TORONTO — The end of one year comes with a look-ahead to the next, and that’s certainly true for the travel industry as it works hard to anticipate demand for top destinations.

Travel companies including TTC Tour Brands (parent company of Trafalgar, Costsaver Contiki and many more), KAYAK and G Adventures are sharing insights on their trending destinations, and making predictions for the year ahead in travel.

Read on for all the data …

TTC TOUR BRANDS

TTC Tour Brands, the parent company of Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, Contiki, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, has an overview of the top trending destinations for Canadian travellers heading into 2025, based on recent consumer booking behavior compared to 2023.

According to the company’s booking data, Asia remains a top choice for travellers heading into 2025, driven by the favourable currency exchange rate and the enduring appeal of its culture and cuisine. Trafalgar’s Splendours of Japan with Hiroshima is seeing a 150% surge in bookings. Thailand is reported to be one of 2025’s most popular destinations, following the announcement as the setting of the third upcoming season of HBO’s White Lotus, set to premiere in early 2025.

Costsaver’s Essential Thailand is seeing an increase of 100% while social travel company Contiki is reporting a 60% increase in bookings for Thai Island Hopper West.

To Europe, Contiki is reporting a 66% surge in bookings for European Highlights, visiting Rome, Venice and Paris, while Insight’s Grand Italy & Sicily is seeing a 100% increase in bookings. Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Trafalgar’s Treasures of France including Normandy and European Whirl End Paris have both had a 100% boost. Meanwhile Insight’s Britain and Ireland Discovery and Country Roads of France have 50% and 100% increases respectively. And bookings for Insight’s Country Roads of Scandinavia is up 150%, while Trafalgar’s Scenic Scandinavia and its Fjords is up 116%.

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KAYAK

KAYAK has data about Canadians’ travel destination search habits. The metasearch OTA reports that international travel comprises 75% of all KAYAK searches by Canadian users. “With domestic travel costs rising to the most expensive it’s been in four years (and seeing another 19% increase in airfare in 2025), it’s no surprise that overseas trips are dominating Canadian’s travel bucket lists,” says KAYAK.

Africa is the top trending region for Canadians, with searches in the region up 9% compared to 2024 and 40% compared to 2023. KAYAK reports that cities including Marrakech, Johannesburg and Casablanca are all seeing double-digit percentage increases in searches year over year (up 64%, 29% and 18% respectively).

Meanwhile perennial favourite sun getaways in the Caribbean are as strong as ever.

KAYAK’s report also notes that Business class airfare searches are up 6% for 2025, potentially owing to a 5% drop in Business and First class airfares year over year, the largest drop of any fare class, says KAYAK.

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G ADVENTURES

G Adventures’ ‘Where to Travel’ list for 2025 is a mix of familiar favourites and emerging gems, according to the small-group adventure travel specialist, with a strong focus on sustainable tourism and immersive cultural experiences.

For the first time G Adventures is offering trips to Pakistan, including the nine-day Pakistan: Hike the Karakoram Mountains, showcasing the country’s rugged beauty, rich history and remote communities. Other off-the-beaten track ideas include Bosnia (with the seven-day Bosnia and Herzegovina Uncovered), and Tibet. With relaxed visa restrictions, G Adventures is offering immersive trips in Tibet (like the 12-day Essential Tibet), including camping near Mount Everest.

More traditional favourites with G Adventures include Thailand (Thailand Island Hopping – East Coast is an eight-day option), Morocco (with 13 new itineraries, including options for solo travellers and luxury seekers), the Philippines, South Africa, Greece, Portugal and Japan.