Travel Trends 2025
At a glance
- Nostalgia-driven 'New Heydays' trend: 60% of British holidaymakers recreate childhood trips; Miami's flight share rose from 22.8% (2015) to 32.8% (2024).
- Personalised in-flight systems expand: Delta targets free Wi-Fi on entire global fleet by end-2025; Turkish Airlines launches free unlimited Wi-Fi from late 2025.
- Boutique hotel market projected to grow from US$99.7 billion (2023) to US$179.7 billion (2032); Hilton adding nearly 400 small luxury properties.
- Asia tourism recovery: outbound traffic from Chengdu, China increased 66% to 35.2M passengers (2016–2023); Thailand targeting 40 million international visitors in 2025.
- Solo travel surge: Amadeus data shows solo leisure travellers increased 15.6% in 2023; 79% of Gen Z experience dating app burnout, driving IRL connections.
What the report covers
Amadeus and Globetrender's November 2024 trends report analyses five major shifts reshaping global travel: nostalgia-driven destination choice, personalised in-flight experiences, boutique hotel proliferation, Asia's tourism recovery, and growth in connection-focused travel. It combines Amadeus booking and traffic data with third-party surveys and market intelligence, targeting DMOs, hotel groups and travel-tech operators with forecasts and current market evidence.
Key findings
Nostalgia is reshaping destination choice as 'New Heydays'—consumers replaying youth vacations and revisiting milestone locations. In the UK, 60% of holidaymakers recreated childhood trips with their own children, with 90% taking kids to identical destinations. Miami's flight share surged from 22.8% (2015) to 32.8% (2024). Airbnb launched a 42-foot Polly Pocket home rental in Massachusetts summer 2024. Eurocamp reported 2024 as potentially its 'most significant' year in 50 years as millennials book holidays mimicking their youth.
Personalised in-flight experiences are becoming competitive standard. Delta Air Lines targets free 'streaming quality' Wi-Fi on entire global fleet by end-2025; SkyMiles members benefit from Delta Sync, which remembers viewing habits. Thales released 'FlytEdge', a cloud-based IFE system offering intelligent recommendations. Turkish Airlines provides free unlimited Wi-Fi from late 2025. Premium carriers experiment further: Beond handed Apple Vision Pros to first-class passengers on Maldives routes in 2024. Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways now offer Starlink connectivity.
Boutique hotels are commanding premium valuations and driving destination choice. The global boutique hotel market valued at US$99.7 billion (2023) is projected to reach US$179.7 billion (2032). Major chains are acquiring boutique portfolios: Accor's Handwritten Collection curates over 17 small-to-mid-size properties by 2025; Hilton announced nearly 400 additions from Small Luxury Hotels in summer 2024. Properties are becoming destinations themselves, with digital nomads and business travellers building stays into trips.
Asia-Pacific tourism is poised to recover to pre-2019 levels by 2025, led by China and India. Outbound traffic from Chengdu, China surged 66% to 35.2M passengers (2016–2023); Guangzhou traffic rose 20%; Delhi increased 31% to over 30 million. Fitch Ratings predicts Asia tourism will return to pre-Covid levels in H1 2025, aided by weaker currencies. Thailand targets 40 million international visitors in 2025 via new digital nomad visas and free entry for 93 countries. Over 15 years, Asia-Pacific will account for 50% of global air passenger growth (IATA).
Solo and connection-oriented travel is accelerating as dating app dissatisfaction rises. AppsFlyer reports 65% of dating apps deleted within one month; 79% of Gen Z report dating app 'burnout'. Amadeus data shows solo leisure travellers increased 15.6% year-on-year in 2023, with 9.2% year-to-date increase in 2024. Tour operators capitalise: G Adventures launched 'Solo-ish' trips autumn 2024; Contiki and Flash Pack market friendship as core USP. Hotels are adding communal spaces; Coco Collection launched 'Solo Adventure' packages summer 2024.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Miami's share of total US flights | 32.8% in 2024 (up from 22.8% in 2015) |
| British holidaymakers recreating childhood trips | 60% have tried; 90% took children to same locations |
| Outbound traffic from Chengdu, China | 66% increase to 35.2M passengers (2016–2023) |
| Global boutique hotel market valuation | US$99.7 billion (2023); projected US$179.7 billion (2032) |
| Dating apps deleted within one month | 65% |
| Gen Z experiencing dating app burnout | 79% |
| Solo leisure travellers growth (Amadeus MIDT) | 15.6% increase in 2023 year-on-year; 9.2% year-to-date increase in 2024 |
| Thailand international visitor target | 40 million in 2025 (up from 36 million in 2024) |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Destination choice increasingly driven by nostalgia and boutique distinctiveness. DMOs must curate authentic, memory-laden experiences and heritage narratives. Asia's tourism recovery opens vast new source markets. Thailand's digital nomad visa and competitive entry strategies exemplify positioning. Solo and connection-focused travel demand requires programming—festivals, group experiences, LGBTQ+ events—and social-centric design to differentiate.
Hotels & hospitality
Boutique and independent-styled properties command premium positioning as guests book stays as primary trip motivators. Market expansion from US$99.7bn to US$179.7bn (2023–2032) reflects sustained demand. Chain acquisition of boutique portfolios signals consolidation but validates the model. Properties must invest in distinctive communal spaces, unique narratives and solo-traveller amenities to capture growing segments.
Travel tech & distribution
Personalisation algorithms and AI-driven recommendations are now essential. Accenture research shows 72% abandon flight bookings due to information overload; tech must unify booking seamlessly. Shorter booking windows and spontaneous solo travel demand real-time inventory and dynamic pricing. Cloud-based IFE, Starlink and VR distribution are emerging levers. Retailers must integrate loyalty, booking history and behavioural data for tailored cross-sell.
Methodology and limits
Amadeus partnered with Globetrender, a travel trend forecasting agency. Findings combine observed Amadeus booking and traffic data (MIDT, airline schedules) with third-party surveys (AppsFlyer, Accenture, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Fitch Ratings, IATA, DataIntelo) and market intelligence on hotel and airline announcements (summer 2024 onwards). Forecasts are labelled as such; many findings are illustrative case studies rather than statistically robust samples. Full methodological detail is not disclosed in the publicly available summary.
Official source
The report is © Amadeus. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
Related reports
Amadeus's Travel Trends 2026 identifies six shifts reshaping global tourism. Pet ownership (56% globally) spawns premium travel services. Travel Mixology sees travellers blend AI tools with human sources to mitigate hallucinations and build trust.
Amadeus' Travel Technology Investment Trends 2024 report reveals that the global travel industry plans to increase technology spending by an average of 14% during 2024.
Amadeus' white paper examines how agentic artificial intelligence—autonomous systems capable of multi-step task completion and reasoning—can help airlines increase revenue, improve efficiency, and enhance passenger experience.
Booking.com's 2026 European Accommodation Barometer, based on 1,240 accommodation leaders across Europe, shows resilience tempered by operational fragmentation. While 66% expect positive development, chains report 72% confidence versus 55% of independents.