Coolcations, Comebacks and Culture: What's Shaping Global Summer Travel in 2025

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for hospitality, shares its latest travel data ahead of the busy summer season. Despite ongoing global political and economic uncertainty, travel demand is holding steady with 2024 levels—as travelers seek out cooler climates, rich cultural experiences and more local getaways.

"In a world reshaped by politics, climate, and evolving traveler expectations, the brands that thrive are those that adapt early—delivering timely, personalized messages that drive loyalty," said Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern. "Now's the time for marketers to refine their top-of-funnel strategies and leverage travel intent data to connect with consumers across channels in meaningful ways."

Stateside Stays and Shifting American Sentiment

Amid global tensions and evolving economic pressures, American travel habits are largely holding steady, though some shifts are emerging. Many travelers appear to be opting to vacation closer to home, with concerns about international travel contributing to a 2% rise in domestic US flight bookings. Meanwhile, international getaways are taking a hit: flight bookings are down 2% to the Caribbean, 4% to Europe and Asia, and 9% to traditional US hotspot Mexico. Notably, major cities like New York City, Orlando and Miami top the domestic travel charts, pointing to a trend toward closer-to-home travel. With the United States set to host a major international football tournament in June and July—bringing together top football clubs from around the globe—cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami could see a surge in both domestic and international fan travel.

Internationally, the top three destinations for U.S. travelers so far this summer—based on total outbound bookings—are the UK (8.8%), Mexico (7.8%), and Italy (7.2%). Despite political strain, travel to Canada is up 6%, although falling airfare hints at softening demand. In contrast, Canadian travelers appear to be rethinking their US plans. Following a drop in US-bound flight bookings—from 4.6% to 3.5% in February—summer demand for Mexico has surged 10–25%, pointing to a shift away from the US and toward a growing preference for alternative regional destinations.

Latin America's Local Surge and Cultural Hotspots

Mexico continues to be a popular summer destination, driven by a 15% surge in domestic travel, even as overall bookings dip slightly. The US remains Mexico's top international market, accounting for 70% of inbound flight bookings. Cancun (55%) leads among Mexican destinations for all travelers, followed by Mexico City (16%) and Cabo San Lucas (14%).

Further south, Peru has seen a 7% rise in bookings, driven by the enduring allure of Machu Picchu and dry-season adventures, while Brazil is experiencing a travel boom of its own. After a record-breaking January with 1.5 million international arrivals, summer flight bookings are up 6%, while hotel searches are up 17%, led by regional travel from Latin America (+71%), the US (+12%), and Europe (+21%). São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are top draws.

Europe's Cool Spots and Cultural Calendar Dominate

Amid heatwave warnings, European travelers are craving cooler destinations. While overall inbound travel to Europe holds steady, intra-European flights to the UK are up 12%, with London—accounting for 75% of total flight bookings—leading the surge. Major events like Coldplay's World Tour, the Oasis reunion, and iconic festivals like Glastonbury are helping fuel the momentum.

As temperatures rise, travelers are embracing "coolcations," with European flight bookings spiking to Estonia (+32%), Iceland (+17%) and Norway (+11%). Traditional summer favorites remain strong: Portugal (+7%), Spain (+3%), and France (+1%). Portugal, in particular, has seen a 13% increase in hotel searches, with bookings from the US comprising 30% of the total and rising steadily since Easter.

Paris continues to dominate summer travel, especially after last year's Olympics momentum. Italy, celebrating its Jubilee Year, is holding firm, with Rome leading and Americans accounting for 28% of international visitors. International flight bookings to Switzerland are up 2% YoY, and while it's too early to prove causality, the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 may be a contributing factor.

Middle East and Asia Pacific See Year-Round Growth

In the UAE, international flight bookings are up 4% YoY and hotel bookings are up 20%, with top inbound markets including India, Saudi Arabia, and the UK. 

In Southeast Asia, Singapore has seen a 5% YoY rise in flight bookings, with China, India, and Australia among its leading source markets. Thailand is also experiencing a 2% increase in international air travel, driven largely by demand from China, Japan, and South Korea.

Meanwhile, outbound travel from East Asia continues to rebound post-COVID. Japanese and South Korean travelers are increasingly opting for regional destinations like Shanghai, Taiwan, and Bangkok over traditional favorites such as Jeju—whose share has dropped from 25% to 14.6% between 2024 and 2025.

Australia is seeing a 10% increase in travel demand, driven by visitors from New Zealand (+14.6%), China (+12.4%), and the US (+9%), with major urban hubs like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne leading the way.

For full data insights and strategic recommendations for travel marketers, visit Sojern's website.

*Sojern data pulled as of w/c 21 April 2025

About Sojern

Sojern is the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experience—all in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

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