The research highlights four major trends that emerged during the pandemic and have persisted:
Beyond capital cities, smaller destinations have gained significant traction. Cities such as Belfast, Bilbao, Florence, Nice, Frankfurt and Munich have seen notable booking growth since 2020, although capital cities still dominate in absolute visitor numbers.
While planning timelines have lengthened since the height of pandemic restrictions, travellers continue to book closer to departure dates than they did pre-COVID, with short-term bookings remaining more popular.
Solo travel has flourished, with decision-making control emerging as the top motivator (41%). Safety concerns around solo travel have dropped by 24% since 2021, with women increasingly travelling alone for self-discovery (34%), while men do so primarily to meet new people (31%).
Trip durations have evolved towards shorter but more frequent getaways. The most popular trip length is now up to four days, with long weekend trips increasing from 25% of bookings in 2019 to 34% in 2024.
Looking to the future, eDreams Odigeo has identified four trends expected to shape travel in 2025 and beyond:
Music tourism is creating significant spikes in travel demand. When Oasis announced their reunion tour, searches for flights to Manchester increased by 700%, Dublin by 635%, Edinburgh by 557% and London by 212%.
Similarly, Dua Lipa's tour dates caused search increases for Madrid (24%), Lyon (11%) and Milan (31%), while Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour dates prompted London flight searches to rise by up to 49%.
Flexibility has become a top priority, with travellers valuing "cancel for any reason" policies and price-freezing tools. Research shows that 84% of travellers prioritise access to multiple options, actively comparing airlines and hotels rather than relying on a single provider.
Subscription-based travel has expanded dramatically, with more than seven million travellers globally now using travel subscriptions compared to just 500,000 at the start of the pandemic. At least one million more travellers are expected to join subscription travel in the next year.
AI-powered travel experiences continue to grow, with Europe's largest travel booking platform already leveraging over 6 billion daily predictions to deliver personalised experiences. About 73% of global travellers use AI for travel-related tasks, rising to nearly 90% among Gen Z travellers.
Caspers adds: “Our data highlights enduring changes in traveller behaviour, with several key trends firmly taking hold. Travel remains a top global priority, with consumers continuing to prioritise it over other discretionary spending, driven by a growing demand for immersive, experience-led journeys.
"The rise of music and sports tourism exemplifies this shift, as fans travel across countries to see their favourite artists or teams live, reinforcing the deep connection between travel and shared cultural moments. We are also seeing travellers favouring shorter, more frequent trips over extended holidays, enabling broader exploration. These trends underline the sector’s impressive adaptability, technology-driven transformation, and travellers’ persistent desire to discover and experience the world.”
by Olivia Palamountain | GLOBETRENDER