Would you travel to game?

A Skyscanner report explains the travel trends that are gaining traction

CT Desk

Published: Thu 24 Oct 2024, 11:04 PM

How much influence does social media have on your choice of travel destination? Turns out, quite a lot. A recent report by travel agency Skyscanner revealed that one of the top inspirations for travel is social media (75 percent), online media (53 percent) and word of mouth (47 percent).

As for experiences that determine a destination, they are weather (67 percent), food (67 percent), and attractions (62 percent).

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The Skyscanner Travel Trends Report 2025 explains that as we go forward, travel will tend to focus on shared experiences, ‘highlighting the power of collective exploration and discovery’. Here’s a look at seven travel trends for 2025:

Sports travel

As if binge watching wasn’t enough, sports shows like Netflix’s Break Point — which takes us behind-the-scenes to see the real lives of top tennis players — will soon be driving our need to travel, to experience the same destinations and events the series takes us through, with other fans. Forty percent of 25-to-34-year-olds (and 45 percent all UAE) travellers plan to travel either domestically or internationally to see a sporting event in 2025, says the report.

Astro-tourism

So scanning the skies is a thing people want to travel for. According to Google searches for selected keywords for the first six months of 2024, travellers have been wondering where to see a solar eclipse. For UAE adventurers, top sky-based experiences are night photography (53 percent); sleeping under the stars (51 percent); and seeing the Northern Lights (43 percent).

The report quotes astronaut and author Kellie Gerardi saying, “Astro adventures are more popular than ever. My best advice is to plan early with flexibility. If your schedules don’t line up with a major celestial phenomenon, you can still enjoy incredible views year-round at places like Mauna Kea in Hawaii or dark sky parks like Galloway Forest Park in Scotland.”

Reset Jetters

Another reason people will travel is to spend time doing activities where health takes a front seat. Longevity tourism is on the rise. The report finds that 68 percent of UAE travellers say they feel more mindful about their overall health and wellbeing than ever before.

And 91 percent of UAE travelers believe vacations can help build resilience and strength. Basically, this sort of break recharges you so you can deal better with the hustle of daily life. Among destinations that are being searched for this purpose is Phuket, Thailand, thanks to its beaches and retreats; think Muay Thai, silent reflection, and yoga.

Art-venture

Dive into an experience – you know you want to (at least that’s what the report states). 71 percent of UAE travellers are planning an immersive art experience on vacation next year, with that number rising to 75 percent when it comes to 25–34 year olds. Part of the drive to go down the immersive experience route is that is easily clicked and shared on social media. (Yes, we do like those likes.)

Cowboy core

So apparently we are getting more and more interested in all things country, including trips. According to the report, 63 percent of UAE travellers are fans of Cowboy Core. If horse riding is your thing, the top five destinations to mosy on down to include Dubai, UAE; Bengaluru, India; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Santorini, Greece; and Bali, Indonesia.

Botanical tourism

Nature is going to be at the forefront next year, as people lose themselves to the power of soothing greenery. ‘Gardening and the growing desire to return to nature are now a clear driving force behind travel plans,” explains the report. Among the most popular nature activities people from the UAE want travel for is gazing at Japan’s cherry blossoms.

Gami-Vacation

Gaming is huge right now, and apparently 81 percent of of UAE travellers are inspired to book a trip abroad based on locations from their favourite video game. Tempted to travel? Here’s an idea — the world’s largest gaming event GamesCon will take place in Cologne in August 2025, book early for a cheaper fare.

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