Group travel bookings rise finds WeTravel Annual Trends Report

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – WeTravel, leading all-in-one travel management software for multi-day, group travel businesses, launched its annual Travel Trends Report, surveying hundreds of operators to indicate through their bookings for 2025 departures what’s ahead for multi-day, group travel in 2025.

“At WeTravel, as we handle bookings for thousands of businesses and nearly a million global travelers, we get the active signal of the health and activities in the multi-day, group travel industry,” said Ted Clements, CEO of WeTravel. “Our internal data signals exactly what our annual Trends Report shows: Group travel is on the rise, unlike ever before, and the bookings are increasingly changing to meet individual needs like customization, solo-only group trips and hyper-niche, shared-passion group trips for common-interest communities.”

Key Findings from the Report:

• Solo-Only Group Tours: 18% of travel operators are now offering solo-exclusive group tours to meet demand.
• Community-Driven Travel: Solo travelers prefer joining group tours to combat isolation and engage with like-minded explorers.
• Customized Itineraries: Increasingly, operators are providing flexible, personalized travel options to cater to solo travelers.

Digital Shift in Travel Bookings

In addition to the solo travel boom, the report shows a 212% increase in direct bookings via operators’ websites compared to 2024. As a result, 57% of businesses are ramping up investments in digital marketing and direct booking platforms, signaling a growing trend of bypassing third-party booking services.

Sustainability: The Ongoing Consumer Paradox

While 42% of businesses have implemented sustainable travel practices, only 15% of travelers are willing to pay more for sustainable options, presenting a challenge for the industry.

Looking Ahead to 2025

With these insights, WeTravel’s report offers actionable recommendations for travel businesses, including investment in customizable group travel packages, enhanced digital booking platforms, and targeted sustainability messaging to influence traveler behavior.

“Every morning, I check our recent bookings reports to see what interesting, new trips have been booked the previous day,” said Clements. “To see whiskey and crafting tours, vegan food tours for solo women, community-based home stay-only tours in Peru is an indicator that group travel is not becoming, but it is more immersive, customized and expansive than prior years – the industry is built by many businesses run by passionate operators, for passionate travelers.”

The article Group travel bookings rise finds WeTravel Annual Trends Report first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.