The biggest travel trend in 2022 was go big, spend big – with people eagerly booking bucket list trips to places like Bali, Rome, London and Paris.
But two new reports show travelers are now in a very different mindset.
Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com show that vacationers are foregoing dramatic trips to global hotspots in favor of quieter trips to lesser-known and much less crowded places.
Some 63% of travelers said they would likely visit an off-the-beaten-path destination on their next trip, according to Expedia's “Unpack '25,” a travel trends report that surveyed 25,000 respondents in 19 countries.
Expedia flight searches between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024 showed increasing interest in:
- Reims, France
- Brescia, Italy
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Santa Barbara, California
- Waikato, New Zealand
- Girona, Spain
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Krabi, Thailand
- Canmore, Canada
“A lot destinations become quite crowded” said James Marshall, vice president of global airline accounts at Expedia. “Many travelers want something different. They want to move away and find equivalent destinations that haven't been discovered by so many people. »
Expedia's James Marshall, who is part Spanish, said Girona was a big change from the bustling crowds of Barcelona. “Beautiful city, beautiful architecture, great cathedral… but also the countryside around it is fantastic.”
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United Airlines announced this month that it will expand its international services to Senegal, Greenland and Mongolia next year in an effort to capture the interest of traveling to the next must-see destination.
Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances at United, told reporters that savvy travelers have repeatedly visited Paris, Rome and Madrid.
“They’re looking for something different,” he said.
Cheaper and more relaxing
But there are other reasons why travelers are looking to take roads less traveled, said Greg Schulze, chief commercial officer of Expedia Group.
These destinations tend to be less expensive and more relaxing, Schulze said. CNBC Travel.
“The price of travel has increased over these years,” he said. “Detour destinations are often more economical for travelers…they can get a superior experience for less money.”
Lesser-known places also satisfy travelers' growing interest in “authentic” experiences, Schulze said.
Marshall added that travel influencers are also sparking interest in new places.
“Very often it's the trendsetters who do a lot of research and find these alternatives because they feel the need,” he said. “Social media amplifies a lot.”
“Authentic and off the beaten track”
A trends report, released Wednesday by Booking.com, concludes that travelers share a desire to explore less-visited places.
“There will be an increased desire for authenticity, off the beaten trackA experiences,” declares the first line of Booking.com’s “2025 Travel Predictions.”
Some 67% of adult travelers said they want to visit less crowded destinations, according to a Booking.com survey of more than 27,700 respondents across 33 countries and territories.
A separate report from the company, also released Wednesday, lists 10 “trending destinations” in which the company sees growing interest year over year:
- Sanya, China
- Trieste, Italy
- João Pessoa, Brazil
- Tromso, Norway
- Willemstad, Curacao
- Tignes, France
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Naha, Okinawa, Japan
- Villajoyosa, Spain
- Houston, United States
The “missing” mentality
Expedia has declared 2022 the year of the GOAT, or “the greatest travel of all.”
But the mentality of travelers is changing, he says, and today more of them are adopting JOMO, or the “joy of missing out.”
Marshall said 62 percent of travelers surveyed say “JOMO trips” reduce stress and anxiety, and nearly half say it allows them to better reconnect with loved ones.
Expedia's survey shows travelers are willing to “do less on vacation,” according to its “Unpack '25” report.
Klaus Vedfelt | Digital vision | Getty Images
He noted interest in renting vacation homes near beaches, lakes and in the mountains. Additionally, vacationers indicate they want amenities that show they plan to spend enough time in the house, from pools and gardens to “porches with views,” he said.
“You go there with your friends, with family, far from the crowds, far from the hustle and bustle,” he says. “And you’re very happy to miss out on everything else.”
– CNBC’s Leslie Josephs contributed to this report.
