Autumn Holidays Trend 2025: Antalya Pulls Ahead of Mallorca

Antalya leads, Mallorca follows: a slight shift in travel behavior

If you stroll through Palma's old town these days — at midday, when the cafés are half full and tourists with beach towels stand at the bus stop — you can feel it: demand for warm destinations shows no sign of stopping. Current booking figures from a major tour operator now show that Antalya has filled the most seats this autumn, Mallorca is in second place and Crete follows.

Why the shift?

A simple calculation for many travelers: even outside school holidays families and couples want sun, sea and reliable weather. Regions that still offer high chances of sunshine in October — such as the Turkish Riviera or parts of Andalusia like the Costa de la Luz near Cádiz — scored particularly well this year. A product manager at the tour operator put it this way: the season extension is no longer a temporary hype, but is becoming a fixed part of many people's holiday plans.

Especially notable: Egypt is seeing a strong rise in bookings. Hurghada on the Red Sea recorded a double-digit percentage increase — the provider is responding with additional flights and thousands of extra seats. Long-haul destinations such as New York, the Emirates and Thailand also remain high on wish lists.

The effects are already visible at Palma airport: check-in counters fill earlier, more aircraft are added to seasonal schedules and taxi drivers at the entrance shake their heads with a smile: "We didn't expect this for October a few years ago," says a driver who shuttles daily between the terminal and the Paseo Marítimo.

What does this mean for Mallorca?

From the island's perspective the result is ambivalent. Higher occupancy in the low season brings guests and revenue into the off-season — good for hotels, restaurants and small shops. At the same time it reduces quiet periods for those seeking peace and relaxation. How to strike the right balance remains a subject of discussion among businesses, council members and residents.

Conclusion: the desire for sun is driving planning. Mallorca remains very popular, but narrowly loses the top spot to Antalya this autumn. For travelers this means: those who book at short notice can still find spaces — and those who are flexible have a choice between the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Red Sea.

Note: Figures are based on an analysis of booking trends from a large German tour operator for the autumn holidays 2025.