Do you have a trip planned for 2025? Are you dreaming of a European river cruise or just staring into the distance on a tropical island with a cocktail clutched in your hand?
Maybe that’s just me. However, if 2025 is the year you tick another one off the bucket list, here are some travel trends predicted for next year that should ensure you make some great memories.
Holidays over inheritance
Spending the kids’ inheritance continues to be popular. Booking.com crunched the data and nearly half of travellers (46 per cent) would prefer to spend their money on a trip of a lifetime rather than leaving an inheritance. This trend is particularly strong among baby boomers (49 per cent) and the silent generation (40 per cent).
While they might want to spend all their money, it’s not all bad for the younger generations, because they may get to go along for the ride. Multigenerational trips will rise in 2025. These family trips will prioritise shared experiences over material wealth, with 80 per cent of boomers happy to fund their children’s and grandchildren’s holidays.
Not going gently into that good night
Is 70 the new 20? Booking.com is finding boomers are also increasingly planning adventure-style holidays over more passive options.
In a survey of clients, 23 per cent of the boomer generation, (up from just 10 per cent in 2024) said they’re interested in high-octane adventures such as skydiving, canoeing down the world’s largest rivers and trekking across mountain ranges. Go team!
Consider a detour
We are always urged to step off the tourist trail, but do we actually do it? Well, 2025 is the year of the detour tour. No need to go completely off the grid, just take a side tour to a hidden gem. You may discover something new, and they are usually cheaper than the more popular tourist destinations.
Here are Expedia’s recommendations:
- Reims, France (detour from Paris)
- Brescia, Italy (detour from Milan)
- Cozumel, Mexico (detour from Cancun)
- Santa Barbara, California, USA (detour from LA)
- Waikato, New Zealand (detour from Auckland)
- Girona, Spain (detour from Barcelona)
- Fukuoka, Japan (detour from Tokyo)
- Abu Dhabi, UAE (detour from Dubai)
- Krabi, Thailand (detour from Phuket)
- Canmore, Alberta, Canada (detour from Calgary)
Where are we going?
Ummm, Brisbane? Yes, the flashy northern city, nicknamed Brisvegas for a reason, is the only Australian city to make the annual top 10 Trending Destinations list by American Express.
My favourite thing to do in Brisbane is be warm, but that’s because I live in Melbourne. And I can’t recommend Eat Street Northshore Hamilton enough. Relaxed street-food style dining in a buzzy atmosphere.
And if money is no object, a bit of posh shopping in James Street is a good way to pass a few hours. If you can’t afford that, just a stroll down this leafy street is a great opportunity for people watching.
The other nine cities on the list are Brittany, France; Moab Utah, Macau, China; Paros, Greece; Sun Valley, Idaho; Franschhoek, South Africa; Koh Samui, Thailand; Nikko, Japan; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Taste the difference
Enjoying different food and wine is one of the great joys of travelling, but increasingly people are travelling to destinations because of the food and drink alone.
Foodie tours are becoming increasingly popular, and seeking out destinations for a single style of wine or food speciality is becoming more common.
Even enjoying grocery store variety is a thing. Expedia’s global survey data shows that 39 per cent of travellers usually visit a grocery shop and 44 per cent shop to buy local goods they can’t get at home.
In our family it’s weird, mysteriously labelled soft drinks that draw us in while travelling. The label depicts what you think is a lychee, but really could be anything and usually is. Disturbing green liquids? Sign me up. It certainly makes cocktail hour interesting.
But always declare any food you bring back into the country or be prepared to be an unwitting starring cast member of Australia’s Border Security.
And we aren’t just booking flights and hotels, people are also booking tables. Destination restaurants are all part of the experience, whether it’s to enjoy a view or brag about dining in a hatted restaurant, a good meal is part of a good holiday.
Do you have any plans to travel next year? Why not share them in the comments section below?
Also read: Why cruising may be about to become more expensive for many Aussies
