A year of “collective travel experiences” is being forecast for 2025 by Skyscanner.
Using its search data, the firm suggests that travellers are increasingly seeking out experiences that bring people together, from sports events and immersive art installations to video gaming holidays.
Despite the current economic backdrop, UK travellers are continuing to prioritise travel and travel expenditure in 2025 and are planning to spend more on their holidays than this year.
Price remains a key factor for travellers with the cost of flights (47%) and hotels (47%) being the top cost factors determining the choice of holiday destination in 2025.
However, cost is not the only determining factor, with food (54%), the natural landscape (49%) and culture (44%) being the top experiences to help travellers decide on a destination.
The findings are disclosed in the firm’s latest travel trends report based on proprietary data to reveal trending destinations and the latest traveller behaviours.
The report suggests that UK travellers are increasingly seeking alternative, somewhat overlooked destinations.
New budget flight routes make it easier to swap the Amalfi Coast for southern Italy’s seaside, with Reggio Calabria topping the destination search list.
Meanwhile, Tartu in Estonia (pictured) is attracting more attention after being named European Capital of Culture for 2024.
Others recording increased interest include Siem Reap, Cambodia; Baltimore, US; Portsmouth, Dominica; Cordoba, Spain; Tromso, Norway; Panglao Bohol, Philippines; Stuttgart, Germany and Thiruvananthapuram, India.
New cut price airline routes and a higher frequency of flights are opening up destinations such as Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Flight cost have also fallen to the Okinawa prefecture of southern Japan, Albanian capital Tirana, Sapporo, Marrakech, Belgrade, Gothenburg, Prague, Halifax in Canada and Jakarta in Indonesia.
Strategy vice president Naomi Hahn said: “Skyscanner’s travel trends report reveals that 2025 will be the year of collective travel experiences.
“Now, more than ever, travellers are increasingly seeking travel experiences that foster community and collective discovery.
“We’re seeing a range of experiences and interests from sport to astrology, as well as art and culture, that are bringing people together for a shared adventure.
“We’re also seeing that, despite the economic climate, travel remains a priority, and the love of travel is as strong as ever.
“In fact, some UK travellers have told us they’re planning to spend more on their holidays next year than in 2024 – continuing a trend we’ve seen in recent years of travel spend being prioritised.”
She added: “The cost of living, though, remains top of mind and our money-saving tools continue to rise in popularity.
“Our ‘everywhere’ search, showing prices from the lowest to highest from airports to global destinations, is still one of the top search destinations for travellers globally this year.”
Writing in the report, chief product officer Piero Sierra said: “We’re entering a new era of travel search. Rapid developments in generative AI, travel retailing and social shopping are changing how travellers find inspiration and compare flight, hotel and car hire options.”
Reflecting trend away from tourist traps, a survey for the report found that more than a quarter of global respondents expect their travel to change in the future.
Chief legal officer Martin Nolan said: “2025 sees travellers make more conscious decisions about how their travel behaviours impact their lives and the lives of others.
“Travel can bring a myriad of benefit but these benefits need to be better spread across communities and economies. That’s a problem the industry must play a key role in addressing.
“More than a third surveyed say that their biggest barrier to visiting an under-touristed destination is understanding where to go and having the confidence that there’d be enough to do there.
“So, by inspiring travellers to look at alternatives to big-ticket capitals and popular destinations, we can not only help them to support local communities but also help reduce over-tourism and encourage tourism dispersal.”