Revenge Travel. (Hee hee. Snicker, snicker. Eye roll.)
Ask anyone in the travel and hospitality industry, and they’ll tell you that revenge travel is soooo last year. Today’s traveler has moved beyond the post-pandemic rush to “go anywhere, do anything.” Instead, they’re prioritizing trips that are thoughtful, meaningful, and, most importantly, strictly on budget.
For Human Resources professionals, this shift presents an incredible opportunity. Americans are still dreaming of vacations—even as tight finances mean those dreams are harder to achieve. By offering travel benefits that help your team save on everything from hotels to theme parks, you’re not just giving them an extra perk. You’re stepping up as an employer that values their well-being, understands their challenges, and supports them in living a balanced, fulfilling life.
In this article, we’ll explore 5 key travel trends shaping traveler decisions today. Together, they explain why helping workers take their vacations is a smart investment, and how to create a travel benefits program that boosts loyalty, happiness, and productivity.
Travel Trend #1: Travel Habits are Returning to Pre-Pandemic Norms
We said earlier that revenge travel is dead, but what exactly does that mean? “Revenge travel” is the term assigned to the post-pandemic surge in travel, which followed the near total shutdown of travel during the pandemic years. Armed with years of pent-up boredom and piled-up stimulus money, travelers threw caution to the wind. This period saw travelers planning once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list vacations, traveling farther from home, staying away longer and choosing more luxury options than ever before.
Then, the dream determined the budget. Today, the budget determines the dream.
The post-Covid bubble of demand has burst, bringing the travel industry back to the slow and steady growth it’s used to. In the industry, they’re calling it “normalization.” At the same time, many Americans are returning to a budget-first mentality that is closer to “normal,” but could be more exaggerated this year. After all, their experience-of-a-lifetime memories are still fresh and (likely) their savings are still depleted. When people book their travel with a budget-first mentality, they tend to be more discerning about everything: their destinations, activities, accommodations, timelines etc. (We’ll talk more about these in the next trends #2 and #3.) Then, they only commit when they have a meaningful reason AND the money to travel.
What your Perks Need Today: Travel Discounts
Travel benefits are in high demand for 2025, in particular, discounted hotel stays, flights, car rentals, theme park tickets and more. That’s because discounts help travelers eke every ounce of value out of the budget they have. For some, discounts could mean they can afford to stay an extra day, or move up a star in their hotel choice. For others, it could mean the difference between being able to travel or not.
Plus, travel discounts can be the more economical choice for businesses. For example, in order to gift a $200 travel voucher, the employer pays pretty close to $200. On the other hand, working with a reputable travel benefit provider, the employer would pay much less while helping each worker potentially save more on their travel expenses.
Travel Trend #2: Americans are Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck, Yet Travel Remains a Priority
It’s no secret that Americans are feeling financial pressure. The higher cost of living, stagnating wages and mounting debt have left many living paycheck-to-paycheck. Between nationwide financial woes and a cooling off from the revenge travel craze, you might be tempted to conclude people are traveling less than normal. In reality, domestic travel is predicted to exceed pre-pandemic spending this year.
Studies show that many consider travel—especially to stay connected to family and friends—to be a necessity, not a want. People are prioritizing travel plans into their tight budgets. They’re earmarking windfalls, like tax returns and inheritances, to fund their need to travel. The point is, your workers are finding a way to travel, and they’re actively searching out resources that will allow them to do so.
What your Perks Need Today: Everyday Employee Discounts
Travel benefits are hot, but so are benefits that help workers stretch their paychecks the rest of the time. The best employee discount programs help them save on everyday necessities like food, clothing, car maintenance, entertainment and more. Benefits like these take pressure off the whole budget, leaving more room for meaningful vacations.
Plus, a good nationwide program will offer discounts in every zip code so no matter where they travel, your team members will find savings when they dine out or play.
Travel Trend #3: Travelers are Choosing Affordable Luxury and Local Adventures
More and more, people are prioritizing meaningful travel, though what is meaningful can vary widely. For some, that means traveling to see loved ones, favorite performers/sporting events or natural phenomena. For others, it means supporting sustainable/carbon-neutral travel options or immersing themselves in authentic local cultures.
Together, these individual decisions lead to two major trends. First is the changing definition of luxury. Popularity for experiences that are stereotypically luxurious (cruises, spas, all-inclusive resorts, etc.) boomed post-pandemic. Luxury, however, tends to give diminishing returns. This is showing up in current travel trends as people shy away from pampering themselves with every upgrade. Instead, they’re choosing “affordable luxury” which gives them a better balance between comfort and value.
Second is the migration away from crowded tourist hot spots. Historically, 80% of travelers visit the same 10% of the world’s tourist destinations. Now, more travelers are choosing less traveled destinations: lesser-known foreign cities, hidden wonders they saw on social media, local theme parks and attractions and more.
What your Perks Need Today: Diverse Travel Benefits
Ideally, your travel benefits should be as diverse as your workers’ preferences. Think discounted tickets to Disneyland AND their local zoo. Think discount booking at 5-star hotels AND small-town B&Bs. This way, you can cater to both the extravagant splurgers and the practical penny-pinchers. By providing a variety of options, you empower workers to craft their perfect getaway—whether that’s sipping cocktails by the beach or exploring local gems closer to home.
Travel Trend #4: Travel Benefits Show Employer Care, Which Employees Crave
Vacations aren’t just about relaxation; they’re about feeling valued. Workers want to know their employers care about their well-being, and supporting vacations is a top way to show it. It’s not just the perks themselves but also the message they send: "We see you. We appreciate you. We want you to take time for yourself."
Increasingly, workers aren’t just hoping for genuine care, they’re demanding it. Trends are showing when people believe they are truly cared for at work, they’re 1.6x more productive, 1.5x more engaged and 1.5x more likely to stick around for the long term. The stakes are high, because when workers don’t feel cared for and feel overworked because they never get a break, they’re at high risk to suffer employee burnout.
Vacations are soooo good for business precisely because they are soooo good for well-being: mental, physical, spiritual, social, etc. Generous travel benefits and empathetic leave policies that encourage vacations support a healthy work-life balance. It's no wonder workers are more likely to stay—and thrive—when they are well-rested, balanced and feel cared for.
What your Perks Need Today: Work-Life Balance
It’s not enough to provide travel discounts—you also need to back them up with empathetic policies that allow workers to truly disconnect. Examine your PTO and leave policies to ensure they’re flexible enough that you can support time off without guilt. Then, provide clear guidelines for unplugging and set systems in place to cover work while the worker is gone so they don’t face a firehose of emergencies when they return. All these will help you create a culture where vacations are celebrated, not begrudged.
Your travel benefits also need to be highly visible. The unfortunate truth is workers tend to forget about their benefits, no matter how valuable. The best plans won’t just promote, but will also educate, encourage and excite. When it comes to travel perks, you could share savings stories or share sample itineraries showcasing particularly good prices. The goal is to show your team how easy and rewarding it is to prioritize their time off—and to associate those experiences with your company’s care and support.
Travel Trend #5: Travelers are Picky About Booking Platforms and Processes
A person’s traveler experience begins long before they board the plane, even before they pack a bag. In fact, studies have shown the boost in happiness and energy starts as soon as a person begins to plan their trip.
It’s no wonder travelers want a smoother and more personalized booking experience, aided by technology and supported with a caring human touch. For example, AI-powered recommendations are rapidly growing in popularity among younger generations, as are virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools which give 360 degree previews of attractions and accommodations. Travelers of all ages are becoming more comfortable booking from phones, through travel booking mobile apps.
Beyond that, travelers are also prioritizing flexible change/cancellation policies and platforms where they’re rewarded (either through discounts, points or cash back) to book. They also appreciate live customer service as an essential component of a quality booking experience. Travelers want platforms that anticipate their needs, offer personalized suggestions, and provide real-time assistance when plans change.
What Your Perks Need Today: Partnership with a Travel Perks Provider
There are many ways to offer travel perks to workers. Some are straightforward and employer-funded, like travel stipends or reimbursements. But the most common travel perks—exclusive access to discounted rates and partners—often require a partnership between employer and a travel perks provider.
Businesses will need to thoroughly vet their partner providers. Those partners should be able to provide your team with an exceptional experience through the technology of their booking platform and the quality of their customer service. That’s not all, though. As an employer, you also want a partner that communicates well and that tracks and reports employee engagement. Most importantly, you want a partner that holds personal relationships with the hotels, theme parks and more, and therefore can offer steeper deals than can be found elsewhere online.
Be the Hero. Save Their Vacation.
If there were ever a time when travel benefits could make a real impact, it’s now. People still have the same desire to explore, relax, and reconnect. The need for vacations to help combat rising stress and burnout in the workplace is still sky high. The most important reason to offer travel benefits this year, though, is with so many Americans facing tighter budgets, taking that much-needed vacation feels further out of reach.
That’s where you come in. The right travel perks don’t just help workers save money—they make vacations possible. They turn financial roadblocks into green lights, transforming dreams of “maybe someday” into real plans. In a time when burnout is at an all-time high, giving team members the ability to step away, recharge, and return refreshed is one of the most powerful benefits you can offer.
If you’re currently looking to make a change or add travel perks to your employee benefits package, we recommend giving Access Perks a look. Access Perks helps workers stretch their paychecks and experience more. Plus, employers get a partner that offers prices typically 5%-50% better than popular travel booking platforms like Expedia and Booking.com. They get a partner dedicated to providing a smooth booking process backed by in-house customer service, plus engagement analytics and marketing to help your workers keep their benefits top-of-mind.
Ready to talk to an expert about how travel perks can help you keep your workforce refreshed and engaged?
Now, for fun, drop a comment below and let us know where you’re planning to travel this year.
