Despite uncertainty around travel costs, restrictions and tariffs, travel on both sides of the Atlantic remains a priority for consumers during the remaining months of 2025. This is especially true amongst the most affluent consumers, who are seeking exclusive, tailored experiences.
From premium airport lounges with elevated dining and spa experiences for the whole family to the resurgence of all-inclusive resorts and the addition of resort-like, one-price offerings from major hotel chains like Hyatt and Marriott, these travellers want an opportunity to escape the big crowds, improve their travel experiences and minimise decision-making. And they’re willing to invest in it. Brands are taking notice and creating new offerings for these luxury travellers, such as LVMH’s joint initiative with Accor on its Orient Express trains and in boutique hotels.
As we enter autumn, once considered the “shoulder season,” travel momentum is not slowing down. Virtuoso reports an increase in autumn 2025 bookings and sales compared to this time last year, giving destinations, accommodation and attractions the opportunity to market to consumers for a longer period of time. British tourists are using the cooler autumn season to travel to spots that have been traditionally more popular in the summer, such as Greece, Spain and Turkey, due to the recent heat waves and increased fire risks.
Below is a snapshot of other travel and hospitality trends our global PR teams have gathered from recent media feedback, industry events and reporting.
TRENDS IMPACTING THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
• Luxury Hospitality Stands Out Amidst Slowing Luxury Sector: Amidst a broader slowdown in luxury goods, hospitality is emerging as a bright spot, with sales up 5% year on year versus flat sales for personal luxury goods, according to Vogue Business. This reflects a shift amongst luxury consumers, who are looking for more immersive experiences, such as wellness offerings like longevity treatments and tech-enhanced recovery – and brands are creating new opportunities to reach these consumers. For example, LVMH is actively expanding into hospitality via its joint initiative with Accor on Orient Express trains and in boutique hotels and branded environments. There’s also been a surge in hotel-branded merchandise, blending fashion and hospitality retail. High-end hospitality brands including Peninsula, Four Seasons and The Ritz?Carlton are tailoring these offerings specifically for Millennial and Gen?Z travellers.
• Luxury Resort Spas Welcome Young Travellers: Bloombergreports that hotel spas, once meant for adults to have time to themselves and moments of escape, are now welcoming kids. From stressed teenagers relieving muscle tension caused by phone use to curious middle and elementary schoolers bonding with their parents and even toddlers and babies, the wellness and travel industries have taken note, identifying the under-16 crowd as their next lucrative sector, blazing ahead with offerings that go well beyond “Mommy and Me” manicures. This uptick is most prevalent amongst affluent parents at luxury resorts.
• “Shoulder Season” Sees an Uptick: Autumn is becoming a more popular time to travel, especially amongst luxury travellers. Data from Virtuosoconfirms its 2025 autumn bookings are up 30% from 2024, and sales are up 39% compared to this time last year. Further, the Financial Timesreports that British tourists are increasingly avoiding traditional Mediterranean summer holidays due to frequent heat waves and wildfire risks in destinations such as Greece, Spain and Turkey, visiting these hot spots during the shoulder season instead. Travel to Ibiza from September to November is seeing a 30% increase in off-peak bookings in 2025. Travellers are opting for cooler alternatives such as Austria, Switzerland and the Dolomites for their summer holidays.
• All-Inclusive Resorts Are Back and Better Than Ever: Once scoffed at for a supposed lack of culture and good food, all-inclusive resorts have become more appealing to travellers looking for a true escape and to spend minimal time planning their trip itinerary. As Condé Nast Travelernotes, “Most of us are collectively exhausted: burnt out from work, from news, and from trying to optimise every waking moment (or all three.) And all-inclusives—once written off as generic or family-oriented—suddenly feel like a smart, restorative choice.” In addition, The Wall Street Journalreports that bigger hotel brands like Hyatt and Marriott are catering to affluent travellers with elevated offerings where one price covers everything.
• Airports Add More Perks for VIPs: From gold-plated lounges with high-end culinary offerings to private luxury terminals complete with spa services and private suites, airports are offering more amenities catered to affluent travellers seeking premium experiences. As The New York Timesreports, “Airline travel itself used to be a symbol of luxury. As more people fly and it becomes less expensive, the wealthy still want to feel distinguished from the general public in visible ways.” And people are willing to pay to improve their airport experience, says NBC News. Airport lounge operator Airport Dimensionsfound that 66% of U.S. travellers said they’d be willing to purchase premium services such as priority check-in, fast-track lanes, paid waiting areas and lounge access.
• AI Tops Priorities for PR Pros: According to Muckrack’s 2025 State of PR report, 59% of PR pros say AI and automation will grow in importance over the next five years, which will affect how we market travel and hospitality. AI ranked ahead of media relations (35%) and strategic planning (33%) amongst priorities for PR pros, and 77% already use tools like ChatGPT in their work.
UK MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Mahoro Seward has been appointed fashion and style editor at British Vogue.
• Callum Wells joins Attitude magazineas a senior writer.
•Chiara Wilkinson has left her role at Time Outand is now working as a freelance travel writer.
•Ellys Woodhouse has been appointed as travel content editor at The Daily Telegraph.
•Sophie Dickinson has been appointed as deputy travel editor at The Independent.
• YouGov published Screens, streams, and scrolls: Media consumption in Britain in 2025on media consumption in Britain, highlighting how it differs across generations. The survey revealed:
- In the last month, 20% of Brits read print newspapers and 16% read print magazines, whereas 27% read digital newspapers and 11% read digital magazines. Meanwhile, 59% of Brits watched live TV, 63% streamed video content and 53% listened to the radio.
- Seventy percent reported using social media, with the survey finding Brits typically spend three to five hours consuming this type of media on a weekend.
- Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are the most popular social media platforms overall, with Snapchat and Pinterest showing higher traction amongst Gen Z compared to all other age groups, while YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn and Reddit were identified as the most popular among Gen Zers and Millennials.
GERMAN-SPEAKING MARKETS’ MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Swiss aviation news platform aeroTELEGRAPHhas significantly expanded its travel section in collaboration with a new content partner, the German online travel magazine trpstr. In addition to its established travel ticker and curated partner offers, the new editorial format includes in-depth travel stories designed to appeal to both aviation professionals and travel enthusiasts. With over 1.2 million monthly unique users, aeroTELEGRAPH is strengthening its position as a high-reach platform for tourism partners and destinations in the DACH region.
• Popular German travel magazine Die Neue Reiselusthas discontinued its print edition (formerly 40,000 copies, published twice a year). Content is still available and will continue via the magazine’s website, which has relatively low monthly unique user figures in the four-digit range.
• German men’s lifestyle magazine Playboy has revamped its digital offering with a new paid content model. Combining a paywall, subscription system and exclusive access features, the redesigned approach aims to improve monetization amidst increasing challenges in digital distribution. As online algorithms continue to limit the visibility of adult-themed content, the publisher is shifting focus to strengthen its revenue streams through loyal readership.
• Former Austrian women’s lifestyle magazine Entre Noushas been relaunched as a general premium lifestyle magazine that will now also target male readers. The publication was released with a print run of only 2,000 copies per issue but has quite a high reach due to a cooperation with a subscription-based magazine rental service that delivers magazines to doctors’ waiting rooms. The magazine features topics such as fashion, wellness, food and travel, with a strong emphasis on high-quality print aesthetics and editorial content crafted to inspire a sophisticated, experience-driven lifestyle.
• German publishing group Verlag Nürnberger Presse (VNP), known for its regional daily newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichtenwith a circulation of 180,000 copies, has announced plans to cut an estimated 200 jobs by the end of 2027 as part of a major restructuring. The move aims at ensuring long-term independence and at preparing the 80-year-old family business for a digital future. VNP is focusing on three strategic pillars: optimising its print business, expanding digital offerings (including video features and e-papers) and tapping into new markets through live journalism, acquisitions and partnerships. A new printing facility currently under construction is also expected to contribute to the transformation.
• German publishing house Bio Verlag, known for its strong focus on sustainability, organic living and environmentally conscious content, will cease publishing its health and natural cosmetics magazine Cosmiaafter the upcoming autumn issue, shifting its focus entirely to its long-established monthly magazine Schrot & Korn. It is currently available in 700 organic stores with a total circulation of 66,000 copies. As part of a strategic realignment, the Aschaffenburg-based publisher plans to integrate natural cosmetics content into Schrot & Korn, offering broader and higher-quality opportunities for business partners in the industry – as Schrot & Korn’s circulation of 550,000 copies and publishing frequency far surpasses that of Cosmia’s.
BENELUX MARKETS’ MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• In early July 2025, Angela de Jong, TV critic and columnist, announced she will discontinue her daily television column and expand her columnist role at Algemeen Dagblad. Beginning in September, she will serve as a general columnist covering a broader range of topics, marking a notable shift in editorial direction at one of the country’s major newspapers.
• At the end of June 2025, the Dutch regulator (ACM) approved the acquisition of RTL Nederland by DPG Media. The deal was finalised on July 1, 2025, representing a major consolidation in Dutch media. Through this move, DPG Media – already prominent in Belgian media – solidifies its presence in Dutch television and streaming with assets like Videoland.
• There have been significant shifts in Dutch social media platform usage. Recent data shows that X (formerly Twitter) lost nearly 500,000 Dutch users, and BeReal declined by about 600,000 users. At the same time, established platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn continue to grow – or at least remain stable in reach.
• Belga News Agency has launched press, a new multimedia platform that combines real-time news coverage with media monitoring, news production and press release distribution in one integrated system (inma.org). This strengthens Belga’s position as a core news provider for Belgian media and marks an innovative step in addressing the traditionally fragmented workflow between news production and distribution.
• On August 8, 2025, most provisions of the European Media Freedom Act came into full effect in Belgium. The legislation strengthens press freedom and safeguards independent journalism, introducing measures to counter media concentration and political or commercial influence on editorial work.
U.S. MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Eaterunderwent another round of layoffs, impacting 15 staffers from across the country, including Amy McCarthy and Jaya Saxena (national), Ashok Selvam (Eater Chicago), and Emma Orlow (Eater New York). The outlet has since launched a Substack.
• Two AFARstaffers, Tim Chester (former deputy editor) and Chloe Arrojado (former associate editor, destinations), departed their rolesto pursue freelancing.
• Lauren Brocato is the new food and drink editor at Time Out Chicago.
• Ruthanne Terrero is the new director of luxury content atNorthstar Travel Group.
• Astrid Taran is no longer the senior travel editor at Forbes Vetted. Travel pitches should be directed to Jane Sung, deputy editor.
• The New York Postannounced it’s launching a California version called The California Postin early 2026.
• Dotdash Meredith, parent company of legacy media brands such as People, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Allrecipes, Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle and Southern Living, rebranded as People, Inc. to reflect the organization’s most popular title.
• Vanity Fairis restructuring its coverage to focus more on entertainment, celebrities and culture, along with “money, politics and style.” The publication will be scaling back areas of coverage, including “news aggregation, reviews and trade coverage.”
• Cable news channel MSNBCis rebranding to “MS NOW” as the network prepares to split from NBC Universal.
• Local TV station owner Nexstarhas agreed to acquire rival TV company TEGNA for $6.2 billion, which would bring Nexstar and its partners’ ownership to 265 TV stations in 44 states and Washington, D.C. Before closing, the deal requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
• YouGov released its State of U.S. Media Consumption in 2025 report, which found:
- More than 1 in 4 Americans consume five-plus hours of media per day.
- In the last month, only 15% of Americans read print magazines and only 11% read print newspapers, while 12% read digital magazines and 23% read digital newspapers. Meanwhile, 72% consumed social media, 69% streamed video content, 63% watched live television and 58% listened to the radio.
- One in 3 American social media users – including 56% of Gen Z social media users – say they use YouTube more now than in the year prior, compared to 18% for Instagram, 16% for TikTok, 15% for Facebook, 11% for X and 6% for Snapchat.
- Two in 5 American social media users have purchased something because of an ad on social media. This increases to 1 in 2 amongst Gen Z social media users.
