Younger travellers are increasingly turning to all-inclusive resorts, a new Expedia Group study says. Today’s travellers are also looking for “One-Click Trips” and less-crowded “Detour Destinations.”
Expedia Group on 16OCT unveiled Unpack ’25, its annual outlook for what’s motivating travellers and where they plan to go next year.
Travel data insights were analyzed from 25,000 travellers, and Expedia Group “unpacked” 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.
“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.
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% 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 searches:
- 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% of travellers visit grocery stores or supermarkets and 44% 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.
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 Z’ers 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% 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%t), ease of booking (39%), and because staying at all-inclusive hotels feels luxurious (38%).
Hotels.com – Hotel Restaurant Renaissance
Travellers are seeking standout hotel dining experiences, with positive hotel restaurant, chef, and bar reviews increasing by 40% YoY on Hotels.com. Furthermore, nearly a third of travellers say room service from a famous hotel restaurant would make them more likely to book, while 31% 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%) of travellers say these types of trips reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half say that it enhances quality time with loved ones.
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%) are the top phenomena travellers want to see, followed by geological phenomena (30%) 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.
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 behaviour 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% 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”
- Peru inspired by “Paddington in Peru”
- 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 content. 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.
All-Inclusive Era resorts around the world:
- AVA Resort - Cancun, Mexico
- Alpinresort ValSaa – Sport & Spa - Saalbach, Austria
- Secrets Playa Blanca - Costa Mujeres, Mexico
- Royalton CHIC Antigua - Saint John’s, Antigua
- Hotel Riu Palace Mauritius - Le Morne, Mauritius
- Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa – Puerto Morelos, Mexico
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.)
