Booking season in full swing You need to know these travel trends for 2025 now

The booking season for the 2025 vacations has started exceptionally early this fall. Experts reveal the trend destinations for the coming year.

Low temperatures, fog or gray clouds - the cold and wet autumn weather makes us look far away and dream of summer weather, sand or faraway countries.

Bookings for 2025 long-haul trips are already in full swing. "Kuoni, Helvetic Tours and Kuoni Specialists are recording an above-average number of advance bookings for the 2025 travel year," spokesman Markus Flick told blue News. "While the main booking period for beach vacations and city breaks in the coming year traditionally begins after Christmas, longer trips and more distant destinations are already in high demand."

Compared to the previous year, destinations in Asia are particularly popular for bookings in 2025, reveals Flick. "Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea are currently recording the biggest year-on-year increase."

Sri Lanka and Tanzania on trend

The Hotelplan Group is making similar observations. "One of the top destinations in 2025 for customers looking for a tailor-made adventure trip off the beaten track is Sri Lanka with its diverse landscape, unique flora and fauna and cultural heritage," says spokeswoman Sara Vidal. But Africa is also very popular. "An attractive mix of adventure and relaxation is offered by Tanzania, which is particularly popular for safari tours through the breathtaking national parks and its natural beaches."

However, the new trend destination for Hotelplan is further north. Bookings in Tunisia have increased by a double-digit percentage compared to the previous year 2024. "We expect the trend destination to continue to grow in popularity next year," says Vidal.

Destinations such as Oman are also very popular. This is also reflected in the flight offering. Edelweiss, for example, is further expanding its flights to Oman. "Last but not least, we are seeing great demand for South Africa," says Vidal.

Early booking recommended

The Swiss Travel Association has also identified initial trends for 2025. Popular destinations are emerging here, particularly on long-haul routes. "Cartagena and Bogota in Colombia, Washington D.C. in the USA and Toronto, Canada, are experiencing particularly strong growth," says spokesperson Elisha Schuetz. Because tickets on long-haul routes tend to be cheaper than in previous years, the travel industry is already reporting significantly more bookings for distant countries next year.

Anyone making travel plans for next year in the coming days and weeks should not wait too long to book. Hotelplan spokesperson Sara Vidal says that there has been a huge increase of 25 percent in last-minute bookings this year. "But it remains to be seen whether customers will also book in 2025 or prefer to take advantage of the attractive early booking discounts that will soon be available for the summer."

SRV expert Schuetz also recommends not waiting too long to make vacation bookings. "Generally speaking, prices are often cheaper if you book early." This applies to destinations both outside and within Europe. Because, as Markus Flick from Kuoni, Helvetic Tours and Kuoni Specialists knows, even if long-haul routes are popular: "We are likely to see the most bookings for 2025 for Mediterranean destinations in Spain and Greece."