobin, who mentions its awe-inspiring nature, burgeoning wine industry, and scenic cycle routes as some of its greatest highlights. But the country isn't the only Eastern European location on the rise. In Latvia, "unspoiled beaches, ancient castles and Europe's widest waterfall" are all one booking away, Travelzoo's Communications Director Cat Jordan explains, while Gulet Cruise Montenegro's Alexandra Iordan looks at "Montenegro's untouched nature, rich history, and vibrant culture" as the secrets to a perfect getaway.

Meanwhile, underrated destinations in Central and East Asia are gaining momentum, too. For Explore Worldwide's Michael Edwards, "South Korea is the place to visit" this year. "A relatively unexplored slice of Asia, the country seamlessly juxtaposes over 5,000 years of culture and history with all things hyper-modern," he explains. Check the retro-futuristic lobby and rooms of Busan's color-block Coolest Hotel and you will know Edwards' prediction is spot on.

Still, there are more Asian explorations to try out this year. According to James Adkin, Product Manager at Explore Worldwide, "there's a huge amount of interest in the Silk Road at the moment, both culturally and historically," with bookings to Uzbekistan rising up 52% compared to last year. Countries like Cambodia, with its "untouched beaches and breathtaking scenery", and abundant wildlife, "tick several travel boxes," explains Jordan, while Holiday Extras' has Vietnam's Côn Đảo archipelago down as the best place to visit between November and April 2025.

3. Passion — and Event — Tourism

Image 1 of 4

Last year, record-smashing pop singer Taylor Swift's North American Eras Tour had a $2 billion impact on the US economy, with tour locations seeing direct correlation between concert dates and spikes in hotel bookings (Check out Livingetc's interiors-led deep dive into Taylor Swift property to catch a glimpse of her estate empire). In Philadelphia, for example, May was the strongest hotel revenue month, coinciding with the music artist's presence in town. Across Europe, hotel prices in concert cities increased by an average of 44%, while in Singapore alone, inbound flights, accommodation bookings, and tours to local attractions grew by 186%, 462%, and 2,373% during the local leg of the Eras Tour, Trip.com reported.

For LaDell Carter, Lead Luxury Lifestyle Travel Designer and Founder of Royal Expression Travels, passion-led tourism is not going anywhere in 2025. "Travel has always been an emotional purchase, but now more than ever, it's an act of self-prioritization and purpose," she tells me. Today, "it is not just about where people go, but why they are going and how their unique needs are met along the way." Rebecca Recommends's Rebecca Slater couldn't agree more. "This year we expect to see travel plans centered around major events, and not just concerts," the Founder explains. "Whether it's witnessing the Sydney New Year's Eve Fireworks, catching the Super Bowl LIX action in New Orleans, or checking off a bucket list trip at the Monaco Grand Prix, there are numerous significant events around the world that are already attracting attention."

Already noted in our books are the Frieze fairs (20-23 February, Los Angeles. 7-11 May, New York. 15-19 October, London); the Expo 2025 (13 April-13 October 2025), with Osaka, Japan's second-largest city, playing as host; the Eurovision Song Contest (13-17 May 2025), which lands in Basel, Switzerland's creative capital, in late spring, a month ahead of the Art Basel exhibition (19-22 June 2025); Milan Design Week (7-13 April 2025), including Salone del Mobile; and the long-anticipated reunion tour of Oasis, coming to the UK 4 July-17 August 2025.

When it comes to passion tourism, which doesn't merely include trips related to specific events, but encompasses a thorough (and recently, even AI-assisted) personalization of all aspects of the journey, the secret "lies in the details," Carter explains. This 2025 travel trend is all about "delving into the intricacies of each traveler's passions and preferences," she adds. "Take Canyon Ranch in Arizona, for example. When I visited with colleagues, it didn't feel like a group trip — it was all about my personal path. From curated workout routines to tailored wellness consultations, every moment was designed around me. Their ambassador had planned everything in advance, and by the time I arrived, it felt like they had known me for years." That, for her, is "the magic of passion-led travel — it transforms a destination into a deeply personal journey."

4. Adventure Travel

Image 1 of 8

If there's a leitmotif that permeates all the travel 2025 trends, it is a desire for experiences that feel as challenging and personal as they are unforgettable. It is the rise of the "adventure travel boom", which, as Much Better Adventures CMO and Co-Founder Sam Bruce puts it, "is fueled by those craving immersive experiences and an escape from the humdrum of daily life." For the travel expert, this trend doesn't just offer physical, mental, and social benefits, but when done right, "it boosts local economies far more sustainably than traditional tourism," he adds.

Traditionally, adventure travel comprises anything from "going kayaking and wildlife spotting" to "hiking in less-visited regions of Europe". This Livingetc's Year in Travel Trends 2025 Report gives it the design treatment: think lavishly furnished, flashing trains straight out of an Agatha Christie thriller, luxury glamping resorts and cabins immersed in the glowing Arabian desert, and opencast Mexican resorts bringing brutalist interiors to life through safari tours, art itineraries, as well as fitness, surf, and cooking classes.

Ditch the Plane for the Train

2025 might as well be called the year of the train. Why? Not only is the British Railway celebrating its 200th anniversary, but a whole new range of retro-inspired luxury trains, inspired by the legendary 1883 Orient Express and bringing its Art Deco design style into the contemporary, are coming to multiple locations across the globe, making traveling as timeless and captivating as it has ever been.

Among such anticipated openings are those of La Dolce Vita Orient Express, an all-Italian designed train created to connect Rome to destinations like Venice and Sicily, with décor reviving the creative genius of 1960s to 1970s icons Gio Ponti, Nanda Vigo, and Gae Aulenti signed by Dimorestudio; the Britannic Explorer, the latest newcomer to Belmond's dazzling railway portfolio, and England and Wales' first luxury sleeper train; SJ Norge's Norient Express, promising a six-day adventure through some of Norway's most scenic landscapes; the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, which will take you to the discovery of one of the world's most ancient trading network and the marvels sited along it; and the American Dreamstar Lines, a nightly luxury train operating between Los Angeles and San Francisco, with interiors by Designworks.

From the vibrant Seven Stars in Kyushu, an emblem of Japan's time-traveling craftsmanship, to the Wes Anderson-esque Maharajas' Express, offering exclusive journeys across North-West and Central India, and South Africa's Rovos Rail, guiding you across the Rainbow Nation through Namibia and Tanzania, the world has far more trains today than you would expect it to have — and they are taking us back to the future! For Journeyscape's Rebecca Harley, this trend reflects "a growing urge for sustainable exploration and meaningful experiences." In Canada, "travelers seek to reduce their carbon footprint while taking in the country's breathtaking landscapes," she says, adding that locations like the Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec have all become more easily accessible through iconic routes such as Via Rail. "Trains offer a unique blend of comfort, convenience, and scenic immersion, making an especially appealing option for solo travelers who prioritize safety and ease."

Going Solo

Harley's mention of solo travelers isn't in any way coincidental. According to Intrepid Travel CCO Leigh Barnes, "the desire to travel is so strong that most young adults may not be waiting for friends, family, or anyone else to book their trip, and are willing to go solo." A recent study conducted by the company showed that "nearly four in five US adults say they have taken or would be interested in taking a solo trip, with nearly nine in ten adults aged 18-35 saying the same," he adds. For Charnell Ward, PR Specialist at Pearl Lemon Adventures, solo travelers are among the greatest protagonists of the 2025 travel trends: "they are increasingly seeking experiences that balance independence with a sense of community, such as joining wellness retreats or adventure tours where connections form naturally," she says.

Because of their wide-ranging on-site activities and just as impressive modern interior design, we think that destinations like Paradero Todos Santos, rising at the very tip of the Baja California Sur state, the Ashar Valley's Our Habitas AlUla resort and Caravan accommodations, and the Utah-based Amangiri "adrenaline-fueled adventure and peaceful desert retreats" would make the ultimate solution for tasteful solo travelers with insatiable wanderlust.

5. When, Not Where

Image 1 of 8

Perhaps the biggest 2025 travel trend of them all, 'When, Not Where' sees the world's wanderers plan their much-awaited getaways as a way out of extreme temperatures and the frenzy of everyday life. Rather than traveling at the peak of summer, or winter, more people seem to be interested in "uncovering a different side to a destination by exploring outside of conventional times," Ayaka Hasegawa, PR Manager at Luxury Tour Operator Black Tomato, tells me.

Joining 'cool-' and 'warmcations' — or the journeys we take to foreign destinations in an attempt to avoid the heat and frost in our countries — respectively, "noctourism has emerged as a micro trend of its own", with people wandering around their chosen holiday locations at night "to escape daytime crowds, witness once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomena, and enjoy the place at a more relaxed pace," adds the expert. Meanwhile, the growing popularity of the off- and shoulder seasons, a symptom of the shift towards more sustainable ways of conceiving travel, allows travelers to interact with the beauty of coveted destinations like New Zealand and Australia — previously overlooked during the cooler months — in completely new ways.

If places like Egypt's Common Architecture-designed Casa Cook El Gouna and the modernist paradise of Balacar's Boca de Agua grant you a balmy respite from winter's below-zero temperatures, Welcome Beyond's Scandinavian design-inspired properties such as The Cliff in Quebec and Laupstad's Aurora Cabin are your portal into nature's wonders and interior (as well as exterior) coolness.

2025 has only just begun, but we know travel will be a huge part of it. Whether pointing you in the direction of the best places to visit this year and the most design-worthy accommodations available there, or convincing you to take up solo travel for the very first time, we hope this Livingetc's Year in Travel Trends 2025 Report has given you a reason to be on the move — whether literally or metaphorically.

With climate change manifesting dramatically as we write, this year's travel predictions urge us to focus on the when, how, and why of tourism far more than on the where alone. Let this guide you in planning journeys that can nurture you and your close ones as much as they contribute sensibly to the environment around you. And if you are stuck for inspiration, head to our hotel design pages, your online directory to stylish escapism.