Hilton’s 2025 trends report anticipates the rise of ‘travel maximizers’

People planning their trips for next year want to get the most out of it, both in terms of time and money, according to new research from Hilton.

Hilton’s latest annual trends report found that while guests still want to relax and recharge, they also want adventures and to maximize their experiences.

In a podcast interview with HNN, Jess Petitt, chief trends officer for Hilton, explained the findings from the 2025 Trends Report and what it means for the hospitality industry.

“It’s the year of the travel maximizer, right?” he said. “The idea is that it is OK to continue to spend this so crucially important disposable income that our guests have, and that people in the economy have, and spend it on travel.”

Hilton’s research determined that people overwhelmingly want to spend their money on experiences, Petitt said. The pandemic-era stimulus money put into the economy resulted in $2.6 trillion in excess savings at its peak.

“That’s what caused revenge travel first,” he said.

People were spending money because they had it, and that has continued to keep levels of leisure demand where the industry had never seen it before. It’s starting to slow, but it’s still clear that people are still prioritizing travel.

Another way they maximize their time is through “workations,” Petitt said. With people having more flexibility in where they work, they’re taking advantage of travel opportunities.

“For me, there’s also an element of maximizing within that,” he said. “That I’m going to go someplace where, first maybe I can get a little work done. I can meet some of my team members — they’re all over the country. I can do that while I can also be someplace I can take my family, someplace I want to be.”

Among the results of Hilton’s 2025 trends report, the company found that seven out of 10 global travelers enjoy being active when traveling. One in five leisure travelers are planning outdoor adventures next year. More than a quarter of travelers will book a spa or wellness treatment to improve their sleep.

Fifty-eight percent of global travelers who travel with their kids want to revisit places they went to as a child. A quarter of leisure travelers plan to explore different places and cultures and do it over an extended period of time to better immerse themselves, known as slow travel.

Travelers are looking both to embrace and take a break from technology. Sixty-three percent of travelers said it’s important to have the option of a digital key for their rooms, while 24% said they disconnect from social media more than before during vacations.

To hear more of what Jess Petitt has to share about Hilton’s trends report, listen to the podcast embedded above.

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