If there’s a single thread running through YouGov’s travel coverage in 2025, it’s that demand is there — but so is friction.

Booking is still a stress test

Travel planning may be aspirational; booking often isn’t. YouGov’s “Booking burnout” research puts a number on that tension: seven in ten (71%) British holidaymakers find at least one part of the booking process stressful, and the same proportion (70%)  of US vacation bookers say the booking experience is stress-inducing. 

Traveller destinations

On summer intent, Spain tops the list of destinations Britons say they’re most likely to visit next (15.9%), followed closely by a domestic trip within the UK (14.3%). Italy and Greece tie at 9.3%, with France next at 8.0%. https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/52199-where-are-britons-going-for-summer-holidays-in-2025

Italy leads on Impression (54.3) and Quality (35.4), Spain stands out on Value (31.6), and Satisfaction is essentially neck-and-neck for the UK (52.6) and Spain (52.4). Even outside peak summer, domestic travel is in some consumers’ minds. Ahead of Easter, YouGov found 19% of British adults intended to take a holiday within the UK, compared with 8% heading abroad — with younger adults more likely to be travelling. 

Looking at America, 2025 travel plans indicated a desire to stay domestic, with warm-weather states doing heavy lifting. Florida’s appeal rises with age cohorts (6.6% among 18–34s, 13.6% among 35–49s, 15.3% among 50+). For younger Americans, the UK (5.7%) and Canada (5.5%) make the top five. 

Overtourism, AI, and “what’s next” travel

Overtourism enters the mainstream conversation on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, 54% say they’re concerned, and many of those concerned are open to changing behaviour (like travelling off-season). In the US, 41% say they’re concerned, with two-thirds willing to consider off-season travel to avoid it. 

We also looked at AI. In 2025, 20% of UK travellers said they were comfortable using AI for trip planning (up from 15% in 2024), but 31% said they’d prefer not to use AI in planning at all. YouGov

Our 2025 travel reports in the US and UK also looked at globetrotters in a time of belt-tightening – and whether they’re planning to travel more or less in 2026. We intend to continue travel research in the year ahead, so we’ll revisit whether or not they delivered on this intention then. 

Overtourism, AI, and “what’s next” travel

Overtourism enters the mainstream conversation on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, 54% say they’re concerned, and many of those concerned are open to changing behaviour (like travelling off-season). In the US, 41% say they’re concerned, with two-thirds willing to consider off-season travel to avoid it. 

We also looked at AI. In 2025, 20% of UK travellers said they were comfortable using AI for trip planning (up from 15% in 2024), but 31% said they’d prefer not to use AI in planning at all. YouGov

Our 2025 travel reports in the US and UK also looked at globetrotters in a time of belt-tightening – and whether they’re planning to travel more or less in 2026. We intend to continue travel research in the year ahead, so we’ll revisit whether or not they delivered on this intention then. 

Image: Getty

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