Get inspired for your next getaway with 2025’s top travel trends and must-visit destinations from our travel editor and the experts at the likes of Expedia and British Airways
Wondering where to go on holiday this year? You're in luck, as our travel editor has rounded up some of the best predicted travel trends for 2025 from the most popular holiday companies, including Expedia, British Airways Holidays, Hotels.com, Vrbo and Hilton, to highlight where we think travellers will be going this year – plus some of our favourite places to stay – and to give you some top inspo for your next trip...
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Top travel trends for 2025
Detour destinations
The big trend of 2024 was 'destination dupes', which saw holidaymakers looking for cheaper, less crowded alternatives to the most popular hotspots. Remember the pretty village of Ksamil in Albania going viral for being touted as 'the Maldives of Europe'?
This year Expedia’s Unpack ‘25 travel trends guide thinks we should be looking at 'detour destinations' instead – lesser-known places close to the big names that offer just as much charm and are well worth making time for in your itinerary. Think Cozumel in Mexico while staying in Cancun, a trip to Abu Dhabi alongside Dubai, or visiting Canmore in Canada’s Alberta on the way to Calgary.
WHERE TO STAY: Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, with its chic Jazz & Fizz Bar on the 36th and 37th floor, costs from £163 per night.
All-inclusive era
All-inclusive resorts are often overlooked by adventurous travel lovers, but they’re not all huge, soulless hotels with endless queues for beige buffets and cheesy evening entertainment. The best all-ins nowadays offer a more elevated experience – think adults-only retreats with state-of-the-art wellness packages and fine dining.
All-inclusives are proving especially popular with Gen Z, with Hotels.com finding that 42% cite this as their favourite hotel type for the easy, stress-free and luxurious type of holiday it provides.
WHERE TO STAY: Almare, a Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres, Mexico, has 105 rooms, two pools, a spa and a beach club, from £644 per room per night.
Set-jetting
If watching Emma and Dexter’s love story unfold in One Day last year made you immediately want to book a weekend away in Edinburgh, Emily In Paris’ glamorous life had you itching to jump on the Eurostar or The Perfect Couple had you googling house prices in Nantucket, you’re not alone. Set-jetting – visiting locations that have a central role in popular films and TV shows – is a trend that’s showing no sign of slowing down. Expedia even saw a surge in bookings to Dubai after The Real Housewives Of Dubai aired.
This year, expect to hear more about people visiting Morocco (Gladiator II), Thailand (The White Lotus) and Montana (Yellowstone), while closer to home, filming locations for Bridgerton, The Traitors and Rivals continue to draw the crowds.
WHERE TO STAY: Nikki Beach Koh Samui in Thailand for its pristine beach and barefoot dining, from £137 per person per night.
The phenomena-list
There’s been an uptake in searches for stays near natural phenomena, according to holiday rentals site Vrbo, which has coined the term 'The Phenomena-List'. The Northern Lights top the list, and Iceland remains one of the best places to see this breathtaking light show, with your best chance of viewing them between September and April. Add to that the country’s dramatic waterfalls, erupting geysers and otherworldly landscapes and you’ve got yourself an unforgettable trip.
Other spectacular sights to pop on your wish list include East Africa’s annual Great Migration, the Milky Way above a Dark Sky Park and bioluminescent plankton glowing in the surf in tropical locations such as the Maldives and Puerto Rico.
WHERE TO STAY:Vrbo’s luxe cabin by Iceland’s Lake Skorradalsvatn has an outdoor hot tub and stunning views of the surrounding countryside, from £79 per person per night.
Digital detox
As more and more of our lives are spent online, the chance to switch off completely has become very appealing to many of us. Some resorts simply promote a slower pace of life in a tranquil setting, while others, such as InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, suggest going cold turkey – on its designated digital detox stays, you hand your devices over upon arrival. (Don’t worry, your Instagram account will survive without those sunset snaps!)
WHERE TO STAY: Closer to home, Unplugged has 30 solar-powered, WiFi-free cabins nestled in the countryside around the UK, in locations such as Essex, Hampshire and Wales. A three-night stay costs from £390.
Season stretching
Blame it on global warming but summer holidays are no longer confined to July and August – especially if you’re not tied into travelling during school holidays. More and more holidaymakers are booking trips in May, June, September and October, when the temperatures are still warm but the crowds are smaller and the prices are lower.
According to British Airways Holidays, the most popular short-haul destinations for late spring/early summer include Gran Canaria and Turkey’s Antalya and Bodrum resorts. In early autumn, Malta, Crete and Lanzarote are popular hotspots.
WHERE TO STAY: Beachfront adults-only NEMA Design Hotel & Spa in Crete costs from £144 per room per night.
Gourmet getaways
For many, good food is an important part of a holiday, but new data shows it’s becoming one of the most essential factors when choosing a trip. According to Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report, as many as half of global travellers book restaurant reservations before their flights, while 60% of luxury travellers say staying at hotels with great restaurants is a priority.
WHERE TO STAY: One of our favourite places to stay where the restaurant is as popular – if not more so – than the hotel itself is Gilpin in the Lake District with its Michelin-star restaurant Source. Further afield, Cap Vermell Grand Hotel in Majorca, which has two-star restaurant Voro, costs from £460 per night, while the two restaurants at Cap Maison in St Lucia (from £478 per night half-board) are arguably the best on the island.
Future favourites
These five destinations are seeing a dramatic rise in visitors, according to British Airways Holidays, and are ones to have on your wish list...
The Caribbean will always be popular and Jamaica is full of character: colourful, fun and friendly. Seven Mile Beach in the town of Negril is the place of postcards, while inland you’ll find waterfalls to climb, gentle rivers to raft along and plenty of rum distilleries to visit.
WHERE TO STAY: Sandals Dunn’s River, which opened in May, costs from £2,375 for a seven-night stay for two adults (based on a 9 September 2025 departure).
This maybe isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of the Caribbean – unless you’re a regular cruise-goer, where it’s a popular port of call – but the quiet, green island of Saint Kitts and its sister Nevis have seen a huge spike in popularity recently. Hike up volcanic mountains, enjoy the beaches and snorkel around its stunning coral reefs.
WHERE TO STAY: Park Hyatt St Kitts Christophe Harbour combines luxury and tranquillity, from £472 per room per night.
Japan is a dream destination for keen travellers, and more and more people are now making the journey to tick this fascinating country off their bucket lists. Nowhere sees ancient traditions alongside cutting-edge technology quite like Tokyo, with late March and early April the best time to experience the famous cherry blossom season.
WHERE TO STAY: OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka hotel, which is just a one-minute walk from the nearest station, costs from £92 per room per night.
Gran Canaria
The Canary Islands are such popular holiday destinations for us Brits, thanks to the year-round warm weather, but Gran Canaria is fast making a name for itself as a top wellness hotspot too. Many hotels now boast an array of therapeutic offerings, meaning you’ll return home refreshed in both body and mind.
WHERE TO STAY: Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity, where you’ll find spa treatments, yoga and running trails, costs from £190 per room per night.
You’ll find great history, great views and great weather in this rocky archipelago. And once you’ve visited the capital city of Valletta, you’ll start recognising its narrow, sun-baked streets in Hollywood films as it’s a popular filming location.
WHERE TO STAY: Hilton Malta, close to the lively bars in the town of St Julian’s, costs from £99 per room per night.
Laura Mulley