Adido delivers its advent calendar of travel trends and statistics. 24 stats for 24 days. From how we book travel to when we book travel, our advent calendar has got you covered!
Who needs a Lynx Africa giftset or some delightful novelty socks from Temu when you can be treated to a feast of fantastic insights from the world of travel that’ll see you through this festive season.
Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!
Door 1
Nearly nine out of 10 people in the UK took a holiday over the past 12 months - the highest proportion since 2019. ~ ABTA
Door 2
The European Radiohead tour is projected to bring in over 12 million Euros in tourism spend to four of the five host cities. ~ Mabrian
Door 3
International tourist arrivals grew 5% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period of 2024. This is about 3% above pre-pandemic levels. ~ UN Tourism
Day 4
When it comes to funding a trip, 21% of global Gen Z travellers rely on credit card rewards and 46% rely on their parents to help boost their travel budget. ~ Skyscanner
Day 5
11% of UK 18-24 year-olds took a rail holiday in the last 12 months, up three percentage points year-on-year, and 9% of them chose a coach break, on par with the over-65s. ~ ABTA
Day 6
53% of travellers are open to taking part in a roleplay retreat based on their favourite fantasy game, book or film. ~ Booking.com
Day 7
Central Asia is now a tourism hotspot. Bookings to Uzbekistan are up 52% on last year, while Georgia bookings have increased by 31% in the same period. ~ Explore Worldwide
Day 8
Over a third of global travellers (34%) say they now actively seek out quieter destinations, and 31% plan to visit popular places only in shoulder seasons – a sign that overtourism is influencing decision-making. ~ Skyscanner
Day 9
15% of UK travellers indicated that they might take a cruise in the coming year, rising to 20% of 25-34 year olds. ~ ABTA
Day 10
81% of Gen Z and Millennial travellers plan their getaways based on what they’ve seen on screen. ~ Expedia
Day 11
Europe welcomed nearly 340 million international tourists this first half of 2025, about 4% more than in 2024 and 7% more than in 2019. ~ UN Tourism
Day 12
Two‑thirds of US men surveyed by Booking.com say they’d be more likely to book a trip if they knew ‘extra affection’ was on the itinerary ~ Booking.com
Day 13
More than a third (39%) of global travellers have gone, or considered going, overseas specifically to meet new people e.g. for friendship or dating. ~ Skyscanner
Day 14
The Online Travel Market is estimated to be valued at USD 0.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.4 billion by 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate of 7% over the forecast period. ~ Future Market Insights
Day 15
Interest in rural escapes has especially increased for Gen Z travellers over the past two years, and there has been a 300% spike year-over-year in guest reviews mentioning farms on Vrbo. ~ Vrbo
Day 16
43% of UK travellers said they’d be confident to some degree letting an AI tool plan their holiday, with 38% saying they’d be confident letting it book for them. ~ ABTA
Day 17
Over half (54%) of business travellers say they’d take a trip just to get a break from their family or partner. ~ Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report
Day 18
More than a fifth (22%) of UK travellers surveyed by ABTA said they have a better holiday when they’ve used a travel professional to book it. ~ ABTA
Day 19
In the last 12 months, the share of people using AI for holiday inspiration doubled to 8%, rising to 13% of 18-24 year-olds. ~ ABTA
Day 20
2025 worldwide ocean cruise line revenue from ticket and onboard spend is estimated at $72.5 billion (a 7.7% increase over 2024) with 33.7 million annualised passengers carried (a 4.9% increase over 2024). ~ Cruise Market Watch
Day 21
Half of global travellers would willingly take a pay cut in exchange for unlimited leave and 44% would leave their job if they were denied a vacation time request. ~ Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report
Day 22
57% of travellers say they’re likely to attend a local sporting event while travelling (rising to 68% among Gen Z and Millennials). ~ Expedia
Day 23
The popularity of 21+day trips has more than doubled for 35–54-year-olds, up six percentage points to 10% from 4% in 2023. ~ ABTA
Day 24
No stat today…but everyone at Adido wishes you a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year! See you in 2026!
So there you have it – the Adido Advent Calendar of Travel Stats! We hope you’ve learned something along the way!
