Skyscanner’s list of the hottest destinations for next year is out – so it’s time to open the diary and get planning.
The travel site, which helps 100 million travellers book holidays every year, has revealed its 2025 report: collating data on which trends are taking off, and which destinations are becoming must-book holidays.
Whereas last year was all about cultural exploration, 2025 – they say – is the year of “truly shared travel experiences, highlighting the power of collective exploration and discovery.”
“Travellers are increasingly seeking out experiences that bring people together, from sports events and immersive art installations to gaming vacations,” they say. And despite the cost-of-living crisis, UK travellers are still big spenders when it comes to holidays, with many planning to spend more on booking their dream getaway next year than this one (25 per cent are planning to spend more on flights, and 22 per cent on accommodation).
Top of the list is the rise of overlooked and alternative destinations. With new airline routes opening up, places like the Amalfi Coast are suddenly being swapped out for southern Italy’s seaside (in particular Reggio Calabria) and Stuttgart in Germany.
Culture is also proving a surprising draw for 2025’s travelling crowd. Tartu in eastern Estonia is attracting attention after being named European Capital of Culture for 2024, while UK’s introduction to NFL and Major League Baseball looks to be making Baltimore an increasingly popular location for jetsetters.
The report also broke down the top travel trends for next year – which is in turn influencing travellers’ destinations of choice.
Top of the list is sports tourism. 29 per cent of 25-34 year olds (and 20 per cent of all UK travellers) plan to travel to see a sporting event next year, thanks to sports like F1 and golf rocketing in popularity among younger viewers.
It’s followed by ‘Astro-tourism’ – travelling to see solar events, the Northern Lights, or even the launch of a NASA spacecraft – and ‘reset jetters’: people who use holidays as a way to switch off from work and boost their mental and physical wellbeing.
Here are Skyscanner’s top picks for next year.
Cordoba, Spain
Christian Kober/Robert Harding
Top destinations by search:
Reggio Calabria, Italy: +541% increase in search
Siem Reap, Cambodia: +241%
Portsmouth, Dominica: +186%
Panglao Bohol, Philippines: +77%
Thiruvananthapuram, India: +66%
Destinations offering the best bang for your buck
Colourful scene: the bustling souks of Marrakech
Alamy
With more and more people looking outside the UK for their holidays, the increasing choice and decreasing cost of airfares is opening up whole new regions of the world to adventurous travellers.
New routes and a higher frequency of low-cost carrier flights has seen Sarajevo become one of the cheapest and most exciting destinations around, with its Old Bazaar, and gorgeous Old Town waiting to be explored.
But further flung places like Okinawa in Japan – with its tropical coral reefs, hidden coves and lovely beaches – are also becoming more affordable, as is Jakarta in Indonesia.
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: -45% price drop in air fares
Prague, Czech Republic: -24%
