A new survey released by global insurance and assistance services company International Medical Group (IMG) reveals key insights into how travelers plan to explore the world in 2025. Its annual Travel Outlook Survey gathered input from more than 1,500 IMG customers, whose responses shed light on the year’s potentially popular destinations, preferred travel styles and emerging trends within the industry.
International Travel Dominates
According to the survey, an incredible 96 percent of respondents intend to embark on international trips next year, with more than half (51 percent) planning at least three global journeys. Travel within the U.S. remains popular as well, with 85 percent indicating that they will take at least one domestic trip in 2025, and 52 percent expecting to travel domestically three or more times.
"Each year, we look forward to the results of our Travel Outlook Survey to help us better understand how our customers are planning to travel in the year ahead," said Steve Paraboschi, IMG President and CEO. "Travel trends are constantly evolving, and this research helps IMG better meet the growing demands of international and domestic travelers."
Popular Trip Types
Urban tourism is set to lead the way in 2025, with 53 percent of survey participants aiming to visit major cities. Close behind, 51 percent plan to travel abroad to reconnect with family members. Beach getaways (42 percent) and rural tourism focused on nature and countryside experiences (40 percent) are also high on travelers’ priority lists. Other favored travel styles include adventure and sports-based vacations, resort stays, cruises, and special interest trips or trips to attend major events.
"We saw concert tourism grow significantly in 2024 as fans traveled the world to see Taylor Swift, and with other big-name artists planning world tours in 2025, we expect to see these types of special interest and event-focused trips continue," said Justin Poehler, IMG Chief Commercial Officer. "We're also excited to see that more than half of our respondents plan to visit family abroad in 2025, and with those international trips, it's especially important that travelers have the proper travel protection plan in place before leaving home."
Increased Travel Spending
With so many trips planned internationally and domestically, only makes sense that travel budgets are expanding. The survey shows that 29 percent of respondents anticipate spending more on travel in 2025, compared to the previous year.
Leading Travel Styles
Another predominant trend is solo travel, with 48 percent of survey participants planning at least one trip alone this year. The most popular types of solo adventures involve visiting family members abroad (57 percent) and exploring urban destinations (54 percent).
Business travel is also amplifying. Over half (57 percent) of respondents said that they plan to travel for work in 2025, marking a seven percent rise from last year. Among business travelers, 59 percent will probably extend at least one of their trips, tacking on personal vacation time in a practice known as "bleisure" travel.
Meanwhile, multigenerational trips are set to remain popular in 2025, with 34 percent of families planning either domestic or international vacations that include children, parents, grandparents or other relatives.
Travelers’ Biggest Concerns
Regardless of what year it is, survey results always reveal that travelers harbor a set of concerns when it comes to their trips. The top worry for 2025 is having a health emergency while traveling, followed by fears of trip cancellations and travel disruptions.
The four leading concerns for travelers in 2025 are:
- Illness or accident while away from home
- Needing to cancel a trip before departure
- Transportation issues
- Unexpected interruptions mid-trip
Top Destinations for 2025
Survey results also highlight the most sought-after destinations for next year. Canada, Italy, Mexico, Japan and France are among the top choices for international travelers, with France making its return to the list for the first time since 2022.
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