Get ready to pack your bags, travel enthusiasts, because 2025 is shaping up to be an epic year for exploration! Based on recent trends, here are the top 10 travel trends to watch for in 2025:
- Noctourism: Travellers are seeking out experiences at nighttime, from dining by open fires in Swedish Lapland to Northern Lights hunting in Finland. Solar activity is going to be at its highest for decades in 2025, sending higher than average numbers of charged particles to interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, creating dramatic aurora viewing opportunities. Finnish Lapland, Norway’s Lofoten Islands, plus Svalbard and Iceland as prime destinations to see the Northern lights this year.
- Country ticking: Inspired by apps like Been, travellers are increasingly interested in exploring new destinations and adding new countries to their list. Travel from Finland to Sweden and on to Norway easily in one trip, a great way to tick off three destinations in one holiday!
- Holiday hopping: Maximising your holiday time is key in 2025. Travellers are opting for “holiday hopping,” which involves flying into one city and out of another, allowing you to explore multiple destinations within a region or country in a single trip. Start your Nordic holiday in Svalbard, and travel from there to the top of Sweden and on into Norway or Finland and tick them all off your bucket list in one trip!
- More adventure: With limited holiday days, travellers are seeking out adventure-packed getaways over longer, more relaxed holidays. We’re seeing a rise in popularity of short trips (2-3 days) that allow you to experience a lot of activities in a short amount of time. The Midnight Sun in Summer gives you almost 24 hrs daylight to explore the Nordics at any time of the day! Hiking, biking and enjoying kayaking on the lake, even at 10pm!
- Jetset and chill: Our favorite TV shows and movies are inspiring our travel destinations in 2025. From true-crime documentaries to foodie shows, travellers are looking to visit locations featured in their favorite media. Popular films like Game of Thrones, season seven, episode six was filmed at Kirkjufell in Iceland. It’s a two-hour drive from Reykjavik and easy to reach by car, and it’s believed to be the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Hellesylt, in Norway is famous for being the background for filming locations for the Netflix series, Vikings.
- Nostalgia travel: Relive your childhood memories in 2025 with nostalgia travel. Travellers are revisiting destinations from their past to create new memories and connect with their personal history.
- Calmcations: In our fast-paced world, relaxation and well-being are more important than ever. In 2025, Travellers are seeking out “calmcations” – tranquil escapes that focus on relaxation, digital detoxing, and reconnecting with nature. The Nordics are great place to feel calm and be at one with nature, this is their way of life.
- Astro-tourism: Have you ever dreamed of gazing at the stars from a dark sky preserve? Astro-tourism is on the rise in 2025, with Travellers looking for destinations with minimal light pollution for optimal stargazing and seeing the Northern Lights.
- Detours over dupes: Forget about overcrowded tourist destinations. In 2025, Travellers are opting for unique detours over cliche destinations. This means adding on an extra stop to your trip to explore a lesser-known gem. There are a number of stunning beaches in Norway, which are less crowded than your typical Summer destination.
- Bucket List Destinations – Travelers are looking for journeys to “tick off” destinations from their bucket lists, compiling dream destinations, often including seeing the Northern Lights, or snowmobiling in Lapland. The thrill of crossing off that long-awaited destination can be exhilarating, and a testament to personal achievement and a reminder of the power of dreams.
Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a first-time traveler, there’s a travel trend in 2025 that’s perfect for you. So start planning your dream holiday today and get ready to explore the world in a whole new way!
