With the pandemic fading into history, the world is looking ahead to the next wave of travel trends. But with frequent climate-related catastrophes in recent years, from flash flooding to wildfires, the landscape of global travel feels ever-changing.
Gone are the days when a cheap bargain flight can be booked without carbon emission guilt. Similarly, we’re unlikely to see many more mega hotels opening without a sustainability caveat or the expectation of environmental responsibility.
The forecast for cultural travel trends in 2025 are set to be influenced by cost-cutting, lifestyle changes, climate change and, weirdly, Netflix.
Climate Considerations
Climate change is at the top of everyone’s agenda in 2025. The changing weather conditions around the globe are likely to affect where and when we travel. Brielle Saggesse, Insight Strategist at WGSN, describes how the number of ‘outdoor days’ (where you can comfortably enjoy the outside without being too hot) is decreasing in many countries. Countries such as Mexico, Thailand and Greece could lose 20-30 outdoor days per year due to climate change in the future.
Conversely, cooler countries such as Canada, France, Germany or Austria could gain between 18-60 outdoor days per year due to warmer weather, so this means we could see a rise in ‘coolcations’ and more interest in colder weather activities like cycling, hiking, or mountaineering. There’s also been a 6.9% increase in sales* of vacation homes in Sweden, where visitors can take advantage of island and lake experiences in summer, as well as winter sports in the cold season.
Where to go…
The Alvasjon 4 Residence in Sweden, for the ultimate lakehouse retreat in a cool summer climate.
Regenerative Travel
The impact of the travel industry and over-tourism has hit the headlines in 2024: local residents protested against tourism in Barcelona and in the Canary Islands, while the city of Venice has banned loudspeakers and limited tour group sizes in a bid to reduce the impact of tourism on the city.
The desire for travellers to reduce their environmental impact is becoming a key concern across the globe. A survey conducted by IHG Hotels & Resorts found that 60% of consumers agreed that they want to be more environmentally and socially conscious in their travels.***
The focus in the future may be on how we can give back or respect these heavily touristed areas. Greece introduced a Climate Crisis Resilience Tax in 2024 and many hotels and homes are trying to support this idea with sustainable, regenerative processes. For example, Phāea Cretan Malia (previously known as Cretan Malia Park Hotel) changed its name to strengthen the identity of Phāea, creating meaningful travel experiences by staying true to its Grecian heritage.
Where to go…
Six Senses in Fiji, where they have their own reverse osmosis plant and water refinery, producing high quality drinking water without the use of plastic bottles. There’s also a herb, fruit and vegetable garden that supports the ultimate aim of self-sustained food on the island.
Less Air Travel
With air fares still increasing due to taxes and fees, as well as higher costs for checking in luggage, it’s likely that there will be a rise in local staycations, road trips, or shorter breaks where you can travel light.
Where to go…
The Mountain Terrace Road Residence in the Catskills, where you can stay for as little as 2 nights – it’s just a 2-hour drive from NYC with year-round activities.
Wellness Experiences
Andrea Bell, VP of Consumer Insight at WGSN describes how, “following the crisis in mental health that has arisen during the pandemic, we will see new solutions for dealing with stress, anxiety, insomnia and disconnection” and research shows that more than 1 in 5 travelers plan to get away for self-discovery or mental health when traveling for leisure**.
This might translate into travel trends for quieter rural escapes, yoga and wellness retreats or a complete off-grid experience for a total disconnect.
Where to go…
The Otens Road Residence in Upstate NY, where the host is an expert in wellbeing escapes.
Wild Adventures
It’s no secret that most parents would love to get their kids away from screens and spend more time enjoying adventures and the great outdoors. Adventurous experiences, including water sports, sailing and glamping (+311%, +122% and +500% respectively, according to Viator), are projected to be the most important sectors for the travel industry recovery post-pandemic.***
This extends to immersive experiences for all ages, including farm stays and foraging classes, where the natural world takes center stage.
Where to go…
The Galapagos Safari, where you can create a custom tour for your family complete with nature, activities and animal experiences, or a wholesome farm stay at The Hay Barn in the New Forest, UK.
Mixing Business with Pleasure
As the world continues to accommodate working from home and digital nomads, there’s also an increase in companies now offering work-from-anywhere benefits as part of their employee packages. This allows travelers (especially parents) to spend more time away from home with their families and blend their vacation time with work.
With this in mind, we’re going to continue to see work-from-anywhere travel trends for next year, with travelers opting for vacation rentals set up with home offices or high-speed internet, within easy reach of the beach/countryside/city.
Where to go…
The Queen’s Park Residence in London, for a home-from-home vacation during a work trip to the capital.
Location Spotting
According to Brielle Saggesse at WGSN, we’re still going to see travelers heading to destinations they’ve seen on screen, whether it be in films, TV series or on social media. There was a notable increase in tourism in Sicily last year due to the ‘White Lotus’ effect, which is set to continue in Thailand in 2025 – the location for the next upcoming series of the Sky TV hit.
Another spot that’s seen an increase in global visitors is Bath, England, thanks to the popularity of the Netflix series ‘Bridgerton’.
Where to go…
The Pavana Villa in Koh Samui for most Instagramable views
Destination Dupes
Following the Gen-Z trend of ‘dupes’ (better value alternatives to well-known products that are almost just-as-good duplicates) we might start to see more interest in up-and-coming lower cost destinations, which also aligns with spending restrictions due to the global cost of living crisis. Think Manchester instead of London, or Asia instead of the Maldives***.
Some of our favorite affordable dupes on Kid & Coe are: Utrecht, (similar but less crowded than Amsterdam), Kefalonia (more authentic than Mykonos), or Mexico (less expensive than The Caribbean).
Where to go…
The Cabana Azul for a Lisbon-based beach trip (that’s cheaper than Comporta).
If you’re looking for your next vacation destination in 2025, browse our family-friendly collections, from Winter Sun to Affordable Getaways, and get inspired.
Citations: *Knight Frank/FT; **Forbes; ***WGSN.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/hjo/the-alvasjon-4-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/malolo-island/the-six-senses-malolo-hotel
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ellenville/the-otens-road-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/kefalonia/the-lime-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/new-forest/the-hay-barn-at-gambledown
