# Future Travel Behaviors Observatory 2025 Edition

**Publisher:** EY Italy  
**Published:** 2025-06-26  
**Category:** Consulting & advisory  
**Type:** Survey  
**Access:** Free PDF  
**Official source:** https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/it-it/services/consulting/documents/ey-future-travel-behaviours-2025-edition_eng.pdf  
**Canonical:** https://tourismintel.ai/reports/future-travel-behaviors-observatory-2025-edition

## At a glance
- 50% of travellers interested in hybrid business-leisure trips; Gen Z adoption at 79%, up from 71% in 2024.
- 50% would use AI-powered virtual assistants for travel planning; Gen Z interest peaks at 66% versus 48% general population.
- Price influence in transport choice declined from 65% to 58% for leisure travel; sustainability remains low priority at 20%.

## What the report covers
The EY Future Travel Behaviors Observatory, fifth edition, surveyed over 5,000 participants across five European countries to analyse leisure and business travel intentions, transport modes, overtourism impact, AI adoption, and generational differences. Published by EY Italy, it combines explicit survey questions with implicit psychological testing to probe underlying motivations affecting destination and travel-mode choices for 2025.

## Key findings
Travel demand has stabilised across Europe with no significant acceleration from 2024. Nine out of ten Europeans intend at least one leisure trip in 2025. Revenge tourism impulses have plateaued post-pandemic. Among leisure travellers, 60% plan trips within Europe and 30% aim beyond the continent. Business travel has returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, socioeconomic pressures create divergence: in France, declining consumer confidence has prompted 22% of travellers to reduce vacation trips and 30% to cut business travel.

Overtourism is now the primary driver reshaping destination and timing choices, influencing 80% of travellers. Most common response is off-season travel (42% intend this, peaking at 51% among Baby Boomers), followed by choosing lesser-known destinations (36%), avoiding group travel (35%), and pursuing slow tourism (30%). Notably, 39% demand stricter regulations, 37% are willing to book in advance for popular attractions, and 25% accept paying tourist taxes to visit crowded sites.

Hybrid business-leisure travel is accelerating, particularly among younger generations. Half of all travellers express interest in combining work and leisure. Workation appeals to 23%, bleisure to 22%, digital nomadism to 19%, and team bonding to 18%. Among Gen Z, 79% embrace this hybrid model, up from 71% in 2024; Millennials show 67% interest, up from 63% in 2024.

AI-assisted travel planning is gaining acceptance despite persistent scepticism. Half of all travellers would use AI-powered virtual assistants to plan vacations. Gen Z shows strongest intent at 66%, compared to 48% of general population. Chatbot usage for travel planning increased 50% year-on-year, from 8% to 12%. However, 28% express distrust or fear about AI developments, while 72% show interest in AI innovations overall.

Price is becoming a less dominant factor in transport choice, declining from 65% to 58% for leisure travel. Travel comfort (52%) and journey time (39%) rank closer in importance. Sustainability factors into only 20% of leisure transport decisions, unchanged from 2024. However, 60% have implicit favourable attitudes toward environmental issues, and among environmentally conscious travellers, slow tourism appeals more than trip reduction.

## Key numbers
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Travellers planning off-season trips | 42% | 2025 overtourism mitigation; peaks at 51% among Baby Boomers |
| Travellers opting for lesser-known destinations | 36% | 2025 overtourism mitigation strategy |
| Travellers interested in hybrid business-leisure trips | 50% | 2025; includes workation, bleisure, digital nomadism |
| Gen Z interest in combining leisure and business | 79% | 2025; up from 71% in 2024 |
| Willing to use AI-powered virtual assistants for travel planning | 50% | 2025 intentions; Gen Z 66% versus general population 48% |
| Price as primary leisure transport decision factor | 58% | 2025; down from 65% in 2024 (−7 percentage points) |

## Why it matters
**DMOs & destinations** — Overtourism is now the leading behaviour driver affecting 80% of Europeans. DMOs must invest in off-season promotion, lesser-known site visibility, and capacity management. Stakeholder-led regulation appeals to 39%, advance-booking systems to 37%. Destinations not adapting risk exclusion from itineraries as travellers actively seek alternatives.

**Hotels & hospitality** — Hybrid work-travel demand accelerates, with 50% interested and Gen Z at 79%. Properties must offer reliable connectivity, flexible booking, and co-working facilities. Off-season bookings will grow as overtourism-conscious travellers shift timing. Eco-conscious seniors and Gen Z represent growth segments; sustainability packages and slow-tourism offerings differentiate.

**Travel tech & distribution** — AI adoption is mainstream: 50% accept virtual assistants, rising to 66% for Gen Z. Platforms must integrate AI-powered itinerary planning and one-click booking. However, 28% distrust AI, requiring transparency. Overtourism data integration and alternative-destination recommendation engines address behaviour shifts. Off-season and lesser-known-destination content must be searchable and promoted.

## Methodology and limits
Survey of 5,000+ participants across Italy, France, Germany, UK, and Spain. Analytical approach combined explicit survey questions with implicit psychological tests to probe travel motivations. Participants asked about trips of at least 100km (single-day or overnight, leisure or business). Open-ended responses analysed using generative AI tools. 2025 figures represent stated travel intentions; 2024 figures represent prior forecasts from 2024 Observatory. No confidence intervals or detailed weighting methodology provided in source material.

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© EY Italy for the original report. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel (https://tourismintel.ai). Read the original: https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/it-it/services/consulting/documents/ey-future-travel-behaviours-2025-edition_eng.pdf