2025 Year in Review

 

If 2025 was a mood, it was uncertainty, followed closely by frustration. It was part policy head-scratcher, part heartbreak, part luxeification-of-everything. Here’s my look back on the year that was.  The biggest travel story of 2025 came courtesy of President Donald Trump. This year, the mere act of going somewhere – particularly to the United States – was bundled with more fear, more friction, and more angst. U.S. travel policy leaned hard into scrutiny with expanded travel bans, tougher visa requirements, and the steady institutionalization of “continuous vetting.” A visit to America didn’t feel welcoming anymore and travelers responded accordingly –  i.e., many stopped coming.

Then there was yet another government shutdown. Air traffic controllers  showed up without pay and staffing thinned. The shutdown ended only after delays and cancellations piled up, once again underscoring air travel’s role as a national pressure point. Stay tuned for January 2026 when we get to do it all again.  Artificial intelligence became a ubiquitous part of life, advancing from a “what-if” to a “how.” The technology spread across pricing, scheduling, marketing, distribution, labor planning, search, personalization, customer service, and countless other applications. Hotels experienced a narrowing of outcomes. Luxury properties grew, while most other segments lagged. Lifestyle brands – whatever that means – became the industry’s new It Girl. All the while Airbnb said, “look at me” with Experiences! Services! Hotels! Beyond the U.S., 2025 saw the Middle East’s rapid-fire tourism expansion. Abu Dhabi announced plans for a Sphere and a Disney theme park. Ras Al Khaimah advanced legalized gambling. Saudi Arabia eased alcohol restrictions incrementally. And Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington illustrated how tourism investment now travels alongside diplomacy. Here’s the 2025 lightning round: Favorite Term: Gate Lice Second Favorite: Mullet Flights (professional in the front, economy in the back) Couple Least Likely to Last: Trump and Mamdani Catchiest Movement: Affordability Trend That Refuses to Die: Luxury, somehow (see Mamdani) Most 2025 Job Description: Head of AI Everything Old is New Again: Trains Biggest Winner: The Flush Business Traveler Biggest Loser: The Checkbox Sustainability Fee Words We’re Retiring in 2026: Recovery and Revenge Travel Wishing all of our readers a happy and healthy holiday season and see you in 2026! – Sarah Kopit, Editor-in-Chief