Expedia Group | October 16, 2024

TORONTO–Today, Expedia Group unveiled Unpack ’25, the annual data-driven outlook for what’s motivating travellers and where they plan to go next year.

Expedia Group analyzed first-party travel data insights from 25,000 travellers, and the latest industry innovation to ‘unpack’ eight noteworthy travel trends for 2025 that include Detour Destinations, Hotel Restaurant Renaissance, and JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) Travel and One-Click Trips, which will take travellers from looking at their next trip on Instagram or TikTok to booking it.

“Expedia Group continuously works to blend technology with travel, making journeys simpler and more enjoyable. The Unpack report is our opportunity to reflect on what travellers are seeking and how our partners are innovating,” said Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group. “From this year’s trends, I’m eager to book a One-Click Trip and visit some Detour Destinations for my next vacation.”

Expedia – Detour Destinations: Next year, travellers will continue to visit the tried-and-true tourist destinations, but they’ll also look to enrich their itineraries by adding detours. Detour Destinations are close enough to more popular hotspots to take a day trip but enticing enough on their own to become the main attraction. In the hunt for the less crowded and the less well-known, 63 per cent of consumers say they’re likely to visit a Detour Destination on their next trip*.

Expedia compiled 10 trending Detour Destinations for 2025 based on increase in flight searches1:

  • Canmore, Alberta, Canada (detour from Calgary)
  • Reims, France (detour from Paris)
  • Brescia, Italy (detour from Milan)
  • Cozumel, Mexico (detour from Cancun)
  • Santa Barbara, California, USA (detour from Los Angeles)
  • Waikato, New Zealand (detour from Auckland)
  • Girona, Spain (detour from Barcelona)
  • Fukuoka, Japan (detour from Tokyo)
  • Abu Dhabi, UAE (detour from Dubai)
  • Krabi, Thailand (detour from Phuket)

Expedia – Goods Getaways: TikTok has inspired travellers to take trips in search of craveable (and share-worthy) specialty goods. Whether it’s a viral chocolate bar from Dubai, butter from France, maple syrup from Canada, skincare products from Korea or Japanese candy, travellers are making extra space in their carry-ons for unique treasures, and even creating entire trips around getting the goods.

When going on vacation, 39 per cent of travellers visit grocery stores or supermarkets and 44 per cent shop for local goods they can’t get at home*. Coffee tours in Costa Rica, tea tastings in China and matcha experiences in Japan are some of the most popular Goods Getaway experiences bookable on Expedia.2

Hotels.com – All-Inclusive Era: All-inclusive resorts are far more than sun-soaked vacations by the pool. Today’s all-inclusives are attracting Gen Zers who are looking for stress-free accommodations and a good deal. One-third of Gen Z travellers said their perception of all-inclusive hotels has changed for the better, and 42 per cent say an all-inclusive resort would be their preferred hotel type.

The top three reasons Gen Z is embracing their All-Inclusive Era are: minimal stress (41 per cent), ease of booking (39 per cent, and because staying at all-inclusive hotels feels luxurious (38 per cent).*

Hotels.com – Hotel Restaurant Renaissance: When booking hotels, travellers aren’t just making room reservations – they’re making dinner reservations too. Hotels around the world have opened critically acclaimed restaurants featuring Michelin-starred chefs and rotating seasonal menus to attract guests.

Travellers are seeking standout hotel dining experiences, with positive hotel restaurant, chef, and bar reviews increasing by 40 per cent YoY on Hotels.com3. Furthermore, nearly a third of travellers say room service from a famous hotel restaurant would make them more likely to book, while 31 per cent say restaurant tables reserved exclusively for hotel guests would be their top reason.

Vrbo – JOMO Travel: We often experience FOMO when seeing others go on action-packed vacations, but in 2025, travellers will embrace JOMO, the joy of missing out. JOMO Travel means doing less on vacation to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and staying at cozy cabins or peaceful beach houses to boost relaxation and reconnection. Two thirds (62 per cent) of travellers say these types of trips reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half say that it enhances quality time with loved ones.

The best way to experience JOMO Travel is from a charming beach house, secluded lakeside lodge or cozy mountain chalet. The top vacation rental amenities JOMO Travellers are seeking include pools, tranquil gardens, hot tubs, and porches with a view.*

Vrbo – The Phenomena-List: Droves of travellers booked private vacation homes along the path of totality to see the total solar eclipse in 2024, proving people will travel great distances to see natural phenomena in real life. Survey data revealed that the Northern Lights (61 per cent) are the top phenomena travellers want to see, followed by geological phenomena (30 per cent) like volcanos, geysers and hot springs. Eighty percent of travellers say it’s important to stay in a place that offers prime viewing for these natural wonders*, so it’s no surprise that private vacation homes in secluded or rural destinations are ideal for phenomena-seekers.

Vrbo hand-picked these natural phenomena that travellers will want a front-row seat to in 2025:

  • Highest tides in the world, walk on the ocean floor – Bay of Fundy, Canada
  • International Dark Sky Park – Arches National Park, Utah
  • Synchronous firefly season – Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, TN
  • Penguin parade – Phillip Island near Melbourne, Australia
  • Bioluminescent plankton – Vero Beach, Florida
  • “Black Sun” starlings’ migration – Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark
  • Ballet of Japanese cranes – Hokkaido, Japan
  • Starling murmurations – Somerset, U.K.
  • Volcanoes, lava fields and black sand beaches – Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Northern Lights – Lapland region, Finland

2025 Set-Jetting Forecast: From bingeworthy streaming shows to reality TV, travellers keep turning to the screen for trip inspiration. Since Expedia Group identified Set-Jetting as a travel behavior in 2022, the trend has continued to grow. Two-thirds of travellers say movies, streaming services and TV shows have influenced their travel choices, a 16 per cent increase from last year.

For the second year, Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo have compiled the Set-Jetting Forecast to reveal what entertainment-inspired destinations travellers will head to in 2025:

  • Dubai inspired by “The Real Housewives of Dubai”
  • Montana and Wyoming inspired by “Yellowstone”
  • New York City inspired by “And Just Like That…”
  • Cape Town inspired by “One Piece”
  • Scotland inspired by “The Traitors”

One-Click Trips: Half of consumers make daily, weekly or monthly purchases because of trusted influencer content4. Though shopping on Instagram and TikTok has become the new normal for lower-ticket items like fashion and beauty, travel shopping on social media is still in its early stages. Half of consumers say they have wanted to book a trip they saw on their social feeds, but cited time and complexity as the primary barriers. Expedia recently launched travel industry-first shoppable storefronts curated by social media creators, tastemakers and brands with more than 100 Travel Shops live on the Expedia app.

To learn more about the travel trends in Unpack ’25, visit expedia.ca/unpack-travel-trends and download the full report. Visit https://www.expedia.ca/newsroom/ for Unpack ’25 images, b-roll and more news from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.

Notes to the editor:

All-Inclusive Era resorts around the world:

Hotel Restaurant Renaissance hotels with notable dining experiences:

  • Hotel del Coronado – Coronado, California
    The grand opening of the world-famous Nobu restaurant at the Hotel del Coronado is scheduled for next year.
  • Susana Balbo Winemaker’s House – Chacras de Coria, Argentina
    Argentinian winemaker Susana Balbo gives wine pairings at this boutique hotel near Mendoza.
  • ROMEO Napoli – Naples, Italy
    Michelin-star winner Alain Ducasse appointed upcomer Alessandro Lucassino as the new executive chef for Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse.
  • The Westin Harbour Castle – Toronto, Ontario
    Michelin-star restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 with stunning views of the lakefront.

The Phenomena-List

The best times of year to visit these destinations to witness these phenomena:

  • April – May or Sept. – Oct.: International Dark Sky Park – Arches National Park, Utah
  • May – June: Synchronous firefly season – Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, TN
  • Year-round: Penguin parade – Phillip Island near Melbourne, Australia
  • July – Sept.: Bioluminescent plankton – Vero Beach, Florida
  • Feb – mid-April and Aug. – Dec.: “Black Sun” starlings’ migration – Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark
  • Feb – March: Ballet of Japanese cranes – Hokkaido, Japan
  • Year-round; for peak tides, visit during a full moon cycle: Highest tides in the world, walk on the ocean floor – Bay of Fundy, Canada
  • Dec. – Jan.: Starling murmurations – Somerset, U.K.
  • Volcanoes, lava fields and black sand beaches – Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Northern Lights – Lapland region, Finland

2025 Set-Jetting Forecast:

  • Interest in Dubai increased more than 30 per cent year-over-year on Expedia after “The Real Housewives of Dubai” aired.
  • The U.K. remains a top Set-Jetting destination with hundreds of “Bridgerton”, “Harry Potter”, “Game of Thrones” and “Outlander”-themed tours available to book on Expedia.
  • Hotels featured in “The Real Housewives of Dubai” include: Atlantis, The Palm, ME Dubai by Meliá, Palazzo Versace, and Raffles The Palm
  • New York City hotels featured in “And Just Like That” include: Baccarat Hotel and Residences and The Mark
  • Vrbo private ranch featured on the show “Yellowstone”