What does the future of travel look like? It looks like a hotel bed. One of the big trends emerging from the 2025 Hilton Trends Report is the increasing number of travelers around the world taking part in an activity known as ‘Harkle Dalkling’ in Scotland. If you’re not familiar with this phrase, it means staying in bed long after it’s usually time to wake up. (Probably not clinically depressed.)
According to Hilton analysis, about 20% of travelers enjoy this habit, and that number rises to 30% for millennials (defined by the hospitality company as those born between 1980 and 2006) . Their findings suggest that travelers are willing to pay for a better night’s sleep. Among the data cited in Hilton’s analysis is that nearly three-quarters of luxury travelers choose to stay in “hotels with sleep-oriented amenities.”
This is one of the few locations in Hilton’s comprehensive report, suggesting that more travelers are looking to take their time and savor the experience. Hilton also points to the growth of “slow tourism,” with many travelers looking for recommendations from locals and prioritizing authenticity when visiting new places with children.
One effect of the slowdown in tourism growth has been an increase in international visitors to destinations that were primarily aimed at domestic tourists. Hilton’s analysis points to Sardinia as one example, with increasing numbers of visitors from the US and Ireland exploring places where previously most of the visitors came from other parts of Italy. There is.
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta opened the report by calling 2025 “the year of the travel maximizer.” As he went on to explain, that means travelers are looking for a variety of novel experiences when they leave home, which is understandable but also difficult to quantify. . Still, it’s a welcome break from the tourist cliché of desperately trying to see all the classic landmarks and museums in a particular destination.
something more similar
This article was published in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
