You can easily tell we're well into the final quarter of the year, not just from the fact that quarterly earnings season kicks off for hotels in earnest next week or by casually glancing at a calendar, but because we're well into 2025 predictions season.
So far, both Hilton and Marriott have taken a stab at being broad predictors of travel trends heading into the new year, with Expedia slated to follow in just a matter of weeks.
Last month, I stopped by Hilton headquarters in McLean, Virginia, to talk about their expectations for 2025 travel, and Chief Trends Officer Jess Petitt took a deep dive into their prediction that 2025 will be the "year of the travel maximizer."
“The idea is that it is OK to continue to spend this so crucially important disposable income that our guests have, and that people in the economy have, and spend it on travel,” he said on the Hotel News Now podcast.
Other highlights of the Hilton 2025 Trends report include a wave of nostalgia travel for families with children, a growth in activity and outdoor adventures, and more people incorporating wellness into their travel planning.
And just this week, Marriott's Caribbean and Latin American division took its own stab at what to expect in a survey done with Appinio. It notes that travel intent remains high.
"An overwhelming majority (90%) of respondents are actively planning their next trip, reaffirming the enduring desire for travel experiences," Marriott announced. "Notably, 60% of travelers consider travel important and prioritize saving for it, underscoring its significance in their lives."
So, what's my prediction for 2025? Simply put, I think desire is one thing and ability is another. While the broad economic outlook is less dire than it might have been a year ago, there are still signs that consumers' spending power might be hitting a critical breaking point. So all the hopes for taking a vacation are ultimately at the whims of whether potential travelers have the ability to become real-life travelers.
The election next month will ultimately have some impact one way or another on that, but it will be a not inconsiderable amount of time before all of that plays out. For now, we continue to hope for the best. And that's not a trend as much as the general state of being for the hotel industry.
Let me know what you think on X, LinkedIn or via email.
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