Fred Holidays trends guide hailed as ‘peaks bible’ for agents

Fred Holidays says its latest annual trends guide is like a “peaks bible” to help agents identify key insights shaping consumer demand.

The 44-page guide, called [un]packed, reports growing demand for longer, more immersive journeys, from extended stays to expedition cruises.

It also features 40 holidays across five categories: independent touring, rail holidays, river cruise, cruise-and-stay, and expedition cruise.

To coincide with its launch, Fred Holidays also introduced a new year-round trade incentive offering up to £1,000 per booking.

Valid from January 1-December 31, the incentive applies to all new Fred Holidays package bookings made during this period and rewards agents with Amazon vouchers based on booking value.

Julie Berry, managing director of Fred Holidays, said: “Our research shows that customers want to stay and explore longer, and this new guide – which agents should treat as a peaks bible – reflects these trends with thoughtfully curated journeys designed to immerse, enrich and surprise, while showcasing the future of travel.”

Europe was the most popular touring region in 2025, with Spain, France and Italy the top-selling destinations.

Rail holidays were the top travel choice in 2025, with bookings are up 42% year on year.

River cruise bookings are up 10% year on year, with strong performers including Kerala backwaters upstream and the Lower Mississippi.

As a general sales agent (GSA) for Amadeus River Cruises, the company has seen exceptional growth for Classical Rhine bookings have seen “exceptional growth”,

North America is the top cruise-and-stay destination and 90% of cruise-and-stay bookings are made by the trade.

Fred Holidays is also the GSA for National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions and reports the Galapagos is the “standout” expedition destination, with bookings rising at an “exceptional pace”.

The campaign guide is being distributed to 400 strategic partners, with business development managers visiting agents across their regions to hand-deliver additional copies.

A digital version, along with supporting sales assets, is also available via the Agent Fred portal.