Emirates reveals 5 most popular booking destinations for summer

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Hanoi, Vietnam

Dubai-based Emirates Airline has analysed search data across its global booking platforms to identify traveller trends for summer 2025.

Flight searches for summer 2025 travel have climbed 7% for the period between July 1, 2025 to August 30, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

For July and August escapes, Emirates says that while perennially popular destinations such as France still feature high on the list, travellers are increasingly leaning towards “new cultural experiences and off-the-beaten track locales”.

This is aligned with Wego’s latest data, which suggests growing demand from GCC travellers for "authentic, experience-led holidays that offer deeper engagement".

When it comes to rising stars, Vietnam is the hottest destination, followed by Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Japan, with long-time favourite France taking fifth spot.

1 Vietnam With searches up 61%, the Southeast Asian nation is pulling in visitors thanks to its beaches, history, culture and cuisine, plus good air connectivity that sees Emirates operate 25 weekly flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang.

Vietnam is an increasingly important market for GCC travellers, in particular, with Wego recently reporting a staggering 322.43% surge in search volume by Saudi travellers to Vietnam, largely thanks to the increase in luxury halal-compliant resorts.

Da Nang in Vietnam

Facilitating such popularity, Saudi Arabia’s national airline Saudia has just signed a codeshare agreement with Vietnam Airlines to boost connectivity between the two countries.

2 Mauritius The next highest climber on the Emirates summer search list is the island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, with searches up 41%, making it the second most in-demand destination on the Emirates network.

With its lovely tropical climate and palm-fringed coastline, Mauritius offers all of the beauty that the Indian Ocean islands are known for, alongside rainforest hiking trails and unique natural landscapes, from the dramatic peak of Le Morne, to the seven-coloured earth of Chamarel.

3 Sri Lanka is also up 32%, with visitors attracted to its historical sites, diverse natural landscape and affordable experiences. Unlike some Indian Ocean hotspots that revolve around beaches, Sri Lanka also delivers a rich blend of culture and history, with the island’s inland hillsides offering consistent warmth and lots of sunshine, though cooler temperatures than the coastal areas such as Galle in during summer months.

Galle on the south coast of Sri Lanka

4 Japan continues to be a popular option, with searches up 28% on last year, pulling passengers with its modern metropolis cities, world-class dining and ancient culture, not to mention stunning natural landscapes and favourably currency exchange rates. Emirates operates 21 weekly flights to Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Osaka.

Visitors to Japan have also spiked since the country introduced a new e-visa system in 2023, and visitors from the UAE have had visa-free access since 2022.

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5 France Traditional European hotspot France saw outbound travel searches up 25%, boosted by three daily A380s to Paris and new services to Nice on the south coast and culinary capital Lyon.

France also leads the way when it comes to outbound travel, with an increase in searches of more than a third (35%). This was followed by Ireland, Canada and Saudi Arabia, with the UAE and Germany also proving popular, according to Emirates.

In the UAE, Emirates flight searches have risen 13%, with Sri Lanka, Jordan, France, India, Lebanon fand Morocco proving most popular.

And the airline predicts healthy inbound traffic to Dubai this summer as the city continues to position itself as a year-round destination.

For more information, visit www.emirates.com