Perhaps it was budget concerns or maybe it was the shifting political landscape in the United States, but a new report shows that Americans largely stayed close to home this summer, rather than globetrotting.
Just 28 percent of Americans traveled abroad for summer 2025, compared with nearly 39 percent of Canadians, according to the Summer 2025 Travel & Connectivity Report from Holafly, an eSim provider.
Analysts think the cautiousness among Americans was likely due to economic worries and election-year uncertainty, factors that were not weighing down the more confident Canadian travelers.
Still, American travelers weren’t the only ones opting for local adventures over the summer. Globally, just 37.6 percent of travelers ventured abroad for a vacation, says the report.
“This summer, when nearly three out of four people took to the road or the skies, many chose to look inward rather than outward,” explains the Holafly report. “Our survey shows that almost 63 percent stayed within their own borders, trading far‐flung adventures for the comfort and simplicity of familiar places.”
In a world still rattled by economic and geopolitical headwinds, rediscovering hometown beaches, national parks and small towns may feel both secure and satisfying, the report adds.
Yet, the urge to roam didn’t disappear altogether this summer. About 22 percent of travelers say they blended local breaks with an overseas escape.
Meanwhile, just 15.6 percent of globetrotters ventured exclusively abroad, whether to reconnect with distant family or finally tick off a long‐delayed bucket‐list trip.
“Together, these patterns suggest a travel landscape defined as much by caution and resourcefulness as by a persistent curiosity about the wider world,” says the report.
Nearly 1,000 travelers worldwide participated in the Holafly survey and the global penchant for traveling local is merely one of it’s takeaways.
Bleisure, Connectivity and South Africa
Bleisure, which means combining personal travel with a business trip, continues to gain steam globally.
Nearly 1 in 5 summer trips worldwide had a professional purpose, with younger Americans (25-44) most likely to extend work trips into leisure stays, says the Holafly report. The result: destinations, hotels, and employers are being forced to rethink how they cater to mobile professionals.
It also seems that disconnecting from technology and our devices has become a no-go for travelers these days. Just 0.8 percent of global travelers went fully offline while on summer holiday.
Most Popular Destinations for Summer 2025
Finally, for those who did explore beyond their home country, South Africa was the preferred destination. The report says the country surged as a breakout location for travelers.
“While Spain held the global top spot, South Africa landed second, with Cape Town and Durban ranking among the most mentioned cities,” explains the report. “For U.S. travelers, long-haul favorites included South Africa and Australia, reflecting a strong appetite for once-in-a-lifetime trips.”
The top 10 destinations this summer, ranked in order, were:
1.Spain
2.South Africa
3.Japan
4.Canada
5.United States
6.France
7.United Kingdom
8.Mexico
9.Australia
10.South Korea
Looking at the broader patterns among the top 10, the report says Asia is the rising star of 2025, with Japan and South Korea leading the way and destinations like Singapore, China, and Thailand not far behind. Europe holds strong through Spain, France, and the UK, and finally, the Americas remain a powerhouse, “driven by the enduring appeal of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.”
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