Wellness, Sports, and Culinary Travel Drive Global Tourism in 2025

The Mastercard Economics Institute has published its highly anticipated Travel Trends 2025 report, revealing that travelers across the globe are placing increasing value on wellness, sports, and gastronomy as key motivators for choosing their travel destinations. Cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, Shanghai, and Rio de Janeiro are emerging as top choices, offering immersive experiences that blend physical activity, cultural flavor, and personal well-being.

This trend marks a significant shift in global travel behavior, as tourists now prioritize mental and physical rejuvenation, culinary exploration, and participation in live sporting events. Activities such as thermal spa visits, marathon tourism, yoga retreats, and local food tours are becoming central to travel planning, especially among millennials and Gen Z travelers.

In Europe, the focus is also expanding to include nature-based escapes and bucket-list adventures. Emerging destinations like Albania, Montenegro, and Portugal are attracting attention for their scenic beauty, relaxed pace, and authenticity—qualities increasingly sought after by travelers looking to escape crowded urban centers.

The Mastercard report emphasizes that this movement is part of a larger global demand for experiential travel—vacations that offer a sense of meaning, personal growth, and cultural immersion rather than just sightseeing. The result is a more diversified travel map, with smaller cities and rural regions benefiting from this growing interest.

Travel providers are responding accordingly, curating packages that combine healthy living, local cuisine, and sports tourism. From cycling tours in Southern Europe to culinary residencies in Asia, offerings are being tailored to meet the evolving desires of today’s experience-hungry traveler.

This broad transformation suggests that travel in 2025 is no longer just about getting away—it's about transforming oneself through journey. As the year unfolds, destinations that embrace these emerging values are likely to lead the global tourism recovery.