In case you missed it, here's a quick review of 10 takeaways for 2025 travel trends. Advance Travel & Tourism expert, Eric Hultgren, shared informative insights during the webinar on September 10, 2024.  

With the help of case studies and conversation from our guests, we discovered more about what travelers will be looking for moving into 2025, with a focus on Midwest USA travel.  

Overall Travel Trends 

• It's human nature: we were born to explore. The average American takes 2.5 vacations a year, leaving behind data points that help us predict and intercept their travel preferences.  

• Mobile phones, word of mouth, and search are key for reaching prospective travelers, but search has changed enormously over the past 24 months. Natural language search has already become conversational. 

• TikTok is a valid option for search. The channel is the primary cultural leader with a large impact; 41% report using it (even higher percentage for a younger cohort). Even if you're not using TikTok, it's important to understand what's happening on TikTok and leverage it on your preferred channels.    

• Relaxation, adventure, and cultural immersion are the top three consumer drivers according to survey respondents in the Midwest. For Gen Z, adventure is #1. Destinations are encouraged "to understand not the trip but the travelers themselves." 

• For the remainder of this year, a fall or early winter weekend getaway is most often mentioned. Outdoor activities that depend on good snowfall motivates Midwesterners to take longer and more frequent travel.  

• Know how to pivot. As we all learned the hard way during the pandemic, the flexibility to pivot marketing direction is critical. So, if the snow doesn't materialize, have a Plan B ready to go.  

• Keep in mind the four stages of travel: Dreaming – Planning – Booking – Sharing  

Mackinac Island, Michigan 

Longtime client of Advance Travel & Tourism, Tim Hygh, CEO of Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, talked about marketing actions and how national media coverage has impacted and supported the destination's approach, which is based around "stay simple."  

Mackinac Island has been recognized as a top summer destination by USA Today and one of Travel + Leisure's "Top 10 Islands in the Continental U.S." As temperatures rise, a new trademark slogan for the destination is based on summer weather that's refreshingly temperate. "Mackinac Island: America's Coolcation Destination."  

• Loyal, repeat visitors are a strong base for the destination. Regarding new audiences, A/B testing informs the destination on finding the right ones. The team keeps a consistent content strategy tied to all channels and uses email segmentation marketing with great success, a 50%+ open rate.  

• Data location services have been a key tool for discovering new markets, their seasonality and timing, and their sought-after activities.  

• A refreshed SWOT analysis is done annually to stay fine-tuned.  

 

For more information download the free webinar: https://www.advancetravelandtourism.com/downloads/key-travel-trends-for-2025-webinar/