Sleep Divorce, Tempo Drinking, and Other Travel Predictions For 2025

Will it really be the year of Travel Maximizer?

The year is drawing to a close. This means that trends and predictions for next year are popping up. American hospitality brand Hilton is one of the first few to reach the finish line with its Annual Trends Report and 2025 is being branded the “Year of Travel Maximizer”. 

According to Chris Nassetta, Hilton’s president and chief executive officer, travelers want to maximize their time away. “Our 2025 Trends Report uncovers what has been simmering for years–the intersection of work and play; of relaxation and adventure; of being alone but together.” 

Last year, the report categorized 2024 as the “Year of the Great Recharge,” so the next year seems like an interesting switch in travel habits and behaviors. Hilton explained that the predictions are based on extensive research involving 13,000 travelers from 13 countries, 4,100 Hilton members, and interviews with travel experts. 

These are some of the trends that the report has prophesied for next year. 

Related: Revenge Travel Might Be Dead. And Soaring Prices Might Have Killed It

MeMooners

No travel companion? No problem. MeMooners (solo leisure travelers) are on the rise and as per this report, they will shake things up in the coming year. 

Nearly half of participants admitted to traveling by themselves—Gen Z (55%) have a leg up on millennials (51%) when it comes to flying solo. Hilton noted that those traveling by themselves prefer flexible seating options at restaurants, personalized tasting menus with smaller portions, friendly staff, and pet-friendly hotels. In fact, 64% of solo travelers prefer a good book as their partner.

Frolleagues 

Apart from MeMooners, there’s another category of travelers that are showing themselves: coworkers who travel together. Off-sites and small gatherings along with traveling with colleagues has gone up and experts imagine it to become a bigger trend to travel with friends who are also colleagues.

Sleep Divorce

Sleep tourism has been gaining traction in recent years with travelers admitting to getting better Zzz’s in hotel rooms. 2025 will regenerate focus on this aspect of travel. One in five participants said that they like lounging in bed all day—called hurkle-durkle in Scottish—while on vacation, and 63% admitted to sleeping better when they have the bed to themselves. When traveling, 37% prefer to sleep separately from their partners and 75% prefer to sleep apart from kids. 

With the REM cycle so important to travelers these days, sleep divorce might become a big thing in 2025.

Tempo Drinking

A quarter of people have stopped or reduced alcohol consumption, the report revealed. And now travelers may be transitioning from sober travel to tempo drinking.

Tempo drinking is a mindful practice of pacing yourself while drinking. Hilton forecasts this to be another big food trend in the upcoming year. Food is already taking over travel budgets, with 50% travelers making reservations before flights. Health conscious eating habits are expected to increase in popularity, too.

Soft Travel

The soft travel trend is a growing movement within the travel industry that focuses on sustainable, mindful, and meaningful travel experiences. These mindful travelers are seeking travel as a means to relax from everyday stresses and schedules, to go with the flow and embrace simplicity and spontaneity. This trend emphasizes a slower pace of travel, a deeper connection with local cultures and communities, and a more eco-friendly approach to exploring the world. Soft travelers prioritize authentic experiences, responsible tourism practices, and a minimal impact on the environment, and slow travel as a way of self-discovery, or a reset for mental health.