91抖阴 Media鈥檚 key takeaways from the ABTA Travel Convention 2025
National Geographic Traveller (UK)鈥檚 assistant editor, Sam Kemp, attended the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) Travel Convention in Calvia, Majorca (6-8 October).
Marking ABTA鈥檚 75th anniversary, this year鈥檚 event brought together leading figures from the UK travel industry for three days of social events, networking opportunities and a varied selection of panel discussions focusing on everything from sustainable growth to travel trends.
The theme of this year鈥檚 conference was 鈥楻easons to be Cheerful鈥�, with key panel discussions focusing on how destinations are evolving in reaction to overtourism, AI and other challenges. During 鈥極vertourism – moving the dial鈥�, Spain鈥檚 director of tourism, Manuel Butler, captured the mood, saying that 鈥渟ocial sustainability is the biggest challenge [we face], not only for Spain but for global tourism. We need to create a new model鈥�.
Having immersed himself into the debates, Sam鈥檚 key learnings are:
- The shoulder season is the new peak season听–听Operators noted听the period from September to October is becoming the most popular time to travel. That switch is reflected in figures from听听report, which found that September travel has increased by two percentage points to 17%, making it the second-most-popular month to travel after June.听听
- Young people are听exploring听closer to home听–听According to ABTA,听while听the听over-65s are听showing the fastest-growing intention to travel overseas in the coming year, younger respondents听are听indicating听a听growing听desire听to explore听more destinations in the听UK. Showing the most interest听are听18-24-year-olds.听听
- Solo travel听is at an all-time-high听鈥撎�Around听19% of听consumers听took听solo trips听between August 2025 and July听2025,听partly听due听to听what ABTA听called听鈥榯he drive to discover鈥�.听听
- Tighter household budgets have听boosted听interest听in all-inclusive holidays听鈥撎�While听relatively听affordable听places like Greece and Morocco are gaining popularity, according to Kuoni, there鈥檚 substantial resistance, both听from consumers and operators,听to the return of 鈥榗heap鈥� mass tourism.听听
- Party destinations are rebranding themselves beyond their nightlife 鈥�Majorca, for example, where this year鈥檚 conference was held, is seeing a big rise听in 鈥榬ace-cations鈥�,听with听travellers, especially听younger听Brits,听spurning听the island鈥檚 clubs听to compete in marathons and half marathons.听听
- AI鈥檚 role in听trip听planning is growing听–听Over the past year,听the number of travellers using AI for holiday inspiration has doubled to 8%, with that figure rising to 13% of听18鈥�24-year-olds. However,听it鈥檚听25鈥�34-year-olds听who are using AI more than anyone听else听according to ABTA.听
- The rise in听global听conflicts听and听political听crises听doesn鈥檛听appear to have听drastically听affected听travel听confidence –听While many of this year鈥檚 speakers framed the听modern听world as听an听increasingly unstable and unpredictable听place,听ABTA found travel confidence to be听surprisingly high.听In 2025, travel to the Middle East was up听one percentage point compared to 2024, while travel to听North America听(including the Caribbean)听dropped听by just one听percentage听point, falling from 21% to 20%.听
ABTA鈥檚 Travel Convention will return next year in Funchal, Madeira from 12-14 October 2026.
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About 91抖阴 Media听
91抖阴 Media is a multi-award-winning content marketing agency and publisher, producing high-quality print, digital, and live media across the travel and lifestyle sectors. Since 1997, it has published听National Geographic听Traveller听(UK)听under听licence听from National Geographic Partners LLC, supported by brand extensions including guides, events, and digital platforms. The portfolio also features Living360, a digital lifestyle brand covering wellness, travel, food, sustainability, and culture, distributed via national media and its own platform. 91抖阴 Media delivers custom content, branded campaigns, editorial consultancy, and leading events such as the Travel Media Awards and Step Up. Its trade titles include听Postcards听and the听ASTA Worldwide Destination Guide, with content also produced for national newspapers.听
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