As international travel surges this summer, Emirates has unveiled fresh insights into global travel trends, showing a marked shift towards immersive cultural experiences and lesser-explored destinations. Analysis of booking data and flight searches for July and August reveals where wanderlust is taking travellers in 2025 and the results point to exciting new hotspots across Asia, Europe, and the Indian Ocean.

Overall global flight searches for summer 2025 have risen by 7% compared to last year. France tops the list with a remarkable 35% increase in outbound travel searches, followed closely by Ireland, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. Germany and the UAE also show robust demand, underscoring widespread intent to travel from major hubs.

But it is the Far East and Indian Ocean that really steal the spotlight in Emirates’ summer booking patterns. Vietnam emerges as this year’s breakout star with a phenomenal 61% jump in interest paired with strong booking numbers. Emirates operates 25 weekly flights to three Vietnamese cities Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and new this June, Da Nang via Bangkok offering seamless connections from Europe and key American hubs.

Vietnam’s appeal is multifaceted: its vibrant cities, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and over 3,000 km of unspoiled coastline entice culturally curious travellers and culinary adventurers alike. From bustling street markets to hidden gems, Vietnam promises an authentic feast for the senses.

Not far behind, the tropical island paradise of Mauritius captivates travellers with a 41% rise in flight searches. Emirates offers two daily A380 flights to this idyllic Indian Ocean destination, perfect for those seeking luxury and tranquility.

Sri Lanka also ranks highly with a 32% surge in interest, thanks to its rich culture, pristine beaches, scenic ‘tea country,’ and accessible luxury. Meanwhile, Japan, a perennial favourite, continues to draw travellers with a 28% rise in flight searches. Emirates’ 21 weekly flights connect passengers to Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, and Osaka, providing gateway access to Japan’s blend of stunning landscapes, modern cities, and renowned cuisine.

Completing the top five, France enjoys a 25% increase in booking demand. Emirates supports this boost robustly, flying 21 weekly routes including three daily A380 flights to Paris, daily A380s to Nice, and a daily A350 service to Lyon helping meet the heightened demand from global travellers.

Travellers in the UAE have increased flight searches by 13%, with rising interest in destinations like Sri Lanka, Jordan, France, India, Lebanon, and Morocco. US-based Emirates customers are increasingly exploring African destinations such as Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, while UK travellers have ramped up searches by 12%, focusing on far-flung locales like New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius.

Indian travellers show growing appetite for Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, while Australians plan their European summer adventures with increased interest in France and the UK. German travellers are heading east with rising searches for Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, and the Seychelles.

Longer vacations dominate summer plans, with nearly one-third of travellers from India, Australia, the UK, and Germany extending their trips beyond a month. US travellers typically opt for slightly shorter, 2-3 week getaways.

With inbound passenger traffic projected to remain strong this summer, Dubai continues to affirm its position as a premier global destination year-round. Emirates’ data show solo travellers make up nearly half of visitors from the US, India, and Australia, blending business and leisure in stays averaging just over a week.

Family travel patterns vary by nationality: about one-third of US and Indian visitors arrive with family, with Indian families preferring shorter visits and American families exploring Dubai over 1-2 weeks. UK families usually stay longer than two weeks.

Couples also represent a significant visitor segment, especially younger Australian and German pairs who favor extended stays ranging from two weeks up to a month maximising their time to explore Dubai’s extensive offerings.

Emirates’ data reflects flight searches and bookings on emirates.com for travel between 1 July and 30 August 2025, compared year-over-year.

This summer, with Emirates’ extensive global network, travellers are embracing fresh experiences, new cultures, and longer escapes—proving that the world’s curiosity is as boundless as ever.

Emirates Flight Catering has embarked on a landmark expansion with the ground-breaking of a new Dh160 million laundry facility under its Linencraft brand at Dubai Investment Park, creating 400 direct jobs and boosting its operational capacity by over 50 percent. This strategic investment addresses the surging demand in the UAE’s hospitality, aviation, and healthcare sectors amid rapid sector growth and infrastructure developments.

The new facility will add 150 tons daily to Linencraft’s current processing ability of 280 tons across four locations. It features two advanced modular hospitality bulk laundry units with a combined capacity of 142 tons per day, plus a dedicated garment plant that can handle over 28,000 pieces daily. This high-tech setup incorporates next-generation automation to enhance efficiency, reduce manual labor, and ensure resilience with built-in redundancies to maintain uninterrupted operations even at peak times.

 Energy-efficient systems are integrated to minimize environmental impact, reflecting a sharp focus on sustainability.

Shahreyar Nawabi, CEO of Emirates Flight Catering, emphasized the boldness of this move, stating, “This investment reflects both the scale of opportunity we see in the market and our determination to lead the industry forward. With this advanced facility, we’re not just increasing capacity we’re setting new standards through smart technology and sustainability.” The expansion is timely, as more than 10,000 new hotel rooms are expected in the UAE by 2027 alongside the upcoming major international events and Dubai Airport’s ongoing expansions, all driving a steep rise in demand for large-scale laundry services including staff uniforms and institutional laundry needs.

Linencraft currently serves over 100 clients across airlines, hospitality, healthcare, and corporate sectors, employing around 1,300 people. The new facility solidifies its position as the UAE’s largest and most trusted commercial laundry provider, capable of onboarding 40 additional hospitality clients with this capacity boost.
The project is led by UAE-based general contractor ASIA Prime, which is committed to delivering quality and operational excellence throughout the construction process.

This expansion complements broader Emirates Group initiatives, which recently unveiled a global talent drive to recruit 17,300 employees across Emirates and dnata, further underscoring the Group’s growth and commitment to meeting future demand in aviation and related services.

By scaling up climate-conscious operations and leveraging smart technologies, Emirates Flight Catering’s new Linencraft facility is poised to support the country’s booming service industries with efficiency, reliability, and sustainability well into the future.

IndiGo Airlines, India’s largest low-cost carrier, has aggressively expanded its cockpit workforce by recruiting over 1,000 pilots in the past two years, bringing its total pilot strength to 5,456 by the end of FY25. This milestone surpasses the combined pilot count of Air India and Air India Express, which stands at 5,449, underscoring IndiGo’s dominant position in the Indian aviation sector.

This rapid increase in pilot numbers coincides with IndiGo’s substantial fleet growth, currently operating 434 aircraft, with over 920 more on order, including long-range Airbus A321XLRs and A350s to support its international ambitions. The accelerated hiring is a strategic move to maintain operational reliability in the face of soaring passenger demand and an industry-wide shortage of pilots. It also differentiates IndiGo from competitors like Akasa Air, which faced pilot resignations and flight cancellations in late 2024.

India’s aviation market is witnessing unprecedented growth, with domestic air travel rising to 165 million passengers in FY25 a 17% increase over pre-pandemic levels and international travel up 49% to 34 million. Responding to this surge, IndiGo has also strengthened its cabin crew roster to over 10,212 personnel.

IndiGo is leading industry efforts in gender diversity, with women constituting 16% of its pilot workforce approximately three times the global average and aiming to reach 1,000 female pilots by 2025. The commitment to inclusivity was highlighted when the airline onboarded 77 female pilots on India’s 77th Independence Day.

Financially, IndiGo posted a profit after tax of ₹7,258 crore for FY25, marking its second consecutive year of profitability, in contrast to losses reported by other carriers such as Air India and Akasa Air.
Despite a 17% decrease in the issuance of Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPLs) in 2024, government data indicates there is currently no shortage of trained pilots in India, though the demand forecast is significant, with an estimated need for 21,500 pilots by 2034. IndiGo’s proactive recruitment and diversity initiatives position it well to meet the challenges of India’s rapidly expanding aviation market.

On 22 July 2025, Dubai, UAE, the Emirates Group launched an extensive global talent acquisition campaign aimed at recruiting 17,300 professionals during the current financial year. This hiring goal is symbolic, matching the population size of a mid-size town or the seating capacity of 58 Airbus A350 aircraft. The recruitment drive is part of the Group’s ongoing expansion strategy, reinforcing its industry-leading position.

The available opportunities span across 350 different roles across Emirates and dnata, the two flagship businesses under the Group. Emirates, recognized as the world’s most profitable and largest international airline, along with dnata, a global leader in air and travel services, are looking to fill positions that include cabin crew, pilots, engineers, commercial and sales teams, customer service, ground handling, catering, IT, human resources, and finance. Notably, dnata alone seeks over 4,000 specialists in cargo, catering, and ground handling operations.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, emphasized that this ambitious recruitment is aligned with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33 and the Group’s growth trajectory. He expressed that the goal is to attract world-class talent capable of driving innovation, excellence, and the future transformation of the aviation industry. He views this initiative as an opportunity for skilled professionals to become integral to the Group’s ongoing success and expansion.

To reach potential candidates globally, the Emirates Group will hold over 2,100 open days and various talent acquisition events across 150 cities throughout the year. These events will provide a chance for prospective pilots, IT professionals, engineers, and cabin crew members to engage directly with recruitment teams and long-serving Emirates employees sharing their experiences. In addition to international outreach, Dubai-based events will focus on involving UAE national students and graduates, supporting national workforce development.

Since 2022, the Emirates Group has recruited more than 41,000 professionals, with nearly 27,000 in operational roles, contributing to the current workforce size of approximately 121,000 employees. The Group continues to be a magnet for talent around the world due to its strong brand reputation, people-centric policies, tax-free remuneration, comprehensive benefits, and esteemed training and career development programs.

In the past financial year alone, the Group received in excess of 3.7 million job applications, illustrating its global appeal. Candidates are drawn to Dubai not only for professional opportunities but also for the city’s safety, economic stability, advanced technological infrastructure, forward-looking policies, and vibrant lifestyle.

For those residing in Dubai and working for the Emirates Group, benefits are extensive, including eligibility for profit sharing, comprehensive medical and life insurance coverage, a wide array of travel benefits encompassing annual and service-related leave tickets, concessional rates for family and friends, discounted cargo rates, and membership privileges unlocking reductions at hundreds of retail, hospitality, and lifestyle destinations.

Candidates interested in joining the Emirates Group can explore available positions and upcoming recruitment events worldwide by visiting the Group’s official careers portal. This recruitment drive showcases the Emirates Group’s unwavering commitment to growth, innovation, and maintaining its status as a global employer of choice, while welcoming talented professionals prepared to contribute to shaping the future of aviation.