Marriott Bonvoy‘s 2025 Ticket to Travel research—conducted amongst 21,374 adults in 10 markets across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EMEA)—showed that 42 percent of travelers plan on taking more trips in 2025 versus 2024, while 81 percent will plan on traveling the same amount.
- Research amongst over 20,000 travelers across the EMEA region shows that more than four in ten are planning to go on more holidays in 2025
- “Bravecations” and “heritage holidays” identified as the new-for-2025 travel trends
- Savvy spenders are on the rise as travelers seek the best value from trips
- Use of artificial intelligence to plan holidays grows and sustainability considerations increase
Consumers surveyed said that they plan to go on 2.3 domestic holidays within their own country in 2025, 1.8 short-haul holidays (four-hour flight or less), and 1.4 long-haul holidays. This suggests that respondents will be doing a total of 5.5 holidays or trips in 2025—the equivalent of nearly one every two months.
Emerging Trends
The research identifies a number of emerging or growing travel trends. Amongst them are “heritage holidays,” a holiday taken to specifically explore their family’s heritage, history, or ancestry. More than a third (36 percent) have previously taken a heritage holiday and a further 32 percent plan to next year or in the near future.
Younger travelers are more likely to have done this—43 percent of those aged 18-24 and 45 percent of those aged 25-34 have—compared to 22 percent of those aged 65+.
The drivers behind this trend are travelers believing, “It’s important to know where your family come from and understand what their life was like,” (46 percent) and, “Wanting to see where their ancestors lived and grew up” (45 percent).
Bravecations, or travelers’ propensity to be braver when they go on holiday and being more likely to try things they wouldn’t at home, is another trend that clearly comes across in the research.
More than two thirds of travelers (67 percent) say that they are braver on holiday. Age plays a role with 78 percent of those aged 18-24, and 82 percent of those aged 25-34 saying they are braver on holiday, compared to 39 percent of those aged 65+. The top three things’ people do on holiday that they wouldn’t be brave enough to try at home are:
- Tried unusual food: 44 percent
- Climbed up something high: 43 percent
- Began conversations with strangers: 33 percent
Solidifying Trends
Other trends that emerged in last year’s research are set to become even more marked in 2025, in particular sustainability and the use of AI.
More than seven in 10 (72 percent) say that they look at the environmental impact of their travel plans compared to 64 percent last year. And over half (55 percent) say that they checked the sustainability of the accommodation they stayed in on their last holiday, although only 30 percent did so before they booked. However, this figure is up from 22 percent last year.
Growing rapidly when it comes to travel planning for 2025 is the use of AI. More than four in 10 respondents (41 percent) say they have used AI to help plan or research a holiday, up significantly from 26 percent last year, showing how much this trend has increased with EMEA consumers over the past 12 months.
This is led by younger travelers; last year 45 percent of 18-24 year olds had used AI, but this year the figure rises to 59 percent. Meanwhile last year 41 percent of 25-34 year olds had and this has risen even further to 62% this year.
What will be important for travelers in 2025?
When it comes to accommodation preferences, the “brilliant basics” will remain key for travelers, with cleanliness (95 percent), price (92 percent), and location (91 percent) the most important factors across all markets.
But for 65 percent, sustainability is now a key accommodation consideration, while nearly half (47 percent) look for accommodation to be pet-friendly. Over half (55 percent) also call out the importance of accommodation catering to solo travelers.
The key priorities for travelers are “spending time with friends and family” (53 percent), followed by “treating myself” (49 percent). Although for over a third (36 percent), it is important they come back feeling healthier than when they left.
Savvy Spending
The research also shows that despite planning more holidays, consumers are looking for the best value for money from holidays in 2025, whatever their budget. The main element that would incentivize travelers to commit to a booking is “getting a special price” (52 percent).
Three in 10 travelers (30 percent) say that they always take exchange rates into account when going on holidays, but seven percent say that they “never usually do but will in 2025.”
Shoulder season break is another way to make breaks more affordable. Three quarters (74 percent) say that they have, or have considered, doing this, with the main reason being to get better value (65 percent).
Phil Andreopoulos, chief sales and marketing officer, Marriott International—Europe, Middle East & Africa, said, “The strong desire for international, regional, and domestic travel, seen from this comprehensive consumer research, is great news for the industry and we are excited for the year ahead. The research identifies several interesting new trends for 2025. Bravecations and heritage holidays will be key themes for next year, with savvy spending an important consideration for many when booking their holidays, irrespective of budget. The research also reveals that over the past 12 months the use of AI has become well and truly mainstream—with Gen Z and younger millennials now using this as a key part of their travel planning. This is only set to continue in 2025. Meanwhile sustainability is increasingly a key consideration for many travelers, especially when it comes to accommodation.”
