Travel Trends: Solo Men on The Move, Capital City Breaks and AI

Global travel booking platform Omio has released its inaugural “NowNext” annual report, revealing the trends defining travel in 2024 and beyond. Omio commissioned Ripple Effect to conduct an omnibus survey of thousands of European and U.S. travelers. The findings, complemented by user data, highlight the rise of traveler traffic, with new drivers inspiring booking decisions.

Key highlights from the NowNext 2024 report:

Travel With a Capital C

Remote, niche locations have grown in popularity over the past years, but city escapes are on the rise again with 60 of travelers planning to visit major cities in 2025. Culture-rich capitals win top spot as the most in-demand locations on the Omio platform in 2024. However, it isn’t just iconic landmarks persuading travelers to go urban; food, concerts and sporting events are increasingly amongst the main reasons travelers are flocking to major metropolises.

Boy Wander

From self-discovery to mental empowerment, independence to building confidence, there are lots of benefits to traveling alone. Over the past few years, the trend has been heavily led by women, but we’re soon to see a surge in lone male voyagers, with 30 percent of men compared to 23 percent of women planning a solo trip in 2025. Not only are men planning to increase solo travel, but they also plan to do it in style with 28 percent of men planning to spend over $2,500 on their international trip.

Lost in Translation

Travelers cite language barriers and navigating unfamiliar transport networks as the biggest sources of stress, with almost a third (29 percent) of respondents struggling with foreign transport. In 2025, travelers will increasingly lean on technology to navigate the complexities of international travel with 44 percent saying they would use AI to plan and book travel in 2025, compared to 27 percent in 2024.

Summer Suntrap

While “shoulder-season” can provide cheaper, quieter and temperate conditions, travelers can’t resist peak summer travel. This year, 74 percent of travelers believed June, July and August were the best times to get away. In 2025, it is set to be a similar story, with 76 percent preferring the full tourist experience of peak season compared to off-peak options.

The New Travel AI-gents

Booking a holiday destination isn’t always straightforward. With so many options to choose from, travelers are under a lot of pressure to ensure that they select the right location to suit what they want from a trip. It’s no surprise then that savvy travelers are increasingly using AI and social media with 45 percent of travelers getting their travel inspiration from social media in 2024.

TLC (Travel Loving Care)

Conscious travel continues to rapidly grow in importance for travelers as they try to minimize the negative impacts of their journey and help the communities and places they visit. Over half of travelers (58 percent) are more likely to travel to places that incentivize sustainable travel and 44 percent say supporting local businesses and restaurants is a key part of their travel plans.

Source: NowNext