Emirates' latest analysis of global booking data and search patterns has revealed the destinations travelers are seeking for their holidays in July and August, with a notable shift toward new cultural experiences and less familiar destinations.
Emirates recorded a 7% increase in flight searches for summer holidays this year compared with last year. France topped the list of countries that saw an increase in searches for outbound summer holiday destinations, recording a 35% increase, followed by Ireland, Canada and Saudi Arabia, according to a press release published on the Emirates website.
The list of countries that saw strong growth in searches for outbound summer holiday destinations also included Germany and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting growing travel demand in key markets.
Analysis of booking data revealed that Emirates' most popular destinations for travel in summer 2025 were mainly concentrated in the Far East, the Indian Ocean and Europe.
Emirates' top summer destinations:
Vietnam
Vietnam emerged as a standout destination this summer, stealing the spotlight with a 61% rise in travel interest and significant growth in bookings. Emirates operates 25 weekly flights to 3 different destinations in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, to which the airline began flying last June via Bangkok. These flights feature ideal schedules offering seamless connections with flights to and from major European cities and key US hubs.
Da Nang is Vietnam's third-largest city and has 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Vietnam in general boasts more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline and is an ideal destination for food lovers, as Vietnamese cuisine is uniquely diverse, as embodied in its bustling street food stalls.
Mauritius
The island of Mauritius came in second, with flight searches rising by 41%, becoming the second most in-demand destination this summer in the Emirates network, with the airline operating two daily flights there using its Airbus A380 aircraft.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka also saw a 32% increase in searches and emerged as a favorite destination thanks to its rich cultural fabric, beaches and affordable luxury tourism experiences.
Japan
Japan maintained its appeal to global visitors, with flight searches growing by 28% compared with last year thanks to its culture, natural landscapes and modern cities. Emirates operates 21 weekly flights to 3 Japanese destinations: Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Osaka.
France
France completed the top five with a strong 25% increase in searches. Emirates is helping meet travelers' demand this summer, operating 21 weekly flights to Paris, including 3 daily flights using Airbus A380 aircraft, as well as a daily flight to Nice using an A380 and a daily flight to Lyon on an A350.
Booking data and travel choices
Emirates saw a 13% rise in flight searches in the UAE, with a notable increase in searches for destinations such as Sri Lanka, Jordan, France, India, Lebanon and Morocco.
In the United States, travelers with Emirates increasingly focused their searches on African destinations such as Egypt, Kenya and South Africa, while travelers from the United Kingdom recorded a 12% increase over last year in searches on emirates.com, with growing interest in long-haul destinations such as New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
Searches by travelers from India in 2025 focused on travel opportunities to Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, while Australian travelers' interest focused on European summer holidays, with rising searches for France and the United Kingdom.
German travelers' interest focused on Southeast Asia and the Far East, with rising search levels for Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and the Seychelles.
Search and booking data revealed that travelers in general usually tend to take long holidays in the summer, especially Emirates travelers from India, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany, who take extended vacations, with nearly a third of them traveling for more than a month, while travelers from the United States opt for summer holidays of two to 3 weeks.
Dubai continues through the summer
Emirates expects strong travel traffic for passengers coming to Dubai this summer, confirming the city's growing global appeal as a year-round destination offering a constantly growing list of experiences for visitors and holidaymakers.
Flight searches and bookings showed that families make up the majority of British visitors to Dubai, often extending their Dubai experience to more than two weeks, while families make up about a third of American and Indian visitors during the summer.
Holiday durations vary, however, with Indian families preferring short breaks, while American families usually explore Dubai for periods of one to two weeks.
Couples form another important segment, with younger Australian and German couples preferring long stays of between two weeks and a full month, giving them maximum time to explore Dubai.
Solo travelers make up about half of visitors from the United States, India and Australia, combining work and leisure during stays averaging no more than one week.
The data reflects searches and bookings on the emirates.com website for flights between July 1 and August 30, 2025, as well as year-on-year comparisons.
To view the post on the Emirates website, click here.
