This article originally
appeared in the February issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.
Romance travel never goes out of style, but it evolves – from honeymoons into babymoons, from proposal trips to destination weddings – and it ebbs and flows with events such as the pandemic, the economy and the presidential election.
“On the one hand, we’re no longer seeing the post- COVID ‘revenge travel’ push, since most couples who canceled destination weddings and honeymoons during the pandemic rebooked quickly in 2023 and 2024,” said John Hawks, executive director of the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association.
A Mainstay for Couples
“However, romance travel is now truly a mainstay for couples across all age groups. Many U.S. and Canadian couples now consider destination weddings a standard option for their ceremonies – 36 percent of all nuptials, according to a study by the wedding planning website Zola,” Hawks added. “And, the vast majority of newlyweds still continue planning honeymoons, even if they’re simply ‘mini-moons’ for a few nights.”
Honeymooners are wrapped in a traditional Polynesian taififi blanket onboard a Paul Gauguin itinerary. (photo via Paul Gauguin Cruises) (Source: (photo via Paul Gauguin Cruises))
Tami Santini, owner of Paradise Getaways, noticed a small drop in destination weddings around the presidential election, but that demand has bounced back.
“Like many election years, 2024 brought a slight dip in destination weddings for me personally,” she said. “However, 2025 is shaping up to be a standout year with significant growth. Vow renewals and milestone anniversary trips, especially for 25-year celebrations, are on the rise. Overall, romance travel has made a strong comeback and is thriving.”
Major Uptick in Bookings
Cheryl Bailey of Yellow Umbrella Events, the No. 1 producer of weddings groups at Mexico’s Hotel Xcaret, also noticed a major uptick in destination weddings for this year. “Our team had fewer weddings that literally traveled in 2024 than in 2023, but we contracted 20 percent more weddings in 2024, so 2025 is shaping up to be our best year ever,” she said.
How has this romance market changed in recent years? “The biggest change in demand we’ve seen since COVID is the growing demand for romance travel across the lifetime of couples – a big surge in anniversary travel (consumers today prefer experiences over things for gifts), vow renewals (they’re no longer taking place just on milestone dates), babymoons and family moons (it’s so easy to add romantic components onto the usual family vacations),” Hawks said.
Evolving Destination Weddings Market
Santini has observed a number of changes in what couples want in destination weddings.
“Destination weddings have transformed significantly over the years,” she said. “Couples are no longer opting for destination weddings solely for their simplicity, and the post-pandemic shift has moved away from the micro wedding trend we saw earlier.
“Instead, they’re envisioning grander celebrations, often spanning multiple days as part of a full wedding weekend experience. One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is the growing trend of couples making multiple pre-wedding planning trips to their destination. This gives them peace of mind to ensure their celebration is perfect, not only for themselves but also for their guests.”
Secrets Resorts & Spas’ properties offer romantic turndown service. (Source: Hyatt)
And destination weddings give you options for more bookings in years to come, Santini said. “I’ve had former destination wedding clients host their five-year anniversaries with the same group of friends and family who joined them for their wedding.”
She added, “In some cases, these group travel anniversaries included a vow renewal. I encourage fellow agents to reach out to past couples and suggest a group travel anniversary – it’s a fantastic opportunity to create lasting memories and strengthen your relationship with your clients.”
Romance Travel Training
The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association offers various educational options for travel advisors.
Last fall, it debuted new three-night “Mastering Destination Weddings” and “Romance Travel Boot Camps” training trips on the basics. This spring a new video-based self-guided course on “Mastering Destination Weddings” is set to debut.
Also in 2025, the association will offer five-part group mentoring programs – one on destination weddings and another on honeymoons – led by experienced, high-volume members at no charge to members.
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