Meet the 2025 hotel guest: Insights from SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025
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Through our partnership with SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel distribution and revenue platform, we’re able to share with members exclusive insights into expected traveller behaviours and preferences for 2025.
SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 is the world’s largest consumer research on accommodation, gathering insights from over 12,000 travellers across 14 countries through 25 accommodation-focused questions.
The report unpacks the biggest global and local trends, as 2025 stays begin to be secured. And, this year’s findings reveal an encouraging year ahead for the UK hospitality sector, as the world’s travellers continue to look to the country as a priority destination.
SiteMinder’s key findings include:
Global traveller trends:
- 1
The UK lands in the top 10
The UK has ranked as the 10th most popular destination among global travellers for next year, ahead of Germany and tourism heavyweights like Thailand, Turkey and Greece. The strongest interest is among incoming travellers from Canada, where the UK was the third preferred travel destination, ahead of Australia (4th) and Spain (4th). Respondents from heavyweight source markets such as the US, Italy and France also expressed strong interest in the UK––the country ranking sixth in the former two and seventh in the latter.
- 2
Event travel to boom
Nearly two-thirds (65%) globally are more likely to travel for an event next year, rising to 83% among Gen Zers and 96% among both Indian and Indonesian Gen Zers. Fifty-eight percent will book their hotel within a week of buying their concert ticket, with only 7% waiting until the last minute.
- 3
Saving to spend
Almost half (46%) plan to book a Standard (basic quality) Room in 2025, yet the majority will splurge ‘where it counts’, with 87% willing to spend on extras like breakfast (47%), room size (30%) and views (28%), and 70% open to paying more for an eco-friendly stay.
- 4
Website abandonment is accelerating
Fifty-two percent now say that they have abandoned an online booking due to a bad digital experience, rising by 3% in the last 12 months.
Domestic traveller trends
- 1
UK travel patterns
Among UK travellers, SiteMinder’s report reveals that 69% plan to travel overseas in 2025, rising to as high as 79% among UK Gen Zers. They will favour Spain (18%), which remains particularly popular among Gen X travellers (44-59) (27%), France (10%), Greece (9%), Italy (9%) and the US (7%). Domestically, Scotland (24%), London (21%), the South West (20%), Wales (18%) and the North West (14%) will be the top destinations.
- 2
The AI divide
Sixty-three percent are open to using AI at times for planning, booking and experiencing their hotel stay, rising to above 90% among Gen Zers and dropping to below 40% among those over the age of 60. SiteMinder’s data exposes stark contrasts in openness to AI, with strong adoption in Thailand and Indonesia (98% each), China (96%) and India (94%), compared to lower levels in Canada, Australia (62%), Germany, France and the UK (63% each).
- 3
Dynamic pricing update
One-in-two UK travellers (49%) now support hotel price adjustments during busy periods. While this is below the global average of 65%, it means half the population has grown to become comfortable with demand-based hotel pricing.
How UK accommodation owners can reap the rewards of a promising year ahead:
Prioritise technology to elevate your presence online
For most travellers, a hotel’s online presence often serves as the first impression. With both domestic and international travel set to increase in the UK in 2025, having a user-friendly, visually appealing, and search-engine-optimised website is essential. Additionally, a strong presence on online travel agencies, such as Booking.com, remains crucial, as many UK travellers begin their search on these platforms.
Beyond a robust website, a seamless checkout process is vital. Ensure a straightforward booking flow, with a secure payment gateway to reduce “cart abandonment” — when a guest reaches the checkout page but abandons the booking due to a disrupted experience.
Capitalise on local events
The report highlights that travellers globally are highly motivated to travel for events. By monitoring upcoming local sports events, concerts and even weddings, revenue managers can make informed adjustments to pricing to capture demand.
Around half of UK travellers surveyed are open to higher prices during busy periods, which, while below the global average, creates an opportunity to adjust rates strategically. This also underscores the importance of technology that enables staff to manage rates dynamically and efficiently.
Diversify your offering to expand your revenue streams
Enhancing a guest’s experience through add-ons is key not only for boosting revenue but also for meeting evolving traveller preferences. Data shows that guests are increasingly willing to pay for premium options. From room upgrades with a better view to a full English breakfast, offering customisable enhancements can elevate the guest experience, increase return bookings, and contribute to higher revenue.
It’s also crucial to ensure these extras are visible and available for purchase directly on your hotel’s website or booking engine. This accessibility reassures guests by eliminating the need to search elsewhere for enhancements, streamlining their booking experience and increasing the likelihood of upsells.
Access SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 here for a global snapshot of evolving behaviours, and dive deeper into unique traveller profiles from 14 of the world’s top source markets, including the United Kingdom.
In addition, please register for our complimentary webinar further uncovering the report’s findings on December 3rd at 10am GMT!
