Ben Waters, trader, has amassed a wealth of investment portfolio management experience including trading delta one, index options and MSCI futures. In his spare time, Benjamin Waters, trader, enjoys a wide range of activities, chief among them basketball, tennis, sailing and travel. This article will provide an overview of some of the most prominent travel trends of 2025.
With a heavy emphasis on wellness throughout the global travel industry, ‘calmcations’ remain popular, providing experiences purely focused on creating a sense of tranquillity. According to a report published by the World Health Association, noise pollution is a significant problem for people all over the world today, ranking as the second leading cause of ill health in Western Europe. In response, Havila Voyages offers a chance to step away from the clamour of everyday life with its ‘quiet escapes’ along the Norwegian coast.
Originally describing the first month of marriage, the term ‘long honeymoon’ later came to mean a couple’s first holiday as newlyweds. In recent years, its meaning has evolved again. As more and more workers capitalise on the opportunity to work remotely, couples can commit to longer-term vacations at the destination of their dreams. While shorter post-wedding trips dominated the honeymoon scene until recently due to a combination of the pandemic and affordability, growing numbers of newlyweds are extending their honeymoons beyond the typical week or two, venturing further off the beaten track to experience immersive experiences. Be it wine tasting in California or an extended road trip in Namibia, couples are increasingly seeking out once-in-a-lifetime experiences that satisfy their craving for adventure.
With Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour grabbing headlines and ’90s music icons Oasis and Eminem embarking on their own international tours, music tourism is a rising trend. Also known as ‘gig tripping’ the trend has been around for several years now, with a festivals and concerts turning into immersive experiences that attract revellers from all over the world. Recently in the United States, the American Music Tourism Act was introduced to bolster the sector, recognising the power of music to draw visitors, stimulate spending and support communities. Recent data suggests that the global music tourism industry is on course to top $13.8 billion in value by 2032.
In its annual report. ABTA cited 2025 as the year for vacationers to expand their horizons, venturing to more remote and less familiar destinations. ABTA’s data reveals a rising trend for long-haul travel, with 34.2% of travellers expressing a desire for long-haul travel in 2024 compared with 28.2% the previous year. ABTA reported a notable year-on-year increase in travel to Asia, rising 4.7 percentage points to 15.2%. In addition, increases in travel to the Middle East and Africa were also reported, representing 10.2% and 10% of the global travel market respectively.
As temperatures at traditional Mediterranean holiday hotspots continue to break records, climate change is undeniably having a bearing on consumers’ travel choices. Seasonal change is not only impacting beach lovers but also affecting those travelling to see wildlife, with the peak safari month shifting from December to March according to Scott Dunn. Having observed a 26% increase in bookings to Norway and Finland in 2024, the luxury tour operator expects to see more holidaymakers heading to northern Europe throughout 2025 and beyond.
‘Noctourism’ is another rising travel trend. Nocturnal tourism provides opportunities for nighttime travel experiences, including everything from late-night museum admissions to trips to bioluminescent beaches or watching the aurora borealis. With solar activity predicted to remain at high levels throughout 2025, higher-than-average numbers of tourists are visiting the Arctic Circle. Recognising unmet demand, the award-winning British travel firm Trailfinders launched cruise lines to Lofoten Islands in Norway and Finnish Lapland, providing travellers with unparalleled opportunities to observe the mesmerising beauty of the northern lights.
