This year’s Travel & Adventure Show in Chicago IL, provided tons of information on trends and resources to help usher us into the new travel year. Here are some of my top takeaways!
2025 Trends of Note
Over tourism continues to be the trend that drives most everything else. There are no longer travel “seasons” where prices are lower in the early spring and fall (shoulder season) and much lower in the cold weather (off season). It’s all peak season now and pricing reflects that. Planning becomes essential to avoid the biggest crowds and find the best deals to fit within your travel budget. Consider avoiding the bucket list destinations where everyone wants to go and explore lesser known spots.
Cruising has changed a lot since the pandemic. The largest cruise ships are limited to a few ports that can handle ships of that size (think Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas) making the ports less of the draw. Instead the ship has become the destination. Other popular itineraries are simply overcrowded, such as Alaska which will have 39 ships sailing its inside passage next summer. A number of lines have smaller ships with much more diverse itineraries because they can sail anywhere. At present there are about 1400 cruise ports around the world to be explored.
One thing that will make that much easier is that a number of off the grid destinations now have international airports that will accept larger planes. Greenland is a prime example of that which is why it comes up in Frommer’s Best Places to Go in 2025.
Despite ringing the death knell on travel agents in 2020 they are back with a vengeance and using their expertise to navigate the myriad of travel options and pitfalls is highly recommended. Agents are specialized and have preferred supplier relationships, which can translate into excellent deals. Also it is important to have a conversation with a person instead of always depending on what you read online.
In the same vein it is important to know your Canadian Passenger Bill of Rights and to check the government website for Travel Advisories before you choose your destination or itinerary.
Notes From the Speakers
Andrew McCarthy, renowned travel writer and 90s movie star, spoke about “ obliterating fear and fostering connections”. He encouraged people to say yes to those moments of connection that occur when traveling despite taking you out of your comfort zone. These moments “afford us new eyes to see things differently”.
Pauline Frommer, executive editor of Frommer Guides, reinforced her father’s philosophy that you can “travel better when you travel cheaply”. Arthur Frommer, who passed last November, was “idealistic about travel” according to his daughter and proven by his great legacy. She also warned of travel in the age of AI, cautioning attendees about getting proper information online.
Peter Greenburg, CBS News Travel Editor, talked about some of the issues with travel today, such as over-tourism as discussed earlier. He talked about the myriad of options with air, cruise and hotel booking and how online searches may be the best option for research but use a travel agent for booking. His conversation revolved around how you are going to travel, not when, if or why.
Regardless of how often we travel there is always something more to learn about the rapid changes in the travel industry and how we can best navigate them so that we too can “travel better when you travel cheaply” and foster the connections that make it a life altering experience.