Top Travel Trends for 2025 Revealed by Hilton Report

Emerging Trends – from the Go Getaway and Hurkle‑Durkling to the Rise of Frolleagues and MeMooners – Spotlight How Travelers Will Work to Have It All in the Coming Year

In 2024, the Year of the Great Recharge, sleep retreats gained attention, mindful drinking became more popular, and guest rooms with wellness themes became widely popular. As the post-pandemic leisure travel boom continues, travellers surveyed in Hilton's annual Trends Report want to combine their desire to relax and recharge with impactful adventures and experiences to make the most of their time and money.

"Our 2025 Trends Report uncovers what has been simmering for years – the intersection of work and play, relaxation and adventure, and being alone but together. Travelers don’t just want to choose their adventure – they want to maximize every moment of their time away." - Chris Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton.

Report findings were uncovered after extensive global research involving 13,000 travellers across 13 countries, including Brazil, feedback from over 4,100 Hilton team members and in-depth interviews with dozens of Hilton travel experts. Trend highlights include:

• Adventure-Seeking “Go Getaways” Take on Restorative Sleep Retreats and “Hurkle-Durkling” 
  • Go Getaways: Nearly 7 in 10 global travellers enjoy being active when they travel, with 1 in 5 leisure travellers planning outdoor adventures in 2025. Brazilian leisure travellers list one-of-a-kind experiences among the top three reasons to travel.  
  • Sleep Retreats & Hurkle-Durkling: 1 in 5 global travellers indulge in Hurkle-Durkling, the Scottish phrase for “lounging in bed all day” while on vacation, and more than a quarter of travellers will book a spa or wellness treatment to enhance their sleep.

• “Time Travel” and “Slow Travel” Accelerate
  • Time Travel: 58% of global travellers who travel with their kids revisit destinations from childhood, embracing nostalgia, and 52% of Brazilian travellers visit the same destination year after year. 
  • Slow Travel: 1 in 4 leisure travellers is planning to explore the world and different cultures in 2025, leaning into the Slow Travel trend: travelling and immersing yourself into a destination for an extended time as a local to experience the culture entirely. 
• “High-Tech Travel” Meets “Digital Detox”
  • High-Tech Travel: 63% of travellers place importance on having the option of a digital room key, allowing them to go straight to their room without stopping at the front desk.
  • Digital Detox: 24% of global travellers admit to disconnecting from social media more than they used to during vacations.

• Fido and Frolleagues Take the Stage
  • Pet-Friendly: 25% of MeMooners, or solo travellers, often travel for leisure with their pets – more often than the average leisure traveller (19%). From the surveyed markets, Brazilian leisure travellers are most likely to plan to travel with a pet in 2025.   
  • Frolleagues: Today, nearly 30% of global leisure travellers often travel with Frolleagues, friends who are also colleagues, on their leisure adventures.
• Gen Alpha and MeMooner Travelers Surge
  • The Gen Alpha Effect: 70% of global respondents with children choose vacation destinations based on their kids’ preferences, and 2 in 3 Brazilian travellers often seek authentic and local experiences to enjoy with their children. 
  • MeMooners Rising: 64% of solo travellers consider a good book their favourite travel partner.

• Foodie Exploration and Tempo Drinking
  • Will Travel for Food: Nearly 1 in 5 global leisure travellers plan to seek out new restaurants or culinary experiences, and 50% of all global travellers book their restaurant reservations before their flights.
  • Sober Curiosity Evolution: In just the past year, 1 in 4 global travellers* has either reduced or stopped their alcohol consumption, reflecting the growing Tempo Drinking trend or the mindful practice of moderating the pace and volume of drinking alcohol.
• From Inner Discovery to Outward Cheering
  • Soft Travel: More than 1 in 5 leisure travellers plan to get away for self-discovery or mental health when travelling for leisure, leaning into “Soft Travel,” or travel that encourages simplicity or spontaneity. 
  • Surge in Sports: From 2019 to 2024, Hilton Worldwide Sports Sales revenue tripled in volume - 80% of which is driven by youth or amateur sports. 
    

Hilton is constantly innovating to meet the needs of travellers worldwide. They achieve this through an unparalleled portfolio of industry-leading brands and exclusive partnerships that offer guests more opportunities to create memorable experiences. Hilton has significantly expanded its luxury hotel portfolio by adding nearly 400 boutique properties from the renowned Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) collection. In addition, their exclusive partnership with premier outdoor hospitality company AutoCamp ensures exceptional stay experiences for travellers on every occasion.