Travel trends to try 2025 & what to ditch

Also: Ice theme parks, the most fun December holiday, & Cyprus travel ideas

Before we get started, I want to say thank you to the 235 people from 34 countries and 26 US states who subscribe to this newsletter.

Without you, this newsletter would be stuck taxiing on the literary runway!

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In case you missed it, my last Itchy Feet post was about the hidden joys of airports.

You can check it out here:

✈️ An unexpected joy found at airports (besides flying!)

Now for this week:

Who’s ready for 2025?

Personally, I’m an odd-year kind of guy, so I couldn’t be more excited.

Now is the perfect time to reflect on 2024 and consider what to bring into (and leave behind) the New Year.

Traveling is definitely in my plans. More specifically, I’m interested in certain travel trends. The beauty of traveling is there are so many ways to do it!

Here’s my list of travel trends I think are interesting for 2025, and what I think needs to stay in 2024.

What to travel trends try in 2025

• Sleep tourism: In our overstimulated world, why not make self-care a trip focus for next year’s travel plans?

Sleep retreats, glamping, and sleep spas are growing in popularity. Conde Nast Traveler has a few ideas!

• Destination dupes - According to National Geographic, this trend is climbing.

Rather than choosing the most popular cities, do extra research to find somewhere similar.

You'll save money, avoid over-tourism, and have a more genuine experience.

To help, consider using Fodors’ No-List for 2025 which includes Bali, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Mount Everest. You can use this list to search for a “city like Lisbon.”

The options are endless!

• Themed travel - In 2019, my buddy Jack and I made bahn-mi sandwiches the unofficial theme of our Vietnam trip.

We scoured the internet and watched Anthony Bourdain clips to find the best bahn-mi spots in Ho Chi Minh City.

Having a theme for your trip never gets old in my opinion. Whether it's treats, theatre, or tango, building a theme can be highly enjoyable.

What travel trends to leave behind

• Raw-dogging flights: This TikTok travel trend was all over the internet in 2024, especially for male travelers.

I’m not going to explain what raw dogging is, but in my opinion, it’s a superficial attempt at mindfulness.

I do agree it’s wonderful to give yourself time to reflect, think, and disconnect. Staring at your flight seat for hours on end, taking a selfie, then bragging about it seems very last year.

There are also health risks.

• Flying as your first choice - Flying is easy, it’s fast, but it also creates air pollution. My personal goal for 2025 is to only fly when necessary.

If I have the time and trains, buses, or driving is available, then I’m going to try to skip the flight.

I’m glad to not be alone with this sentiment. Countries like Spain are proposing a ban on short-haul flights.

Also, train booking platforms like Trainline are seeing a jump in sleeper train bookings.

Now, I’d like to hear from you!

🚀 Travel Quote of the Week

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.”

Rachel Wolchin

🤲 Did You Know?

Photo by Erica Li on Unsplash

In Harbin, China, there's an amusement park made entirely of ice!

The Harbin Ice and Snow World Park opened this past July.

Looking like a massive ice castle, the theme park has nine themed sections and is open all year round. Visitors can revel in 13 immersive projects, bask in immaculate ice sculptures, entertainment, and gourmet food.

Also, the Guinness Book of World Records awarded the park with “world’s largest indoor ice and snow theme park” honors. 

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🎏 Culture Corner

Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

While many cultures prepare for Christmas and Hanukkah, some celebrate Detty December.

Detty December is a celebration of Black Culture throughout parts of Africa. It’s considered a “homecoming” and an invitation for Black diasporans and African Americans to revisit their roots.

It is also known for epic parties throughout Africa’s mainland. Festivities can be found in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.

Lasting for weeks in December through January, the events vary by country. It usually consists of concert festivals, parties, and cultural events.

Detty December became popular after 2019's “Year of Return” initiative in Ghana. The term detty is a variation of the word dirty. The theme is to enjoy and have as much fun as possible.

Besides lots of dancing and revelry, Detty December is an opportunity to invest in local communities.

Visitors are encouraged to buy local and even pledge support with their time. Many volunteer opportunities are available.

🌆 Fun things to do in Cyprus

Photo by Vladyslav Melnyk on Unsplash

The Republic of Cyprus is a small island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Although Cyprus is an independent European Nation, different parts of the country are strongly influenced by Greek and Turkish culture.

In fact, Northern Cyprus has a different de facto pro-Turkish government.

Here are some fun things to do in Cyprus:

• Aphrodite's Rock: According to Greek mythology, Pathos, Cyprus is where the goddess Aphrodite was born. You can visit Petra tou Romiou, the sea stack where she took form. Do not climb the rock!

• Go skiing: Skiing in the Mediterranean sounds impossible, but there’s actually a resort on Mount Olympus. This is one of many fun activities in the Troodos Mountains.

• Try Commandaria wine: This sweet fortified dessert wine is the oldest wine on Earth. Its origins date to 800 BC. The amber-colored elixir is produced with Xynisteri and Mavro grapes. Only 14 villages in the Commandaria region make this wine.

• Wander Nicosia: A green line divides Cyprus’ capital between Greek and Turkish-supported governments. There are different “border” crossings to experience vastly unique cultural landmarks. It’s the only divided capital on earth.

• Tombs of the Kings: This ancient burial place (necropolis) is in Paphos. It dates back to the 4th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Bonus: The Cat Monastery: The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas of the Cats is in southern Cyprus. For 2000 years, venomous snakes have been an issue on this site. Cats were imported to fend off the snakes. As a result, cats have taken over the monastery.

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Thanks for reading and your continued support of this newsletter. I always appreciate a like 👍, comment ✍🏻 , or repost ♻️ if this post resonated with you!

See you next week with another dose of travel inspiration.

Much love,

-Daniel

Instagram / X / YouTube / Travel Planning

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P.S. Feeling stumped about planning your next trip?

I love planning trips and thoroughly do research every week, so let’s chat. Learn more and book me here.