Hilton Declares 2025 ‘The Year Of The Travel Maximizer’

Travelers have a lot to look forward to in 2025.

According to Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report released earlier this week, the hotel chain revealed their top travel predictions and have officially decreed 2025 as ‘the year of the travel maximizer.’

The report — which surveyed 13,000 travelers across 13 countries, also included feedback from over 4,100 Hilton employees and travel experts — found that while 2024 saw a rise in sleep retreats and what they called ‘the year of the great recharge,’ the 2025 traveler will be seeking out “high-impact experiences,” with a priority on making the most of their time and money on vacation.

“To me, maximizing travel in 2025 means embracing experiences that allow travelers to make the most out of their time, financial investment and all that each destination and local culture has to offer,” Leonard Gooz, Global Brand Leader, Hilton Hotels & Resorts told Forbes. “While each traveler’s needs and preferences are unique, Hilton recognizes that today’s travelers seek a diverse range of experiences – whether that’s indulging in sleep-focused spa treatments, exploring local hotspots, or embarking on thrilling adventures.”

One of the key findings in the report found that seven in ten travelers enjoy being active when they travel, with one in five leisure travelers planning an outdoor adventure and a whopping 76% of respondents saying they’re seeking a ‘variety of experiences’ on their next trip.

“The diversity of trends in our latest Trends Report reflects the evolving ways travelers seek to maximize their time on the road,” Gooz said. “In 2025, it’s not about choosing one style over another, but rather finding a balance that makes every moment meaningful.”

“To me, maximizing travel in 2025 means embracing experiences that allow travelers to make the most out of their time, financial investment and all that each destination and local culture has to offer.”

It doesn’t look like sleep retreats are going away anytime soon. One of the most interesting takeaways from the report found that one out of every five travelers plan on indulging in a trend called “hurkle-durkle” when they’re on vacation. The Scottish phrase for “lounging in bed all day,” in addition to getting some bonafide rest and relaxation vis a vis ‘hurkle durkling,’ more than a quarter of travelers said they also plan on booking a spa or wellness treatment to enhance their sleep and max out on relaxation time on their next getaway.

“Several notable findings emerged from our 2025 Trends Report research, for instance, we uncovered that half of the world – and two-thirds of Americans – sleep better in hotels,” Gooz says. “This underscores the popularity of sleep tourism, which we’ve seen strengthen in popularity over the past year.”

Among the results of Hilton’s 2025 trends report, the hotel company found that more than half of travelers with kids plan on taking ‘nostalgia trips’ as they revisit places they went to as a child. Another quarter of leisure travelers plan to explore foreign places and cultures over an extended period of time to better immerse themselves via ‘slow travel’ trips.

Earlier this summer, Hilton announced a partnership with Small Luxury Hotels (SLH), adding nearly 400 boutique hotels to their burgeoning portfolio. Hilton’s presence in the boutique luxury hotel space is steadily on the rise with the chain’s recent acquisition of Graduate Hotels and NoMad hotels.

The brand has also been betting big on travelers heading to the great outdoors. Earlier this year, Hilton announced a partnership with luxury glamping and airstream company AutoCamp. Now bookable on Hilton.com, AutoCamp locations include popular camping sites in destinations from Cape Cod and Yosemite to Zion National Park and Joshua Tree.

Among other trends Hilton says we can expect to see are a rise in sober curious trips, ‘soft travels’ or self-discovery trips, and the continued rise in sports and food-focused experiences.

“With more than 8,000 hotels around the world, Hilton provides a stay for every type of traveler and every stay occasion – and we’re constantly looking at ways to evolve and innovate to meet the needs of today’s traveler,” Gooz said. “Ultimately, our goal is to help travelers get the most out of their stay, regardless of where they find themselves, and their travel style.”

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