Why will it matter in 2025? Sabbaticals have recently been identified by HR company Adecco as the biggest work trend right now, with prospective employees choosing companies that offer them over companies that don’t. What’s in it for the companies? Improved mental wellbeing and making sure they retain top talent. “It’s encouraging to see that sabbaticals are on the rise,” says Cat Jones of Byway, which is seeing more clients take trips of a month or longer. “12% of companies in the UK offer paid career breaks, while 53% offer unpaid leave to give their employees a proper break.” So what to do with your newfound freedom? Original Travel is seeing a huge rise in summer sabbaticals, with parents taking children of all ages away for the duration of the school holidays: popular destinations include Japan, Australia, Canada, and the US. And Red Savannah has arranged three-month sabbaticals for families, including one to Japan, Singapore, Tahiti, and the US, taking in manga drawing lessons, Ninjutsu training with a member of a Ninja clan, flying over the coastal mangroves of Kakadu and staying in a tented camp in Yellowstone. “We usually advise people to go half the distance they’d originally planned and spend more time in each place, with ‘rest points’ along the way, otherwise the trip can be too overwhelming and exhausting,” says founder George Morgan-Grenville. “Having just done one, I can attest to the hugely beneficial effect on mental health. I can only describe it as ‘cranial decluttering’—apart from boosting cognitive ability, I feel more positive and energized than I have for at least 20 years.” —Rick Jordan
14. A new dawn for oenotourism
What’s the trend? Travelers have long ventured to wine regions for trips that are as indulgent as they are educational—packed with tastings, winery tours, bucolic vineyard scenery, and shopping for cellar-worthy souvenirs. However, while renowned regions such as Bordeaux, Tuscany, and the Douro Valley have been the traditional targets, curiosity around lesser-known and re-emerging wine destinations is growing.
Why will it matter in 2025? The word “overtourism” was on everybody’s lips this year. Heightened awareness of this among oenophile travelers is leading them to seek out less crowded wine regions, where accommodation, tours, and tastings are more embedded within the local community and feel less scripted. Appetite is growing for fresh discoveries: new flavours, makers, and methods. In tandem, enthusiasm for some of the traditional giants is waning—in October 2024, Decanter reported that Bordeaux was suffering from an image problem. In areas with low exports (according to Wine Vision, only around 20% of Albanian wine goes abroad), locally produced wine is best enjoyed, well, locally. More oenophiles are cottoning on to intimate Brda in Slovenia and its prized zesty Rebula. Travel to regions such as Kakheti is increasing as more people learn about Georgia’s ancient Qvevri wine—a legacy highlighted on Original Travel’s 2025 Taste of Georgia tour. Chinese viticulture, with regions including Yunnan and Ningxia, is also attracting attention. As are the grapes of the Balkans: Albania’s floral Shesh i Bardhë, rich Vranec in Povardarie, North Macedonia, and berry-flavoured Prokupac in Župa, Serbia. Flight routes are relevant, too, such as direct routes from London to Tbilisi launching in spring. New initiatives by “alternative” wine regions to attract foreign interest and promote indigenous grapes—such as the Tsinandali Wine Symposium in Georgia this October—are paying off. —Toyo Odetunde
15. The anti-butler boom
What’s the trend? Luxury hospitality is evolving, with travelers gravitating towards private, personalized experiences that feel more like home. The emphasis on formal service is waning, replaced by a desire for autonomy and informality. As remote work and global mobility reshape how people live and travel, guests increasingly value flexibility and home-like comforts. By blending technology, autonomy, and understated luxury, hotels are aligning with the evolving demands of modern travelers who seek informal, customizable experiences that prioritize relaxation and authenticity over uptight and outdated protocols.
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