by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 7:10 PM ET, Tue May 27, 2025
We are now in the season of summer travel trend predictions. And that means a flurry of reports from industry organizations and experts weighing in on what the summer ahead holds.
The latest of these comes courtesy of Chase Travel, whose booking data reveals a 14 percent year-over-year increase in summer travel bookings.
Additionally, 38 percent of respondents are planning to spend more than usual on travel this summer. That's especially noteworthy amid the slowing U.S. economy and President Trumps tariff policies driving up the cost of living and of doing business for Americans. Other travel industry reports have suggested Americans are far more wallet-conscious this summer.
Chase Travel's data also indicates that the summer of experiences is back. What does that mean exactly? And when did we last experience a so-called summer of experiences?
Chases report provides some answers on this front, noting that Wisconsin happens to be trending for summer 2025, and that's in large part because of the string of major music events taking place there. (And as such, Wisconsin may perhaps be an indication of a larger trend this summer involving Americans traveling to experience major music events.)
In case you're curious, the summer lineup in Wisconsin includes Morgan Wallen and Miranda Lambert, who will headline the first concert at the University of Wisconsin-Madison football stadium since 1997. Coldplays world tour will also make a stop at Wisconins Camp Randall Stadium on July 19. And if all of that is not enough, Wisconsin will also host the Summerfest music extravaganza throughout June and July.
All of these music happenings will have to fill our collective hearts in terms of experience-driven summer travel now that Taylor Swifts Eras tour (which dominated the past few summers), has come to an end. Not to mention the lack of a Beyonce tour this summer.
Food-driven travel
If you consider food-driven travel to be an experience-oriented journey, theres plenty of that potentially on tap as well.
According to booking data from Chase Travel Group and expert dining intel from Infatuations The Spots of the Summer guide, 77 percent of respondents said they plan trips centered around a destinations food and restaurant options.
Italy dominates as the dream food destination, with 55 percent wanting to travel for pasta. But Italys drool-worthy cuisine isnt the only example of food travelers would hop on a plane (or into a car) to experience.
Pizza in New York and barbecue in Texas (47 percent) tied as additional destinations people say they would specifically plan travel around. These two destinations were followed by Chicago, thanks to its popular deep dish pizza attracting travelers (37 percent) and Philadelphias cheesesteak, which 36 percent of participants said they would travel to indulge in.
Shopping-driven travel
Let's be honest, shopping can definitely be an experience unto itself. (Particularly in the right city.) And it's yet another experience consumers are willing to plan travel around. About 61 percent of survey respondents say they travel to shop, with Gen-Z leading at 79 percent, per Chase.
What specifically are globetrotters keen to travel for, you ask? Well, it's certainly not the Dollar Store. Travelers are in search of high-end purchases, including:
- Wines in France?(45 percent)
- Italian leather?(38 percent)
- Japan vintage fashion: Nearly half of Gen-Z (45 percent) and Millennials (34 percent) say theyd fly to Japan for vintage fashion.?
Rounding out the globetrotting consumerism: High-end watches in Switzerland. It seems Millennials (31 percent) in particular have a lock on this trend. Specifically, Millennial males, 28 percent of whom are more inclined towards traveling to purchase watches than Millennial females. at just 18 percent.
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