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Punta Cana, DR.- The appetite for leisure travel will continue to grow in 2025, according to a new sector report. Figures from Marriott Bonvoy 2025 “Ticket to Travel” research, conducted among 21,374 adults in ten markets in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, show that 42% of travelers plan to take more vacation trips in 2025 than in 2024 , while 81% will make more trips or the same amount.
Consumers surveyed said they plan to take 2.3 domestic trips in their own country in 2025, 1.8 short-haul trips (flights of four hours or less) and 1.4 long-haul trips. This suggests that respondents will take a total of 5.5 trips or vacations in 2025, the equivalent of almost one every two months.
Emerging trends
The research identifies a number of emerging or growing travel trends. These include “heritage vacations”: a vacation taken to specifically explore your family's heritage, history, or ancestry. More than a third (36%) have previously taken a heritage holiday and another 32% plan to do so next year or in the near future.
Younger travelers are more likely to have done so (43% of those aged 18-24 and 45% of those aged 25-34) compared to 22% of those aged 65 and older.
The main drivers of this trend are travelers who believe that “it is important to know where your family comes from and understand what their life was like” (46%) and “want to see where their ancestors lived and grew up” (45%).
Bravecations (the propensity of travelers to be braver when they go on vacation and to be more likely to try things they wouldn't do at home) is another trend that is clearly reflected in the research.
More than two-thirds of travelers (67%) say they are braver on vacation. Age plays a role: 78% of those between 18 and 24 years old and 82% of those between 25 and 34 years old say they are braver on vacation, compared to 39% of those over 65 years old. The top three things people do on vacation that they wouldn't dare try at home are:
- Tried unusual food – 44%
- Raised somewhat high – 43%
- They started conversations with strangers – 33%
Consolidating trends
Other trends that emerged in last year's research will become even more marked in 2025, particularly sustainability and the use of AI.
More than seven in ten (72%) say they analyze the environmental impact of their travel plans, compared to 64% last year. And more than half (55%) say they checked the sustainability of the accommodation they stayed in on their last holiday, although only 30% did so before booking. However, this figure is up from 22% last year.
The use of AI is growing rapidly when it comes to travel planning by 2025. More than four in ten (41%) say they have used AI to plan or research their vacation, a significant increase from 26% of the last year, demonstrating how much this trend has increased among EMEA consumers in the last 12 months.
This percentage ranks first among younger travelers: last year, 45% of young people between 18 and 24 years old had used AI, but this year the figure increases to 59%. While last year, 41% of young people aged between 25 and 34 had done so, and this year this figure has increased further to 62%.
What will be important to travelers in 2025?
When it comes to accommodation preferences, “brilliant basics” will continue to be key for travelers, with cleanliness (95%), price (92%) and location (91%) being the most important factors across all. markets.
However, for 65%, sustainability is now a key consideration when choosing accommodation, while almost half (47%) look for pet-friendly accommodation. More than half (55%) also highlight the importance of accommodation being tailored to the needs of individual travellers.
The key priorities for travelers are “spending time with friends and family” (53%), followed by “treating myself” (49%). Although for more than a third (36%) it is important to return feeling better than when they left.
Smart spending
The study also shows that, despite planning more holidays, consumers are looking for the best value for money on their holidays in 2025, whatever their budget. The main element that would encourage travelers to commit to a reservation is “getting a special price” (52%).
Three in ten travelers (30%) say they always take exchange rates into account when going on holiday, but seven percent say they “normally don't, but will in 2025.”
Shoulder season vacations, which disappear in the months close to peak season, are another popular way to make vacations more affordable. Three-quarters (74%) say they have already done so or have considered doing so, with the main reason being to get a better price (65%).
Phil Andreopoulos, Marriott International's director of sales and marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, commented: “The strong desire for international, regional and domestic travel, emerging from this extensive consumer research, is great news for the industry. and we are excited for next year.
The research identifies several exciting new trends for 2025. Adventure holidays and heritage holidays will be key themes for next year, and smart spending will be an important consideration for many when booking their holidays, regardless of budget.
The study also reveals that, over the past 12 months, the use of AI has become more widespread, with Gen Z and younger millennials using it as a key part of their travel planning. “This trend is expected to continue into 2025. Meanwhile, sustainability is increasingly a key consideration for many travelers, especially when it comes to accommodation.”
*Research conducted in September 2024 by Mortar among 21,374 adults in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Poland, South Africa and Turkey.
For more information and access to the full report, Visit https://marriott.pressarea.com.
