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DW Travel Confirms Accelerated Shift in Global Travel Patterns During 2025

Dubai, UAE, [29 December 2025] As 2025 draws to a close, DW Travel has confirmed that the global travel trends it forecast at the start of the year not only materialised but accelerated faster than expected. From record-breaking event tourism to the mainstreaming of niche travel segments, the year has underscored a fundamental shift in how and why people travel.

“What stood out in 2025 was how intentional travel decisions became,” said Emily Jenkins, Head of Product & Digital Solutions at DW Travel. “Travellers are no longer choosing destinations first and experiences second. In many cases, the experience is driving the destination choice”.

Event Tourism Reaches Historic Highs

One of DW Travel’s strongest predictions for 2025 was the rapid growth of event-driven tourism. This proved accurate, with major global events acting as powerful catalysts for both leisure and business travel.

Expo 2025 in Osaka emerged as a significant driver of inbound travel to Japan. DW Travel booked thousands of room nights into Osaka during the year, while airline ticket sales to Japan rose 316% year-on-year, reinforcing the role of large-scale events in stimulating regional tourism economies.

Sports Tourism Maintains Strong Global Momentum

Sports tourism also continued its upward trajectory. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remained a dominant force on the global sporting calendar, supported by strong international attendance. With 70% of 2024 race attendees travelling from overseas, 2025 benefited from sustained demand as fans increasingly committed to travelling internationally for major sporting events.

Astro Tourism Moves to the Forefront

Astro tourism, once considered niche, firmly entered the mainstream in 2025. While destinations such as Tromsø and the Nordic region remained popular for Northern Lights experiences, demand expanded into new regions including Scotland, Namibia, Russia, Wadi Rum in Jordan, and AlUla in Saudi Arabia.

Travellers are increasingly drawn to remote destinations where dark skies, natural landscapes, and cultural immersion form part of the core travel experience. The convergence of astro tourism with adventure travel, sustainability, and luxury camping signals its longevity as a travel segment.

 Health & Wellness Travel Becomes a Lifestyle Choice

Health and wellness travel exceeded expectations in 2025, transitioning from a trend into a core component of lifestyle-led travel planning. Established destinations such as India, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and Bali continued to attract travellers seeking medical, preventive, and holistic experiences.

Emerging destinations also gained traction. Interest in Zakopane, Poland rose steadily, supported by increased air connectivity between the UAE and Poland, validating DW Travel’s prediction that it would develop into a notable wellness hotspot.

De-Tour Travel Gains Momentum

The desire to avoid overcrowded and high-cost destinations drove the continued rise of “De-Tour” travel—favouring lesser-known or better-value alternatives. Vietnam stood out as a key beneficiary, with DW Travel recording a 47% increase in bookings year-on-year, supported by new UAE-to-Vietnam routes such as Emirates’ services to Danang.

Additional growth was seen in destinations including Krabi in Thailand and Ksamil in Albania, offering comparable natural beauty to neighbouring hotspots but with fewer crowds and stronger value propositions.

Set-Jetting and Always-On Destinations

Set-jetting remained a powerful influence on travel behaviour in 2025, with destinations featured in film and television continuing to attract strong interest. From Malta’s cinematic landscapes to the UK’s “Starring Great Britain” campaign, streaming culture continued to convert on-screen inspiration into real-world travel.

Alongside these evolving trends, DW Travel’s “always-on” destinations including the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Turkey and Thailand delivered consistent performance throughout the year, forming the backbone of global travel demand.

Looking Ahead

“Many of the trends we identified weren’t entirely new, but 2025 showed how quickly they have matured,” added Jenkins. “What were once niche segments are now firmly part of mainstream travel demand.”

As travel demand becomes increasingly experience-driven, DW Travel remains focused on anticipating emerging trends and supporting clients with insight-led, future-ready travel solutions. The company has now released its 2026 TravelTrend Predictions, offering a forward-looking view of how global travel will continue to evolve.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Sara Brihich
Senior Marketing Executive – DW Travel
📧 Sara.Brihich@Dwtravel.ae
🌐 www.dwtravel.ae