Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo have combined internal data and global research to identify eight major travel trends in 2025. What are they, and how can you use them to boost profits for your short-stay rental business? Find out here.
Unpack ’25: Smoobu’s analysis.
Staying current with the latest trends in the tourism industry is essential for every vacation rental owner who wants to grow their business. To help you do that, we at Smoobu decided to analyze the latest findings from Unpack ’25, an annual publication of the Expedia Group.
Here are the travel trends from the report and our tips for hosts.
1. Detour destinations
Instead of visiting the most famous cities and resorts that have become the faces of mass tourism, many travelers are opting for lesser-known destinations. Some examples mentioned by the Expedia report are:
Italy: Brescia, rather than Milan.
France: Reims, rather than Paris.
Spain: Girona, rather than Barcelona.
Tips for hosts
If your vacation rental is in one of these lesser-known destinations, this could be your year to shine. Be sure to upload your availability calendar for 2025 in advance and optimize your listings on Booking.com and Airbnb.
However, even if you own a vacation rental in a central Italian city (Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, or Naples), you can find ways to take advantage of this trend. To add value to your offer, your listing description should highlight the unique places of interest surrounding your vacation rental that only locals know about.
You can also include a unique element with a guided tour of the city’s hidden gems or partner with companies that organize day tours of the surrounding villages and towns.
2. Goods getaways
According to data collected by Unpack ’25, more and more people are putting local products and specialties first when choosing destinations to visit. Data collected by Expedia between January and August 2024 show that 39% of travelers routinely visit a local grocery store, and 44% shop for local products as souvenirs for friends and family.
Tips for hosts
This travel trend is familiar to anyone who spends any time on social media. Local specialties and delicacies unique to a city or town have become all the rage recently. More often than ever before, travelers want to buy and experience things like a real local.
Here are some ideas to take advantage of this trend to the fullest:
- Optimize your booking website. Add a few sentences about food specialties your guests can sample and highlight local handicrafts.
- Greet your guests with a welcome gift: local produce, regional crafts, or something special from your local community.
- In your digital Guest Guide, share recommendations for restaurants, bars, and local stores, simplifying your guests’ travel experience and offering a personal touch.
- Partner with local businesses to offer your guests unique discounts at local stores.
- If you run a Bed and Breakfast, offer your guests a breakfast full of typical delicacies and promote it in your listing.
- In the case of agritourism, take professional photos of the specialties produced by your farm and show on your website all the steps involved in creating these unique products.
3. All-inclusive era
Younger travelers are interested in all-inclusive resort stays. According to the Expedia report, 41% of Gen Z respondents said reducing stress is the top reason for choosing an all-inclusive stay, followed by ease of booking (39%) and wanting to treat themselves to a luxury trip (38%).
Tips for hosts
Although the concept behind staying at a short rental is very different from that at an all-inclusive resort, it is essential to remember that travelers are looking for relaxation and, whenever possible, want to pamper themselves.
Why not promote extra services? Is there a restaurant or bakery you can partner with? Shuttle service or cabs? Rental of sports equipment and bicycles? Laundry and ironing facilities?
To identify the most suitable additional services, consider your regular target groups and what they find most appealing.
4. Hotel restaurant renaissance
Restaurants and room service are critical aspects travelers consider when booking hotel accommodations. A Michelin-starred restaurant would be even better.
Tips for hosts
Although this trend primarily affects the hotel industry, it can inspire owners of short rentals. When giving recommendations to your guests, limit yourself to local restaurants with the best value for money. Google review scores and the number of stars could be determining factors.
5. Joy of missing out (JOMO)
The term JOMO is contrasted with the more famous FOMO or Fear of missing out. According to data collected by Vrbo, there is a growing interest in beach, lake, and mountain destinations known for leisure and relaxation. Travelers also believe JOMO trips can help improve their mental health: 62% of respondents say they reduce stress and anxiety.
Tips for hosts
If you’ve followed trends over the past few years, you’ve noticed the growing demand for digital detox experiences. In a rapidly changing world, many people want to spend their vacations stationary, at the beach, in the pool, or a hot tub.
To capitalize on this trend, hosts of rural accommodations, farmhouses, and cottages can focus on scenic photos of the surrounding natural spaces and descriptions of area walks in their listings. If you run a vacation rental in town, try offering a discount for a spa or massage.
6. Natural phenomena
Our planet has an incredible depth of natural beauty, and today’s travelers know it. As the Unpack ’25 report shows, 61% of respondents want to see the Northern Lights, and 30% are interested in geological phenomena such as volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs.
To do so, they book accommodation in convenient areas to enjoy undisturbed views of natural wonders.
Tips for hosts
As interest in this type of sightseeing rises, highlight natural phenomena for guests to admire around your vacation home. Forests, hills, mountains, and much more can offer the scenic beauty many travelers crave.
For the more adventurous, suggest hiking, canoeing, or other outdoor excursions to get your guests out and about in the great wide world.
7. Series inspired travel
Already a growing travel trend in 2023, on-screen entertainment inspired more travelers in 2024 than ever before to choose the perfect destinations for their vacations. As many as two-thirds of travelers surveyed by the Expedia Group said movies, TV series, and TV shows influenced their travel choices.
Tips for hosts
Has an exciting TV series or movie been filmed near your rental apartment? Are there any famous film festivals or related events in the area?
Remember to mention it in your listing description and your booking website. If you are passionate about film, you could decorate your vacation rental with a theme!
To learn more about the topic, check out our article “Film Tourism and Vacation Rentals.”
8. The influencer influence
According to Sprout Social’s 2024 Influencer Marketing Report data, half of consumers make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases because of influencer posts. This trend has barely scratched the surface of the travel industry, as influencers often showcase too complex and expensive trips for most travelers.
Expedia has responded to this trend by posting a series of influencer-curated travel guides on its website. What about you, as a host of short rentals, what can you do?
Tips for hosts
Influencer marketing campaigns are a secret weapon for vacation rental hosts who want to grow their business. Although they take time and effort, they can yield incredible results. If you decide to go this route, here are some key things to keep in mind:
- Who do you want to reach? Different generations and different types of travelers are active on other platforms.
- What is your budget? Consider how much you can spend on this marketing campaign. The return depends on the average number of followers the influencer reaches.
- Is your property ready? Your property must be social media-ready. It must be clean, well-lit, and have unique design elements or amenities that the influencer can capture and show their followers.
Conclusion: a successful 2025 with Smoobu
If you want to grow your business in 2025, optimize your short rental by considering the travel trends that best suit you and your offer. But don’t overdo it! Remember that if you try to please all travelers, you may please no one.
What other strategies can you adopt to grow your business in 2025? Consider using new tools to help you automate and speed up your daily operations. Think about dynamic pricing software to help you find the best prices for your property. Or a tool to better manage guests’ check-in with the Web Lodging Portal.
And if you still need to use a channel manager, it’s time to start! Try Smoobu for free for 14 days and see how our intuitive tools can help you succeed.
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