Mental Floss

Why People Are Taking Longer Vacations in 2025

Quick trips to oversaturated tourist destinations are so 2024.

BySam Hindman|
It’s time to slow down.
It’s time to slow down. | Klaus Vedfelt/GettyImages

Don’t be surprised if the automated email responses are already flowing in: The global workforce has decreed that 2025 will be a year of rest, relaxation, and plenty of PTO. 

According to a report by Skift Research, travel companies are expecting a 24 percent increase in the number of trips people are going to take this year compared to last. And the number of vacations isn’t the only increase: Travelers are now dedicating themselves to longer-lasting getaways, focusing on single-country deep dives instead of hitting a ton of hot spots all at once.

It makes sense that travelers want to immerse themselves in other cultures instead of taking the fast-paced, touristy route. Popular vacation spots have become dramatically oversaturated in recent years, leading travelers to look for quieter, more off-the-beaten-path destinations. And the wellness industry has faced a worldwide boom; those habits have seeped into travel preferences. Trends like meditation, yoga, and spiritual retreats have taken priority over partying and thrill-based exploration. It makes sense, given the an increase in sobriety and “JOMO” (Joy of Missing Out).

Although the average American only gets around 11 days of PTO per year, there are ways people can “hack” the system and maximize their vacation days by strategically using their paid time off around federal holidays. (You can find out how to do that for 2025 here.)

Another factor that may contribute to this rise in vacationing is one lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: Remote work. For some, this means the freedom to trade in their daily commutes for the luxury of being able to spend a week or more working from the destination of their choice (so long as they attend the next morning’s Zoom meeting, of course). Studies have shown a rise in productivity in relation to work-from-home models, it’s no wonder why some companies are sticking to their decisions and letting their high-performing employees roam as they’d like.

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