Six 2025 Trends Everyone Can Agree On

Towards the end of every year, TMR receives news releases from agency consortia and hosts, as well as tour companies, and other travel industry entities with a slew of trend predictions for the next year.

Most of the time, the trends are based on future bookings, which can reveal what types of travel will be trending in the new year and beyond. While some trends cross industry niches, others are specific to luxury travel or packaged travel. Other so-called trends are merely marketing tactics for companies to try and push vacation options that will benefit them.

This year, TMR took a close look at 2025 trend reports from Virtuoso, TRAVELSAVERS, Fora, Audley Travel, Big Five Tours & Expeditions, and Intrepid Travel to see which trends are showing up across the board to determine what’s really in store for the industry in 2025.

We came up with six trends that are sure to play a part in travel advisors’ businesses next year.  

Bucket List/Splurge Travel

Bucket List or splurge travel appeared on several lists, though under different names, and with slight differences between them, but essentially representing the same desire to experience spectacular travel now – what Virtuoso referred to as a “carpe diem “mindset.”

Virtuoso referred to the trend as “F**k-It Lists “that prioritize living in the moment,” adding “this trend is fueling splurges on more extravagant modes of travel like yacht charters, first-class flights, and private jets.”

Examples of “F**k-It List” travel that Virtuoso offered are: “tagging hammerhead sharks in Costa Rica, canyoneering in Utah’s Zion National Park, hot air ballooning in Namibia, attending Burning Man or participating in a psychedelic ceremony.”

Audley Travel revealed in its 2025 trend predictions that checking off a bucket list destination is the motivation for 23% of the trips that clients book.

TRAVELSAVERS also named bucket list and to-do travel its top emerging trend for 2025.

Gen Z Influence & Family Travel

Numbering 2 billion, Gen Z is expected to represent 27% of the global workforce in 2025. Multiple reports have revealed that Gen Z prioritizes travel and is willing to spend beyond their means to do so.

Additionally, as Gen Z begins starting their own families, family travel will continue to grow – and change.

According to trend predictions from Audley Travel, the type of travel that families are seeking is changing with a greater demand for cultural touring that is focused on families.

“From itineraries to Japan that feature ninja classes to touring in Greece focusing on Greek mythology tailored to children… families are looking for richer experiences and learning opportunities from their travels,” Audley Travel wrote in its trends predictions.

Intrepid Travel called it “purposeful parenting” in its trends reports stating that “Families are prioritizing connecting and learning from local communities and opportunities for meaningful cultural exchange on trips.”

The younger generation showed up in multiple 2025 trends reports including from Virtuoso, TRAVELSAVERS, Audley Travel, and Intrepid Travel.

Solo Women

Women traveling on their own is nothing new, but these solo travelers will really come into their own in 2025. Virtuoso dubbed them “Wander Women,” but nearly every trends report we read cites solo women travelers as an increasingly important component of the travel market. (Fora called out solo travelers as a growing market in its report, though it didn’t specify women.)

According to Virtuoso’s Luxury Trend Watch: 2025 71% of its solo travelers are women, with 47% of them divorced, separated, or widowed, “highlighting a surge in post-partner or family-raising travel.”

Plus, in its 2025 Luxe Report, Virtuoso called out solos taking to cruising, whether with traditional ocean, river, or expedition.  

Authenticity in High Demand

While “authentic” is a word that has become overused within the travel industry, the desire by travelers to have more genuine experiences is permeating nearly every aspect of the industry.

Audley Travel named this desire “the rise of guide masters” in its trend predictions, citing a demand for touring with guides who have personal or professional experience. For instance, a food tour in India with a local chef or in Vietnam with a food blogger.

Big Five Tours & Expeditions wrote in its trends predictions that “travelers are increasingly drawn to destinations where they can engage in authentic cultural exchanges and embracing their beliefs in social responsibility.”

The safari operator refers to the trend as “Ethnimpact,” and citied tours with artisans and chefs as examples of the types of experiences their clients are looking to have.

Authentic travel also ranked as TRAVELSAVERS’ fourth biggest emerging travel trend for 2025.

Milestone Celebrations

Among the luxury set, milestone celebrations will be the top reason for travel in 2025 according to Virtuoso and Audley Travel. Both found it’s the leading motivator among those they surveyed, with Audley revealing milestone celebrations will account for 29% of all trips.

Advanced Booking

Both Audley Travel and Big Five Tours & Expeditions reported the booking window for many of their tour options is getting longer. Trips to Spain and Iceland for the 2026 solar eclipse, for instance, are booking more than 18 months in advance.  People are even already booking for solar eclipse travel in 2027, Audley revealed.

Big Five said it’s seeing a “growing trend towards planning a year out,” with some guests already planning for Q3 2026.