In 2025, travel is taking on a new shape. With rising costs, changing regulations and ongoing global shifts, people are adapting and finding joy in the journey, whether it’s a weekend road trip or a staycation that feels like something more.
This summer, many are staying closer to home. The Sykes Staycation Index 2025 reports that 63% of Brits plan to take their holidays within the country. Outlets like ELLE, Country Living and The Scottish Sun have shared top picks for summer, including Edinburgh, the Cotswolds, Cornwall and the Yorkshire Dales.
Airbnb’s 2025 summer trends report shows nearly 40% of Americans are planning domestic trips, often choosing destinations that are more affordable and easier to reach. Families are especially embracing local escapes, with nearly 30% opting for staycations. Deloitte also found that more than 1 in 5 travellers are skipping air travel in favour of road travel.
All signs point to a year where travel feels more grounded and intentional, with a focus on connection, flexibility and new ways to explore familiar places. 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
• Road Trips Hit a Decade High:According to MMGY’s 2025 Portrait of American Travelers™ “Summer Edition,” 64% of U.S. travellers took a road trip in the past year, the highest level in more than a decade. Millennials and Gen Xers with children are driving the trend, drawn to the flexibility, affordability and nostalgic appeal of the open road. The Pacific Coast Highway emerged as the most popular route among road trippers. Meanwhile, UK travellers are also increasingly opting for roadtrip–based holidays. Scotland’s North Coast 500, a scenic loop from Inverness around Scotland’s northern seaboard, has seen a significant spike in visitor numbers since its launch in 2015, with local businesses reporting a 20% increase in tourism.
• Luxury Redefined:Spending habits among luxury travellers continue to shift. While more than a third (34%) of travellers now consider themselves luxury consumers according to MMGY’s 2025 Portrait of American Travelers™ “Summer Edition,” their priorities are evolving. Demand for upscale hotels and fine dining has dropped noticeably since 2024, suggesting that some traditional markers of luxury are becoming more optional. Instead, premium air travel has emerged as the standout nonnegotiable, with travellers viewing comfort in transit as a core part of the experience. This shift is echoed in MMGY’s 2025 Portrait of International Cruise Travelers™, which found that many UK travellers consider luxury cruising highly desirable – citing fine dining, elevated amenities and access to multiple destinations as key draws. These trends point to a broader redefinition of luxury, where travellers are focusing less on indulgence at the destination and more on overall ease, access and comfort throughout the journey.
• Booking Window Fluctuation:British travellers appear to be booking travel further in advance, especially for summer 2025. According to Opodo, 86% of holidaymakers secured their bookings more than 90 days in advance, showcasing a strong trend towards planning ahead. However, experts expect to continue to see a surge in last-minute bookings due to money-saving deals closer to departure dates. According to Reuters,Americans are scaling back travel plans, shifting from flights to drives, or waiting to book until the price is right. Classic Vacations reports seeing a shorter booking window for summer trips, with travellers waiting to pull the trigger on their plans until about 20 days before for domestic holidays and roughly 30 days before international trips.
• “Me-Moons” Emerge as a New Angle on Solo Travel:A new subtrend is emerging within the solo travel segment, particularly among younger travellers. A spin off of the honeymoon, me-moons are unlike traditional solo holidays in that they are positioned as intentional, self-celebratory getaways tied to personal milestones or wellness goals. Hilton’s Rising Traveler Types reportrecently cited the me-moon trend as a way for solo travellers to “shake up the world built for pairs and challenge the travel industry to recognise their spending power and influence.”
• Low- and No-Alcohol Travel: Sober travel is gaining momentum worldwide as more travellers prioritise wellness and mindful living. According to surveys by KAM and alcohol-free brand Lucky Saint, in the UK, 76% of adults are moderating their alcohol intake, with 1 in 3 pub visits now completely alcohol-free and 60% seeking nonalcoholic draft beers. In the U.S., the trend is especially strong among Gen Zers and Millennials, who are drinking less than previous generations and embracing alcohol-free travel as part of a broader focus on health. This global shift is prompting hotels, airlines and tour operators to adapt, offering curated zero-proof drink menus, spa-focused packages and sober-friendly itineraries that reflect changing preferences and a redefined approach to luxury and connection.
UK MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Freelance travel writer Rashmi Narayan has accepted a short-term project with Cruise Magazine.
• Ben Parker, previously deputy travel editor at The Independent, has now started his new role as deputy head of travel at the Daily Mail.
• Lifestyle publicationHouse of Coco has appointed a new editor in chief, Jennifer Pearson. Jennifer will be working from the U.S., however the magazine’s content will continue to focus on a UK audience.
• Alicia Miller has returned from maternity leave and will resume her role as travel editor at Future PLC.
• Wanderlust Magazine is planning a Route 66 special issue scheduled for early 2026, along with a supplement focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup that spotlights the tournament’s host cities.
• Paul Croughton has been appointed editor in chief of Elite Traveler.
• Olive magazine has confirmed it will be undergoing a strategic editorial shift, launching this autumn. The relaunch will include expanded travel pages and feature opportunities.
• Themes surrounding value for money and “cost-effective” travel remain prominent across major UK outlets, reflecting the ongoing concerns around the rising cost of living.
• Train travel and wellness retreats continue to rise in popularity, with increased coverage across the UK travel pages. Food & wine tourism also remains in demand, with travel stories placing a growing emphasis on culinary experiences.
GERMAN-SPEAKING MARKETS’ MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Publishing houseKlambthas purchased several magazine titles from Funke media group. Following its recent acquisition of top selling titles like the women’s lifestyle magazine Brigitte and leading people’s magazine Gala, Funke is now divesting several brands that no longer align with its new strategic direction. The popular women’s yellow press titles Frau im Spiegel, Das Goldene Blatt, Neue Welt, Echo der Frau, Frau aktuell and Die Aktuelle will now be published by Klambt. The approximately 90 employees associated with these titles will remain at Funke’s location in Ismaning near Munich, where Klambt already operates its content marketing agency Storyboard and a part of its Delius Klasing editorial team.
• The print edition of the popular Swiss national daily newspaper20 Minutenwill be discontinued by the end of the year, resulting in the loss of 80 editorial positions. After 25 years on the market, the publication is taking a further step towards a more digital future. The decision was attributed to rapidly changing media consumption habits and declining print revenues. As part of a broader organisational restructuring, 20 Minuten will merge its German- and French-speaking editorial teams into a single national newsroom with hubs in Lausanne, Bern and Zurich. Regional offices in Basel, Geneva, Lucerne and St. Gallen are set to close by the end of 2025.
• Sadly, the freelance travel editor of the physician’s magazineÄrtzliches Journalpassed away unexpectedly in early July. It remains unclear who will assume her role moving forward.
• Burda, one of Germany’s largest media companies based in Munich, has launched its proprietary AI platform, Aissist, as a licensable software solution for external businesses. First introduced in 2023, Aissist is already in use by around 2,000 employees across the Burda media group. With this expansion to the broader market, Burda now offers a platform that supports a wide range of functions, including text generation, document translation and audio transcription.
• Streaming providerSkyremoved the long-standing Discovery Channel from its German platform at the end of June, bringing nearly 30 years of broadcasting to a close. In its place, Sky has reinstated two documentary channels – National Geographic and National Geographic Wild – both owned by Disney. The move is particularly noteworthy as these two channels had previously been dropped from Sky’s offering in late 2022.
BENELUX MARKETS’ MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• Travel Media(publisher of TravMagazine and Business Traveller NL/BE) launched SUMMIT, a new quarterly English-language B2B magazine for the MICE, business travel and bleisure sectors. The first issue is scheduled for fall 2025, with both print (6,000+ copies) and digital editions, plus related events, webinars and podcasts.
• Anke de Jong will be stepping down aseditor in chief of ELLE Netherlands. While her successor has not yet been announced, Anke has shared that she is ready to explore new adventures and take her career in a different direction. During her time at ELLE, Anke played a key role in shaping the magazine’s voice and creative vision, leaving a distinct mark on the Dutch fashion and lifestyle media landscape.
• Media directorSandra Hilster of KRO-NCRVwill be the next CEO of Banijay Benelux. In her new role, she will lead all of Banijay Entertainment’s Benelux labels. This means she will be responsible for defining and executing the joint strategy, managing the organisation, fostering innovation and achieving high-quality content creation in both the Netherlands and Belgium.
• After 17 editions, REESEN (Luxembourg) will no longer be a stand-alone magazine and will be integrated as a dedicated travel section within KACHEN. This strategic shift aims to streamline editorial quality and structure while addressing monetisation challenges in the travel media space. KACHEN’s strong ad performance and loyal, high-end readership remain key drivers behind the consolidation. The REESEN brand will continue digitally via online, enabling more agile storytelling throughout the year.
• Liesbeth Van Impe will becomeeditor in chief of both Nieuwsblad/De Gentenaar and Gazet van Antwerpen, publisher Mediahuis announced Wednesday. “With this appointment, both news brands are joining forces under a single strategic leadership and a single, unified editorial team,” the statement read.
U.S. MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
• The fashion media world moves into a new era as Anna Wintour announced she’ll step down as the editor in chief of Vogue. She will remain editorial director with the publication, as well as chief content officer of Condé Nast, but a new head of editorial content at American Vogue is yet to be announced.
• Alyssa Bereznak is the new wellness and grooming director at GQ, having previously served as the senior staff writer and podcaster for The Ringer.
• Previously the associate digital editor for Domino, Elly Leavitt is the new lifestyle shopping editor at Vogue.
• Reina Marszalek is now senior editor at Buy Side from the WSJ, which covers travel, food & beverage, shopping and more.
• USA Today saw Laura Trujillo shift from her previous role as managing editor for Life and Entertainment into a new role as national writer and columnist, focusing on health and wellness as part of the storytelling team.
• At the Associated Press, Noreen Nasir has been promoted to assistant director for global video production.
• Anna Guaracao joins MSNBC as the associate booking producer, working on both “Morning Joe” and “Way Too Early.”
• The Points Guy recently announced several layoffs, inclusive of the full cruise team.
• Melanie Curry has moved from an editorial assistant role to assistant editor of Cosmopolitan, focusing on the arts, beauty, entertainment and politics.
• Michelin recently welcomed Mitchell Friedman to its team as a global hotel editor, having previously served as a contributor to “The Agenda” for Tablet Hotels.
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