GHA Reveals Top Travel Trends and Destinations for 2025
The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest network of independent hotel brands, has unveiled its latest data on travel trends, highlighting the anticipated preferences of its GHA DISCOVERY members for 2025. With 99% of travelers planning leisure trips and 93% set to travel internationally, the year ahead looks promising for global tourism.
The report reveals that while travelers are planning to maintain the same frequency of travel in 2025 as in 2024, with an average of six trips per person, business travel has seen a notable 13% increase. This suggests that corporate travel is on the rise, signaling a shift in the broader travel landscape.
Japan and Thailand continue to dominate as the most popular destinations for GHA DISCOVERY members for the second consecutive year. However, the reopening of China has propelled the country to third place on the list for 2025. Other sought-after locations include Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy. For American travelers, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean are top of mind, with an increase in domestic business travel also expected next year.
Traveler Priorities: Relaxation, Group Travel, and Loyalty Programs
One of the key shifts in travel trends is the growing focus on relaxation. Seventy-two percent of travelers are prioritizing relaxing activities over the exploration-driven trips of previous years. With inflation impacting budgets, travelers are seeking more affordable ways to unwind while exploring new cultures and destinations. In fact, 62% of GHA DISCOVERY members are looking to balance relaxation with cultural exploration, and 46% are hoping to escape everyday life through travel.
Travelers are also turning to family and friends for trip inspiration, with 43% relying on trusted recommendations to guide their travel choices. This trend is expected to continue as travelers increasingly seek personalized experiences and insider tips.
Loyalty programs are playing an increasingly important role in trip planning. Thirty-five percent of travelers are now using loyalty platforms to search for hotel accommodations, with some regions, such as China, showing even higher reliance on these services. The rise of loyalty programs and online travel agencies (OTAs) is expected to continue as travelers seek the best value for their accommodation choices.
Kristi Gole, Executive Vice President of Strategy at GHA, commented on these trends, stating, “2025 promises to be a year of exploration, with destinations like Japan, Thailand, UAE, and Italy continuing to captivate our members, alongside new favourites like New Zealand and Vietnam. As business travel recovers and longer leisure stays take center stage, we are seeing a clear shift towards blending work and relaxation. With loyalty programs increasingly influencing choice, we are in a prime position to help our members make the most of their travels across these sought-after destinations.”
As 2025 approaches, GHA DISCOVERY members are poised to enjoy a year of diverse travel experiences, balancing work with relaxation, seeking new destinations, and leveraging loyalty programs to enhance their journeys.
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