Travel Trends Report 2025: Go Off The Beaten Track

In this fifth article in a series of travel trends for the year ahead, I investigate the rising demand for off-the-beaten-track journeys and why hospitality companies are opening new properties in untouched destinations.

Of course, traveling to remote places is nothing new for authentic explorers. Those wanting to discover new cultures and pristine lands, have always veered away from popular haunts. But, with over-tourism causing crowds, spoiling landscapes and having a detrimental effect on communities, there has been a surge in desire for off-the-beaten-track experiences.

According to the Travel’s New Age of Influence Report, by The Future Laboratory and IHG Hotels & Resorts, travelers are now looking for rurality and luxe simplicity that only undiscovered locations can provide. In other words—gorgeous remote locations that have yet to become popular. What’s more, according to the survey, 68% of Gen Z and Millennials say they are constantly looking for new inspiration and activities for exploring the outdoors.

“Traveling to this year’s popular destinations may be tempting as you see them pop up on your Instagram feed, but with these trendy locations comes high prices, large crowds and long wait-times,” says IHG Hotels. “For this reason, travelers are seeking off-the-beaten-path locations and analogue experiences more than ever.”

As a response IHG has seen growth in guests booking some of their properties in lesser-known destinations, such as Georgia, dubbed the birthplace of wine, where the Holiday Inn Tbilisi can be found. Six Senses Zil Pasyon is located on Félicité Island in the Seychelles which, until the 1970s, was a coconut plantation that had a population of just 50 residents. Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa is situated on the pristine shores of West Bay Beach in Roatán, Honduras. Known as Bay Islands, this small archipelago is home to three palm-covered tropical islands on the edge of the world’s second-largest barrier reef.

HotelPlanner’s chief of communications, Tim Hentschel, agrees that overtourism is driving the demand for lesser-known destinations, and says: “With the inevitable overtourism in major tourist destinations comes the frustration of larger crowds and, naturally, higher prices driven by increased demand for accommodation. Less-visited destinations are becoming increasingly appealing to travelers, not only for the sense of adventure they offer but also for their practicality and affordability. For instance, HotelPlanner has identified a 93% increase in demand for hotels in Albania in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Although average nightly rates have risen by 32%, they remain relatively affordable compared to other competing countries. While such destinations may not have been at the top of many travelers’ lists, overlooked spots like these are now gaining their share of touristic interest.”

The Year in Travel Report by eDreams ODIGEO’s also reveals an interesting pattern to the top growth destinations in 2024, compared to the previous year, with less popular tourist places looking increasingly popular: Kuala Lumpur (+49%), Hurghada, Egypt (+38%), Santiago de Chile (+36%), Jakarta (+36%), Bremen (+35%) and Dallas (+35%).

“These newly-trending destinations may be a result of growing consumer demand todiscover fresh regions that blend cultural exploration, rugged landscapes and adventure tourism,” says the report. “UK travelers also showed an appetite for new cultural, natural and less-popular destinations: Bilbao, Stuttgart and Jersey all made it into our top 50 new destinations in 2024 compared to 2023.”

Bolstering this trend is a host of new hotel openings that will surely cater to this new demand. Sri Lanka has been listed as one of the ‘hot destinations’ to visit in 2025 by tailor-made travel experts, The Ultimate Travel Company. “Normally, if you were looking for a 2025 trip to Sri Lanka, most places to stay and top guides would be fully booked. But due to slow recovery, Sri Lanka is still an option for 2025, especially with some exciting new openings on the horizon,” says the company. Amongst tea bushes, high up on a hill near Nuwara Eliya, Goatfell is a recently renovated four-bedroom tea bungalow hotel from Teardrop Hotels. Similarly tucked away in the cool climes and quiet hills of Hatton, overlooking the stunning Castlereagh Reservoir, Uga Halloowella opens this month. The eco-friendly bungalow, enveloped by lush tea estates, has been restored to its former glory by a collaboration between Uga and renowned Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte. Developed with environmentally friendly, biodegradable materials the bungalow is a stone’s throw away from the incredible Pekoe Trail—one of Asia’s ‘best kept secrets’.

Meanwhile, Aqua Expeditions, also available to book through The Ultimate Travel Company, has just announced a new voyage to West Papua—one of the most uncharted destinations in all of Indonesia, rarely visited on board New Guinea cruises. Launching in November 2025, the luxury vessel will sail to the Asmat region, inhabited by its namesake indigenous tribe who are known for their rich cultural heritage. Guests will encounter stunning wildlife, hidden lakes and cave systems; as well as visits to traditional villages to gain an insight into local customs and rituals. Beyond this, the waters surrounding Momon and Triton Bay offer incredible snorkelling and diving sites to view sparkling coral reefs and rare marine life, including whale sharks. With a grand legacy as the former British Naval Explorer HMS Beagle, Aqua Blu is the first ever long-range ocean explorer yacht permanently based in East Indonesia. 15 individually designed suites are accompanied by innovative cuisine curated by renowned chef Benjamin Cross, drawing inspiration from Indonesia’s fabled spice trade route.

Unveiling a hidden side to Italy is La Darbia. The peaceful hideaway overlooks the relatively hidden gem of Lake Orta—Piedmont’s under-the-radar gem. Surrounded by gardens, olive trees and rows of Nebbiolo-vines, La Darbia has 20 apartment-style suites, extensive kitchen gardens, a working vineyard, salt water pool and locally-renowned restaurant La Cucina, run by head chef Matteo Monfrinotti. La Darbia’s striking tower was part of an abandoned agricultural settlement before it was given a new life by architect brothers, Gian Carlo and Matteo Primatesta (Studioprimatesta). After discovering traces of an old, terraced vineyard on the site, Gian Carlo and Matteo set to work cultivating their own local Nebbiolo grape variety and restoring the dilapidated tower into a peaceful retreat.

Finally, in Scott Dunn’s What’s Hot for Travel in 2025 Report, Ellen Fraser, Scott Dunn’s senior travel specialist for Australia and Asia reveals: “The Kimberley and the Northern Territories are redefining Australia’s tourism landscape. Isolated yet beautiful, these special regions offer a distinctively new perspective to the classic trip ‘down under’.”

“Underpinned by a growing interest in remote experiences, Scott Dunn’s guests are more eager than ever to step out of their comfort zone, and use travel as a medium for discovery, deep immersion and transformation,” says Fraser. “Benefits of exploring uncharted regions are the pristine, untouched landscapes—as seen in the Northern Territory’s evocative scenery, dramatic rock formations and waterfalls, as well as the opportunity to learn from the region’s Aboriginal communities; the oldest, continuous living culture on earth.”

Fraser recommends the Paspaley Pearl boutique expedition cruise by Ponant, which sails through The Kimberley, hosted by expert naturalist guides. With cruises that vary from 12 cabins to larger boats to suit every kind of traveller, guests will delve into unique tidal phenomena, meet the world’s largest living reptile, explore only two ‘Horizontal Falls’ on the planet, as well as the world’s largest inshore reef, undisturbed mangrove forests, wild rivers, and important turtle breeding colonies.