From Women's Adventures and Challenging Hiking
to a Year of Being Unplugged & Under the Stars
BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Backroads, the leader in active
travel, today announced its travel trends for 2025 based on
early guest bookings. From women-only departures and acoustic
(non-electric) bike tours to Portugal's most intriguing islands and
the Alps, the company is seeing interest across a variety of travel
styles, ages and locations around the world.
Backroads Top Active Travel Trends for 2025
1) Women-Only Trips
Exclusive adventures just for women—whether traveling solo or
with friends, with sisters or multiple generations of female family
members—will continue to gain traction. Backroads expects guests on
its Women's Adventures Walking & Hiking Tours will more
than double in 2025 compared to 2024. Trending Backroads
Trips: Ireland Women's Walking &
Hiking Tour; A Taste of Camino de
Santiago Women's Walking & Hiking
Tour.
2) Challenging Hiking amid Mountain
Majesty
The mountains are calling and travelers are keen to hit those
mountain trails. Backroads is seeing high demand for trips
featuring rigorous alpine hiking that allows for more trail time
and up-close exploration of a region. Trending Backroads
Trips: Chile's
Patagonia Walking & Hiking Tours;
Italy's
Dolomites Walking & Hiking Tour;
Norway's Lofoten
Islands Walking & Hiking Tour and
Peru's Lodge-to-Lodge
Trekking Tour.
3) Epic Regions for Easy-Does-It
Travelers
While some travelers seek out challenging treks, others want to
explore thrill-worthy destinations at a more relaxed pace, with
plenty of options for leisure and cultural pursuits. "Chill
seekers" in search of just the right amount of activity paired with
stunning natural beauty and R&R are eager to discover their own
tempo, savoring the journey as they go. Trending Backroads
Trips: Dolce Tempo easygoing tours in the
Canadian Rockies, Peru, Lapland and the
Austrian Alps.
4) Portugal Islands Paradise
The lush landscapes, dramatic coastlines and beautiful beaches of
Madeira and the Azores started to attract attention post-COVID from
globetrotters in search of new off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Airlines expanded their flight schedules, making these gorgeous
islands more accessible. Backroads launched trips in the region in
2024 and has doubled departure dates for 2025 due to enthusiastic
guest interest. Trending Backroads Trips: Portugal's Madeira Walking &
Hiking Tour and Azores Multi-Adventure Tour.
5) Under-the-Radar Destinations
For adventurous travelers whose theme song is Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere," the appeal
of lesser-known places continues. People looking for travel
destinations with well-rounded appeal, unique scenery and premiere
accommodations are discovering destinations like Belfast, Newfoundland, the Baltics and
Tasmania. Trending Backroads
Trips: Canada's
Gulf
Islands tours; Norway's Ålesund
Multi-Adventure Tour and Australia's Tasmania Multi-Adventure
Tour.
6) Getting Back to Basics
Traveling by bicycle—in any of its forms—is a great way to see the
world. While e-bikes have become a popular option for many
cyclists, Backroads' new Unplugged Bike Tours (non e-bike
trips) are specifically for cyclists looking to get back to
exploring with raw pedal power and who enjoy the camaraderie of
others looking for the same experience. Trending Backroads
Trip: Spain's Mallorca
Unplugged Bike Tour.
7) Chasing Dark Skies &
Eclipses
There's much to love about the great outdoors
after the sun sets. Eclipse chasing, stargazing and glamping are
becoming increasingly popular with travelers, whether setting their
sights on European destinations located within the path of totality
during the 2026 solar eclipse or glamping and s'more-making under
the stars in locations such as Utah's Bryce and Zion National Parks.
Trending Backroads Trips: Iceland Northern Lights
Multi-Adventure Tour and Backroads and Under Canvas
collaborations in Utah, Yellowstone and
South Dakota.
8) Vive la France – Paris & Beyond!
While tourists from around the world journeyed to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, France, as a whole, will continue to be a top
European travel destination. From World War II history in Normandy
and Brittany to wine tasting and gastronomy in the Loire Valley and
cruising down the Seine and Rhône Rivers, France has it all when it comes to active
travel. Trending Backroads Trip: Bordeaux & Dordogne
Bike Tour.
9) Winter Travel's Heating Up
Whether it's snowshoeing and winter wildlife-viewing in
snow-wrapped US national parks or escaping to warmer climes for
beach hikes and coastal biking, as temperatures dip, winter travel
continues to increase in popularity. Instead of daydreaming about a
vacation during this time of year, some travelers are starting to
make it their primary travel season. Trending Backroads
Trips: Chile's Lake
District Walking & Hiking Tour; California's Palm Springs & Joshua Tree tours and
Dolomites Snow Adventure Tour.
10) Collecting Experiences vs.
Things
Travelers are looking for itineraries that prioritize connections
to nature, culture and community, and are even giving this
immersive experience of travel as gifts. Active travel is a unique
experiential activity that creates indelible memories, whether it's
hiking the stunning coastline of Italy's Cinque Terre, painting traditional
oxcarts in Costa Rica or
celebrating a 70th birthday with extended family in the
California Wine Country. For families, a special trip can connect
generations, bridge geographic distances and provide opportunities
to celebrate milestone events together with a one-of-a-kind
experience rather than something that can fit into a box.
Trending Backroads Trips: Greenland & Iceland Walking & Hiking
Tour and Bhutan Walking & Hiking
Tour.
"Trends come and go, but the desire to explore new and inspiring
places or return to favorites never goes out of style," said
Backroads Founder, President and CEO, Tom
Hale. "For 45 years we've been listening to our guests,
tracking booking patterns and spotting trends so we can create
trips in the next new and inspiring places our guests want to
explore."
About Backroads
Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom
Hale and has been a leading innovator in active and
adventure travel for over 45 years. Guests join Backroads to bike,
hike and so much more on expertly planned active adventures
highlighting the unique character of each destination. The
company offers multiple ways to go active in hundreds of
destinations worldwide: Biking, Walking & Hiking and
Multi-Adventure tours; Private Trips, Women's Adventures, Dolce
Tempo Easygoing Journeys and Family Trips for families with
children in three distinct age groups: Kids & Teens, Teens
& 20s and 20s & Beyond. Backroads trip collections also
include Active Ocean & River Cruises, Unplugged Bike Tours,
Lodge-to-Lodge Hiking, Safari, Culinary and Home Base
Trips. Repeat guests and referrals from past travelers make up
the majority of guests hosted by Backroads each year, exploring
hundreds of destinations worldwide. For more information, please
visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.
Backroads Media Contact
Liz Einbinder
liz_einbinder@backroads.com
510-292-2753
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/backroads-announces-top-active-travel-trends-for-2025-302334948.html
SOURCE Backroads
