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Want to be trendy? Book a separate-bed, soft adventure trip with your fave colleague that involves some hard-to-get dinner reservations and a side of outdoor recreation.
Hilton on Monday released the latest edition of its annual consumer survey. While the project was aimed at consumer media outlets, the report also highlighted some key trends for industry insiders.
Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report, based on an Ipsos survey of 13,000 adults across 13 countries, includes touchstones for travel marketers looking to align campaigns with emerging traveler preferences.
These are the most interesting ones we saw:
1. Sleep tourism continues to grow. Skift covered the sleep tourism trend earlier this year, and Hilton’s survey added some further evidence of the phenomenon. Two out of three Americans surveyed said they sleep better in hotels. And 37% of surveyed travelers prefer to sleep in a separate bed from their partner on trips.
2. Redefining “blended travel.” While many have talked about business travelers adding leisure to their trips, Hilton found a fresh twist on the trend. Nearly 30% of travelers surveyed said they vacation with friends they know professionally.
3. “Soft travel” gains traction. About 22% of travelers surveyed plan a getaway soon for self-discovery or mental health rather than for family outings, business, or other more traditional purposes. Many people share visuals of these trips on social media, and refer to the vacations as “soft travel,” Hilton’s report said.
4. Food can drive travel decisions. Nearly 1 in 5 people surveyed said they sometimes travel to seek coveted culinary experiences. Half of those surveyed said they would book restaurant reservations before they booked flights.
5. Solo travelers can feel underserved. One out of two respondents said they take solo trips from time to time. Yet many complained that restaurants often make them self-conscious about dining alone — with 39% wishing more restaurants had an odd number of bar stools and a wider variety of table types.
6. Outdoor recreation has enduring appeal. During the pandemic, many national parks were thronged with visitors. But interest hasn’t abated. One in five travelers surveyed said the would include an outdoor recreation or adventure on a trip next year.
7. Sustainability is often a talking point. Nearly three out of four travelers agreed with the statement that it’s important to minimize travel’s environmental impact.