From Midnight Mocktails to Croatian Coasts:
The Top Travel Trends Stealing Wine Country’s Thunder
As travelers eagerly plan their next getaways, the tourism landscape is shifting—fast. Driven by changing values, advancing tech, and global events, how we explore the world in 2025 looks very different than it did just a few years ago. From AI-crafted itineraries to wellness retreats designed around your sleep cycle, travel today is more curated, personal, and purpose-driven than ever.
But while adventurers chase hot springs in Iceland and food tours in Tokyo, one classic destination is quietly slipping from the spotlight: wine country. Once a top choice for weekend getaways and special occasions, winery visits are on the decline. And for the wine industry, that’s more than just a hospitality hiccup—it’s a missed opportunity to turn curious sippers into lifelong fans.
Understanding this season’s top travel trends isn’t just about keeping up. It’s about getting ahead—and finding fresh ways to bring the modern traveler back to wine country.
1. Wellness, Sleep & Longevity Tourism
Let’s start with a trend rooted in self-care: travelers aren’t just looking to escape—they’re looking to heal, reset, and optimize. Wellness tourism now includes everything from personalized health programs and silent retreats to sleep coaches and circadian lighting.
With the wellness tourism sector growing at 12% annually and expected to hit $904 billion globally this year, destinations that cater to well-being are winning big. It’s no longer about indulgence—it’s about intentional restoration.
Opportunity for wineries: Curate wellness-focused visits with vineyard yoga, clean-eating picnics, or guided meditations among the vines. (Could vineyard-bathing become a thing?) Wellness doesn’t have to mean wine-free—it can mean wine-smarter.
2. Astro-Tourism & Noctourism
As crowds surge during the day, travelers are discovering the magic of night. From stargazing in Chile’s Atacama Desert to night safaris in Kenya, nocturnal travel is lighting up itineraries.
These after-dark adventures offer cooler temps, fewer crowds, and a new way to engage the senses.
Opportunity for wineries: Fire pits, telescope nights, full moon tastings, or glow-in-the-dark vineyard walks—use the quiet of the evening to create unforgettable, ethereal experiences.
3. Set-Jetting
Fueled by binge-worthy content, set-jetting is sending travelers to places they’ve seen on screen. Whether it’s “The White Lotus” fans heading to Sicily or Game of Thrones devotees walking Dubrovnik’s walls, media is driving wanderlust.
Opportunity for wineries: Lean into your own cinematic potential. Got a picturesque view? A storybook setting? Use storytelling and content creation to become part of your visitor’s narrative—and their feed.
4. Calmcations
The antidote to our overbooked, always-on lives? The calmcation. These are quiet, soul-soothing escapes where the Wi-Fi is weak and the nature is strong. Travelers are actively seeking silence, stillness, and space to breathe.
Think mountain monasteries, silent retreats, and remote lakeside cabins.
Opportunity for wineries: Create serene spaces that encourage unplugging—perhaps a “quiet hour” in the vineyard, meditative tastings, or tech-free zones for reflection.
5. Coolcations
Hot is out. Cool is in. As summers become more extreme, travelers are heading north (and up) for relief—glaciers, fjords, mountaintops, and sea breezes are the new status symbols.
Opportunity for wineries: Even if you’re in sunny Texas, your cool cellar or shady hilltop might be just the refreshing escape people are craving. Embrace temperature as part of the experience.
6. Off-the-Beaten-Path Exploration
Tourist-saturated hotspots are losing their appeal to curious travelers looking for authenticity. Lesser-known destinations—think Vilnius instead of Vienna—are on the rise.
It’s all about originality, cultural depth, and avoiding the crowd.
Opportunity for wineries: Play up your location’s quirks and hidden stories. Show off your dirt roads, your family dog, your unpolished charm. Being off the radar is now a feature, not a flaw.
7. Multi-Generational Travel
Grandparents, parents, and kids are traveling together more than ever, seeking shared experiences that create lasting memories across age groups.
These trips tend to be generous—often funded by older generations—and crave versatile, everyone-friendly experiences.
Opportunity for wineries: Host family-friendly events with wine for the grownups and activities for kids. Create tasting options that pair with chocolate or juice. Inclusivity creates loyalty.
8. Athletic & Adventure Travel
Vacations are no longer about lounging—they’re about movement, achievement, and transformation. Whether it’s cycling through Tuscany, hiking the Andes, or paddleboarding in the fjords, travelers are using their time off to move their bodies and push their limits.
Opportunity for wineries: Offer hiking trails, bike rentals, or vineyard tours on foot. Partner with outdoor outfitters. Show that wine and movement can go hand-in-hand.
A New Era of Visitation
Today’s travelers aren’t just looking for destinations—they’re chasing experiences that align with their values, their identities, and their stories.
Whether it’s mindfulness in the vineyard, stargazing with a splash of Syrah, or family bike rides that end in a shaded picnic, the future of wine tourism lies in emotional connection—not just location.
These trends aren’t just changing how people travel—they’re changing why. And for wineries, that opens a window to reimagine what hospitality looks like.
So the question becomes: Will you let travel trends pass you by—or pour them into a mixed cocktail of something unforgettable for your guests?
