RateHawk, a leading B2B booking platform for travel professionals, has revealed the top outbound summer destinations for UK travelers in 2025. Reflecting global travel trends, popular choices include the USA, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, UAE, Turkey, Portugal, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia.
The average booking transaction for accommodation is £1107, with travelers typically staying four nights, highlighting a preference for mid-range stays and set-jetting experiences.
According to RateHawk, some of the fastest-growing holiday destinations for UK travellers include Switzerland (+72% year-on-year) and Canada (+56%). Along with well-known capitals and tourist hubs, UK travellers are also opting for lesser-known and scenic spots in these emerging destinations:
- Switzerland: Lakeside cities like Montreux and Interlaken, which are turning into summer music festival hubs in addition to offering alpine charm
- Canada: Banff, a mountain resort known for its stunning natural beauty
Theme parks remain one of the main attractions for UK families planning summer holidays, particularly to the USA and France. Reflecting this trend, Visit USA reported a 3.5% increase in UK visitors to Orlando in 2025, a key hub for world-renowned family attractions. At the same time, booking data from RateHawk shows that travellers opt not only for main cities like Orlando and Paris but also book accommodations in locations just near theme parks. In Florida, for instance, many travellers are opting for stays in Kissimmee, where average hotel rates are around £98 per night, nearly half the cost of a stay in Orlando. A similar pattern is seen in France with Magny-le-Hongre, offering a more budget-friendly alternative (£179 per night) to staying in Paris.
Some Asian destinations, particularly Japan and Thailand, are seeing a rise in UK visitors this summer. Earlier this year, Japan reported an annual record of 36.8 million international visitors in 2024. To support growing demand from the UK, British Airways has increased the number of direct flights to Japan ahead of the summer season. Thailand is also benefiting from improved air connectivity. Norse Atlantic Airways is to launch new low-cost routes from London to Bangkok later in the year, making the country more accessible to UK travellers. Interest in Thailand has also been boosted by the release of the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, which was filmed on the island of Koh Samui.
Chantal Tomlinson, Head of Business Development in the UK & Ireland, commented: “Emerging destinations today are shaped by a variety of factors, from global climate change to the latest TV series. For example, the rising interest in Thailand illustrates a growing ‘set-jetting’ tourism trend, the so-called ‘White Lotus effect’, where travellers are inspired to visit locations featured in popular TV shows or films. To stay ahead of evolving customer preferences, travel agents need to adapt quickly. At RateHawk, we’re committed to supporting them with a wide inventory of 2.7 million accommodation options in over 220 countries and territories.”
