The Globe and Mail: Soft travel, like solo trips and sleep holidays, leads travel trends for 2025

After years of being revved up into thinking our every vacation needs to be epic, travellers are now increasingly embracing good old-fashioned R&R. According to the recently released Hilton 2025 Trends Report, travellers are seeking opportunities to wind down, restore mental health and get some quality shut-eye. These desires have collectively formed what’s known as soft travel – one of the top travel trends for the coming year.

Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, says that given all that’s happening in the world, people are increasingly seeking opportunities to rejuvenate and truly unwind. “They’re drawn to experiences that offer a blend of wellness and luxury, allowing them to relax, recharge and step away from the hustle and bustle,” says Tully.

Built for going slow

Hotel and resort brands are recognizing this desire for luxury with ease. Marriott recently launched its first luxury all-inclusive – terms that don’t often appear together – in the Dominican Republic with Sanctuary Cap Cana, a Luxury Collection Resort. Included are a plethora of wellness experiences, from yoga classes to healing crystal and guided meditations as well as everything you’d want on a Caribbean vacation in a stunningly beautiful, safe, gardened resort.

Going solo

Interest in solo travel is also growing, notes the Hilton report. People are done with waiting for others to want to travel with them and are increasingly okay with exploring on their own. Recognizing this, many tour operators are offering itineraries built for solo travellers. Some luxe cruise lines have ditched solo supplements or, like Emerald Cruises, are even designing rooms specifically for those travelling alone.

Jason Stafford, managing director of Manoir Hovey, a luxury resort and spa in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, says that he has seen a substantial growth in the number of solo travellers in the past few years. “They come for the wellness component, but also for an authentic connection with the local terroir. Our concierge sends guests out to the Benedictine Monastery down the road that makes some of the best cheese in Quebec, ice wine producers and beautiful little villages in Eastern Townships,” says Stafford, “It’s a safe and welcoming destination for a solo trip.”

The joy of sleep

Going away to get a good night’s rest is central to soft travel. The Hilton report states that sleep tourism “soared” in 2024, with 40 per cent of those surveyed saying they choose hotels that will positively affect their sleep. Tully, too, is increasingly fielding questions from clients about the orientation of their bed on a cruise ship to make the most of the ocean’s motion, requests for specific types of mattresses, curated pillow selections, and for hotel rooms to be completely darkened to block any light.

Plenty of hotels and resorts offer sleep programs to entice travellers. The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel in London, has an in-house sleep concierge – hypnotherapist and sleep expert Malminder Gill – with whom guests can book sessions. Other things on offer include a series of sleep meditations dictated by Gill, a special tea blend and pillow mist, and weighted blankets. Cavallo Point in Sausalito, Calif., offers AI-powered smart beds with sleep-inducing soundtracks and a mattress that adjusts firmness throughout the night to encourage deep sleep. And Six Senses in Ibiza offers three-, five-, and seven-night stays with a sleep-inducing program of wellness treatments – including cryotherapy, sound healing, meditation – and sleep tracking.

It makes sense that we want to focus on sleep during our vacations: Dr. Armin Rahmani, a psychiatrist and sleep physician at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Markham, Ont., says that people are becoming more aware of the importance of sleep. “There is some data to suggest about one-third of Canadians are not getting enough sleep and feel sleep deprived. More people are also talking to their doctors about insomnia,” he says.

Getting more sleep, going slow, and dedicating time to our emotional and mental well-being are all elements of the soft travel trend. Tully says that increasingly luxury is about building trips that allow travellers to simply be at peace with themselves and embrace the present moment. “It’s clear this softer, more meaningful approach to travel is on the rise,” Tully says.

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