Think Verona instead of Venice—or Porto instead of Lisbon.² This trend has travelers skipping popular tourist spots like Rome and Barcelona in favor of smaller cities like Brescia or Girona. It’s becoming easier to visit these lesser-known destinations as hospitality companies are seizing the opportunity to open new properties in previously untouched locales. Airlines are also adding new non-stop flights to remote destinations like Marrakech and Greenland, making previously hard-to-reach places more accessible in the year ahead.

Leisure and Relaxation

Expedia highlights another emerging trend—“JOMO”—the joy of missing out, which translates to an increased interest in beach and mountain destinations known for leisure and relaxation. With the continued post-pandemic focus on mental health and well-being,  travelers believe JOMO Travel can help. In a recent Vrbo survey, 62% of travelers said staying in a serene rental would reduce their stress and anxiety, while 85% said they would be interested in taking a vacation to unplug.³

Live Tourism

Travel for major events and experiences has emerged as a powerful travel trend. 2024 saw travel planned around global events like the Taylor Swift Eras tour, the solar eclipse, the Olympics, and more. Traveling for music, natural wonders, and sports—the experiences we share with others—known in travel circles as “Live Tourism” is expected to continue into 2025.⁴

Coolcations

According to the European Union’s climate change monitoring service, 2024 marked the warmest Northern Hemisphere summer on record. With sweltering temperatures in popular summer vacation hot spots, many travelers are opting for cooler climates like Iceland, Greenland, northern Europe, and Canada.⁵

If you have your heart set on a warm-weather destination, the best time of year to go is shifting with the offseason becoming more accessible with warmer springs and falls. In 2025, travelers can take advantage of additional availability with travel providers—flights, cruises and hotels—operating throughout the extended  season.

More Regulations and Taxes

As a way to address overtourism, look for increasing regulations limiting visitors and new tourist taxes in 2025. Travel to top cities will also be more expensive primarily due to higher hotel prices. The cost of a European trip increased by an average of 7% last year, and similar trends are forecast into 2025.⁶

No matter your destination, it’s important to protect your trip with travel insurance. Learn more about our Trip Protection, Travel Medical, and Global Medical Transport plans.

¹ “Unpack ’25 Travel Trend Report,” expedia.com., October 2024.
² “Unpack ’25 Travel Trend Report.”
³ Fiona Kerr, “Why 2025 is the Year of JOMO Travel.” vrbo.com, October 2024.
⁴ Rafat Ali, “The Rise of Live Tourism: How Shared Experiences Shape Our Future,”  skift.com, December 2024.
⁵ “Beating the Heat: ‘Coolcations’ are the Hot New Trend,” GeneraliTravelInsurnace.com, accessed December 2024.
⁶ “Why Travel is More Expensive? We Asked the Experts,” NationalGeographic.com, December 2024.