In response, hoteliers are looking to build on the positive momentum for 2025 with new technology investments that will help them stay ahead in a competitive marketplace and deliver on high traveler expectations.
But what do travelers want? What experiences are they prioritizing during their trips and where are they headed next? We look at some of the latest trends set to impact the industry in 2025 and how hospitality leaders can respond to these shifts in demand to drive revenue.
New heydays
After a year of more than 80 national elections, change-fatigued citizens will long for simpler and happier times. “New heydays” describes the wave of nostalgia that could inspire people to revisit vacations of their youth and influence their travel destinations in 2025.
This could mean a trip to Walt Disney World with the family, a perennially popular choice as the nearby Orlando airport has seen 2.6% growth in inbound air traffic from January - August 2024 over last year, according to Amadeus’ air traffic data. Similarly, the European holiday company Eurocamp has reported a huge uptick in bookings for its family-friendly campgrounds.
And for the travelers who crave something even more unique, what about sleeping in a life size Polly Pocket? Airbnb debuted the charming home rental this summer based on a replica of the 90s-era plastic toy from Mattel.
With more travelers craving familiarity and comfort, hotels and destination management organizations (DMOs) alike can use digital marketing to connect with this nostalgic audience and drive bookings to their property or city.
Trailblazer hotels
Sometimes it’s all about the destination and not just the journey. Whether it’s cutting-edge design, exceptional amenities, exotic locations or deep connections to local culture, trailblazing hotels are popping up around the world and putting entire destinations on the map.
Many of these are true independent properties (privately owned and operated), such as the Anandes Hotel in Mykonos, Jannah Lamu in Kenya, and AREV in St Tropez - all of which opened in 2024. This doesn’t mean that unique hotels aren’t part of larger chains.
Take the new Reverb Hamburg hotel that opened summer 2024 in a German wartime bunker but is actually part of the Hard Rock Hotel Group. In Italy, Marriott International will unveil the Edition Lake Como in a 19th-century mansion on the edge of the water. Larger chains are also launching and expanding their own branded collections of independent properties. A good example is Accor’s Handwritten Collection, which arrived in 2023 – by 2025 it will have curated more than 17 small- to mid-size boutique hotels around the world.
This shift reflects the growing desire among travelers for authentic, locally inspired stays that offer more than just a typical lodging experience. For hoteliers keen to differentiate their offerings from their competitive set, they need to look no further for inspiration than these trailblazing destinations.
Asia uplift
Travel in Asia Pacific (APAC) is rapidly rebounding after the pandemic thanks in part to an ease in travel restrictions and improved air connectivity. Hotels in the region are seeing strong demand, with 67% average occupancy rates from January – October of this year, according to Amadeus data.
In 2025, inbound and outbound travel to and from Asia (especially China) is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels and will fully open this region to the rest of the world. Given the importance of China as a key travel source market, this comeback has been long-awaited (domestic travel has boomed in 2024 but outbound is still sluggish). To entice more foreign visitors, countries like China and Thailand are extending visa-free inbound travel to numerous countries into 2025.
Looking further into the future, the growing middle class is expected to account for 50% of global air passenger growth over the next 15 years, according to IATA. Next year alone, the global share of leisure travel spending from APAC is expected to increase from 29% in 2023 to 35% in 2025.
This growth will bring huge opportunities for the hospitality industry – for current hoteliers to grow their businesses, for developers to build new properties, and for destinations to boost awareness and influence new visitors.
Connections IRL (in real life)
In a world full of remote workers and digital nomads, people are working more flexibly than ever, but also looking for ways to make new, spontaneous connections. Travel has always been a good way to meet people, either by striking up a conversation with fellow travelers at a hotel or signing up for a group trip based on shared interests.
Good examples of this are companies like Contiki and Flash Pack that use friendship as selling points for their group trips. Joining communal activities like sports or games, cooking classes, or touring a museum is a great way to meet like-minded people and build friendships at any age.
Hotels are becoming excellent options for travelers to find new personal connections while away from home. Properties featuring convivial communal spaces will continue to be busy. Take The Social Hub, which will be opening hotels in Rome, Florence and Porto in 2025; and the Soho House, which has plans to open members’ clubs in Barcelona, Manchester, Madrid, Tokyo and Milan.
Hoteliers should look to target solo travelers and digital nomads with special promotions and marketing offers to capitalize on this growing audience.
The future of hospitality is innovative but also rooted in the human experience. Travel trends for 2025 highlight what makes the industry so dynamic – from trailblazing hotels to nostalgic trips from childhood, finding personal connections in a digital world and the resurgence of Asia as a key source market.
The outlook for 2025 is bright, and embracing and incorporating these trends into hotel and DMO business strategies will be key to inspiring travelers and delivering more memorable experiences.
By Amadeus Hospitality
