Reasons to buy the ‘Key Themes in Travel and Tourism 2025’ strategic intelligence report:

The report analyzes the top 10 themes impacting the travel and tourism industry in 2025.

Each theme is further classified into four groups – technology, industry, macroeconomic, and ESG.

This report provides insight into key trends, challenges, and impacts, and provides concrete case studies to help the reader see examples of the top themes for 2025 in action.

It assesses real-world trends created by analyzing the effects of geopolitics within the travel and tourism sector.

How is our ‘Key Themes in Travel and Tourism 2025’ report unique from other reports in the market?

Use case studies to understand the impact of the key themes on the tourism industry. The case studies also help realize how this theme can be adopted.

Assess the strategies that companies are adopting to succeed in the travel and tourism space amid the impacts of these top themes in the next 12 months.

GlobalData’s thematic research ecosystem is a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors. It has a proven track record of identifying important themes early, enabling companies to make the right investments ahead of the competition and secure that all-important competitive advantage.

We recommend this valuable source of information to anyone involved in:

Travel Agencies/ Tour Operators

Hospitality Industry Value Chain

Travel & Tourism Technology Leaders and Startups

Business Development and Market Intelligence

Investment Analysts and Portfolio Managers

Professional Services – Investment Banks, PE/VC Firms

M&A/Investment, Management Consultants, and Consulting Firms

Travel and Tourism Strategic Intelligence Report Overview

The top 10 themes impacting the travel and tourism industry in 2025 are classified into four groups – technology, industry, macroeconomic, and ESG. The tourism industry in 2025 will reflect notable changes compared to 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its prolonged travel restrictions, led to adjustments in business operations and shifts in traveler preferences. Remote work and virtual meetings became more common, prompting broader use of digital tools by both individuals and businesses.

For travel and tourism companies, maintaining a strong digital presence is now essential, supported by advanced apps that streamline various aspects of the travel experience. These apps are increasingly designed to serve as comprehensive platforms for planning and managing trips. Additionally, the growing role of online travel marketplaces has allowed companies to better utilize consumer data. This has enabled the development of more tailored services and personalized travel experiences, meeting evolving customer expectations.

For each theme, the report offers a series of predictions, identifies winners and losers, and points one to further reading. Moreover, the report assesses how well companies are positioned for the future based on their competitive position in the main themes that are disrupting their sector.

Travel and Tourism - Top Themes

The top themes analyzed in the report are:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cybersecurity

Connectivity

Low-cost evolution & premiumization

Online Travel and Travel Apps

Personalization

Geopolitics

Inflation

Regulation

ESG

Artificial intelligence: AI is a clear opportunity for the travel industry, but companies need to figure out how to use it in a targeted and strategic way. AI can analyze huge amounts of data, generating valuable insights that enhance the customer experience and boost operational efficiency. With AI, making travel arrangements becomes easier as it offers automated and customized services. AI automates repetitive and time-consuming tasks, reducing wait times and costs while freeing up employees to focus on more critical responsibilities and addressing chronic staff shortages. Additionally, AI provides effective resource management strategies and streamlines processes, increasing enterprise profitability. Its influence extends to marketing strategies, enabling personalized ad targeting and increasing marketing and sales content on social media platforms to enhance customer engagement.

Online travel & travel apps: The evolution of online travel and travel apps has significantly reshaped the travel and tourism industry, driving profound changes in consumer behavior, operational efficiency, and market dynamics. While online travel platforms and travel apps are closely interlinked, they serve distinct yet overlapping roles. Their interplay exemplifies how technological advancements and user-centric design converge to redefine the travel experience. Online travel platforms encompass a wide array of services, including flight bookings, hotel reservations, car rentals, and travel insurance. Travel apps represent a more focused, mobile-centric approach to engaging with travelers and aim to enhance the travel journey through features like real-time notifications, itinerary management, in-destination recommendations, and seamless integration with ancillary services.

ESG: The travel and tourism industry, a major contributor to global economic activity, faces increasing scrutiny for its environmental and social impacts. As the sector continues to expand, stakeholders demand greater accountability for its contributions to climate change, community impacts, and governance standards. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles have emerged as a guiding framework for addressing these challenges. This analytical exploration considers how ESG influences the travel and tourism industry, identifying key drivers, implications, and opportunities for improvement.