Leading travel
search engine Skyscanner has just released its “Travel Trends 2025” report,
a study conducted annually to gauge the latest industry trends being defined by
the behavior and preferences of today’s travelers.  

With results based
upon data from millions of searches, a commissioned survey of over 20,000 worldwide
travelers and expert insights, this year’s report highlights seven specific
trends. All of them showcase how travelers are increasingly using travel as a
means of fostering a sense of community, seeking deeper connections through shared
experiences—whether in nature, sports, art or beyond. 

As part of the
study, Skyscanner also managed to identify next year’s top ten trending destinations and top ten
best-value destinations.

According to
Skyscanner, smaller, less mainstream destinations are seeing a significant
increase in popularity among U.S. travelers. Whether they’re seeking
relaxation, adventure or cultural immersion, Americans are moving away from the
typical tourist hotspots and heading to locations that offer tranquility and immersion
in nature. The overall takeaway was that getting out into nature is type of the
escape Americans are seeking in 2025, whether
it be through beach getaways, mountain hikes or stargazing under unpolluted
skies. 

Top 10
Trending Destinations for U.S. Travelers

The most notable
trending destinations based on the largest search increases in the past year
include:

1. Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos: +528
   percent search increase 
2. Quepos, Costa Rica: +462 percent
   search increase 
3. Tromsø, Norway: +129 percent
   search increase 
4. Tucumán Province, Argentina: +113
   percent search increase 
5. Krabi, Thailand: +77 percent
   search increase 
6. Luang Prabang, Laos: +75 percent
   search increase 
7. Antwerp, Belgium: +70 percent
   search increase 
8. Suva, Fiji: +70 percent search
   increase 
9. Rotterdam, Netherlands: +61
   percent search increase 
10. Pago Pago, American Samoa: +53 percent
    search increase 

Top 10
Best-Value Destinations for U.S. Travelers

In an era where
economic concerns weigh heavily on travelers’ minds, cost is a significant
factor in travel planning. Skyscanner’s report highlights the top destinations
where airfare prices have dropped the most, providing the best value for
budget-conscious vacationers:

1. Nice, France: -27 percent price
   drop 
2. Castries, St. Lucia: -25 percent price
   drop 
3. Bridgetown, Barbados: -24 percent
   price drop 
4. Rabat, Morocco: -24 percent price
   drop 
5. Fargo, North Dakota: -24 percent price
   drop 
6. San Jose, California: -23 percent
   price drop 
7. Charlotte, North Carolina: -22
   percent price drop 
8. Salt Lake City, Utah: -19 percent
   price drop 
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands: –19
   percent price drop 
10. Barranquilla, Colombia: -19
    percent price drop 

While things may
be tough for most people these days financially, American travelers continue to
prioritize vacations and allocate funds toward travel. In 2025, they are
becoming more strategic in their travel planning, with cost being the primary
consideration for most U.S. vacationers. The key expenses influencing their
decisions are flight prices (51 percent), accommodation costs (50 percent), and
the cost of food and beverages (34 percent).

Top Traveler Behavior
Trends for 2025

The Skyscanner
report identifies several major trends that reflect Americans’ changing travel
preferences:

• Sport Mode: Passion for sports is fueling
  travel, particularly among younger travelers, who, are increasingly
  planning trips around their favorite sporting events. Forty percent of
  25-to-34-year-old (and 29 percent of all American) travelers are planning either
  domestic or international getaways to witness a sporting event in 2025. “Behind-the-scenes”
  shows like Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Break Point and Full
  Swing are pushing new audiences toward destinations tied to their
  favorite sports, whether it’s attending a Formula 1 race or a tennis
  match.
• Astro Adventurers: A growing fascination with celestial
  phenomena and the sense it gives us of being a part of something greater
  than ourselves is also influencing traveler behavior. People are planning
  more trips around celestial events, with destinations like Tromsø seeing
  massive spikes in search traffic as travelers flock to witness natural
  wonders like the Northern Lights.
• Reset-Jetters: For 75 percent of American
  travelers, vacations are seen as a way to build resilience and better
  handle the stresses of daily life. They’re looking for experiences that
  help them live healthier and happier, whether that’s through wellness
  retreats or relaxing nature escapes.
• Art-Venture: Art tourism is gaining traction,
  with 24 percent of American travelers planning immersive art experiences
  in 2025. For 18–24-year-olds, this number shoots to 52 percent. Larger-than-life
  art installations enable participants to step inside the canvas and engage
  directly with artworks, playing around and sharing the experience with
  others.
• Cowboy Core: Forty-four percent of U.S. travelers
  are Cowboy Core aficionados. Society’s interest in the cowboy culture and
  aesthetic is growing, fueled by popular culture’s fascination with all
  things Western, from country music to the popular TV series Yellowstone.
  In fact, 29 percent of Americans say they want to go line dancing on their
  next vacation.
• Horticulture: In today’s world of artificial and
  virtual everything, people are looking for grounding, in-person
  experiences of extraordinary natural happenings. Once again turning to
  nature for inspiration, travelers are seeking out such floral phenomena as
  vibrant fall foliage (57 percent), tulip fields (45 percent) and cherry
  blossoms (25 percent).  
• Gami-Vacation: With 35% of U.S. travelers now
  inspired by their favorite video games, virtual worlds are crossing into
  reality as gamers plan trips to the places they’ve seen in the digital
  worlds they frequent.

Social Media,
TV and Movies Inspiring Travel

Travel inspiration
in 2025 is being heavily influenced by media, particularly social platforms,
and popular films and TV shows. Skyscanner notes that almost half (49 percent)
of U.S. travelers gain inspiration through word-of-mouth recommendations, while
41 percent turn to social media, and 31 percent look to online publications. 

Celebrities and
shows like HBO’s The White Lotus have had a significant impact on travel
trends, driving interest in destinations like Thailand
as travelers look to recreate the picture-perfect moments they’ve seen on the big
screen or their handheld screens. Idyllic locales like Turks
and Caicos in the Caribbean have also seen a lift since being frequented by
celebrities like the Kardashians, Biebers and Drake.

The Future of
Travel 

2025 promises to
be a transformative time for the travel industry, as the sector is influenced
by technological advancements, including AI and dynamic pricing models. “We’re
entering a new era of travel search,” said Piero Sierra, Chief Product Officer
at Skyscanner. “Rapid developments in generative AI, travel
retailing, and social shopping are changing how travelers find inspiration and
compare flight, hotel, and car rental options. Travelers’ opportunities,
challenges, and the need for information are evolving.”

Sustainability
also remains a critical focus as new environmental regulations come into effect
next year. With more travelers being eco-conscious and seeking to make a
positive impact on the destinations they visit, there’s a noticeable shift
towards less-frequented areas, helping to support local communities while
reducing overtourism.

Overall, the
future of travel looks promising, with American travelers remaining committed
to prioritizing the role of travel in their lives. Despite current economic
conditions, 29 percent of U.S. travelers plan to spend more on flights, and 24
percent intend to increase their accommodation budgets in 2025 than during the
previous year. 

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