Price drops & astro-adventures: Skyscanner reveals 2025 travel trends

Culturally-rich destinations, wallet-friendly holidays and astro adventures. The latest insights on Canadian travel trends has been shared by travel app Skyscanner.

Using proprietary data, a commissioned survey of more than 18,000 travellers and industry insights, the report notes that Canadians are looking at culturally and historically-rich destinations for their 2025 travels.

Top ten destinations

Here are Skyscanner’s top ten destinations with the biggest year-on-year increase in searches:

1. Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos, +713% search increase
2. Cusco, Peru: +163% search increase
3. Krabi, Thailand: +158% search increase
4. Madeira, Portugal: +153% search increase
5. Okinawa, Japan: +145% search increase
6. Tromsø, Norway: +127% search increase
7. Marrakesh, Morocco: +123% search increase
8. Florence, Italy: +115% search increase
9. San Antonio, USA: +99% search increase
10. Colorado Springs, USA: +94% search increase

Biggest price drops

The report also sheds light on the biggest price drops in travel.

According to Skyscanner, the top factors that are determining wallet-friendly holiday destinations among Canadians are the cost of flights (71%), the cost of hotels (64%) and the cost of food and drink (37%) .

The top 10 cheapest destinations (compared to 2023, based on the per cent price drop for economy class return flights between January 1 and June 30, 2024) are:

1. Florence, Italy: -29% price drop
2. Faro, Portugal: -28% price drop
3. Bogota, Colombia: -28% price drop
4. Madeira, Portugal: -28% price drop
5. Quito, Ecuador: -27% price drop
6. Reykjavik, Iceland: -21% price drop
7. Paris, France: -20% price drop
8. Rome, Italy: -19% price drop
9. Oslo, Norway: -18% price drop
10. Barcelona, Spain: -17% price drop 

Savvy spending

Despite economic headwinds, the demand for trips remains strong, Skyscanner says.

Canadians continue to prioritize their travel plans and budgets, with 83 per cent intending to travel as much or more in 2025. However, finding the best value remains a key consideration.

For 62 per cent of Canadians, the cost of flights is one of the most important factors, with many budgeting the same or more for airfare in 2025 compared to last year.

Spending on accommodation and car rentals is also expected to rise, with planned budget increases of 32 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.

Trends taking flight

The 2025 report uncovers seven key trends, which are fueled by the desire to find community and enjoy the freedom of being oneself.

• Sport Mode: Passion for sport is influencing how travellers, especially younger ones, explore a destination. 65 per cent of 25-34-year-olds are looking to explore a new place by running or cycling, while 21 per cent of all Canadian travellers plan to attend or participate in a sporting event while on vacation.
• Astro-Adventures: Astro-tourism combines the adventure of exploring celestial events alongside the mystical insights of astrology. Canadians are eager to stargaze, with 56 per cent of Canadians hoping to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights during their travel, 33 per cent are planning a vacation around witnessing a Lunar or Solar Eclipse.
• Reset-Jetters: The rise of health, resilience and longevity tourism. There’s a generational divide in approaches to health and wellbeing: 45 per cent of 24-34-year-olds are more likely to take a health-conscious approach to their holidays compared to 37 per cent of 65-year-olds and over.
• Art-Venture: Art and culture have long been a favourite motivation to travel. Today, 53 per cent of Canadian travellers say culture is the most important reason for choosing a holiday destination.
• Cowboy Core: Yee-haw! 35 per cent of Canadian travellers are fans of Cowboy Core, rising to 56% among 18-24-year-olds. Over a quarter (36 per cent) are eager to experience the simplicity of a farm stay, while 43 per cent would like to dine around a campfire.
• Horti-Culture: Canadian travellers are a green-fingered bunch. A significant 71 per cent plan to visit gardens while on vacation, and notably, 45 pre cent say gardening tops their list of leisure activities, beating painting (25%) and playing a musical instrument (19 per cent).
• Gami-Vacation: Building on last year’s trend of ‘Main character energy’ – where travellers step inside the shoes of their favourite TV and film characters – 34 per cent of Canadian travellers are inspired to book a trip abroad based on locations from their favourite video game.

“In 2025, we’re seeing Canadian travellers looking to embark on more communal and immersive adventures, from cheering on their favourite teams at major sporting events to exploring art installations or bonding with fellow gamers on themed vacations,” said Laura Lindsay, a Skyscanner travel expert, in a press release. “This shift highlights a growing desire for shared, meaningful moments that create lasting connections and foster a sense of belonging within a global community.”