The Summer habits in the UK are changing. Increasing numbers of travellers are leaving the idea of a purely passive retreat and going on a year-round holiday that brings together outdoor adventure and exercise, as well as experiences that matter.

1. The Shift Towards Experience-Led Travel

The shift on active sightseeing has been pacing over the industry over several years. According to ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2025–26 report, published in October 2025, 87% of UK adults took a holiday in the past year, up from 84% the year before, and the association describes travel as the engine of the experience economy, with holidaymakers prioritising it over spending on consumer goods and eating out. Experiences that involve doing and discovering, instead of simply arriving, are driving bookings across all age groups.

2. The Appeal of Mountain Destinations

There is little place like the mountains that can promise active travel. During winter, the Alpine resorts have excellent views and mountain air with various activities and events that can be enjoyed by every level of ability including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and easy winter walks. In addition to the hilly terrain, the friendliness of the villages along the mountain, rustic local cuisine and an atmosphere of silence and tranquility unmatched by metropolitan vacations make all these destinations wide-ranging in their attraction. It is more refreshing to many travellers than a week in a beach because the mountain environment is more simple.

3. Planning an Active Winter Escape

Among UK travellers, the French Alps is one of the most convenient and versatile solutions to those who create a trip around a particular location. Depending on size, nature, etc., resorts vary significantly in size and nature, and less famous ones tend to be more to the taste of visitors. Skiing La Rosiere suits those drawn to a relaxed atmosphere, offering reliable snow, uncrowded pistes, and the option to cross the border into Italy via La Thuile. Planning around off-peak weeks can bring costs down considerably while making for a far more enjoyable experience on and off the mountain.

4. Why Winter Travel Continues to Grow in Popularity

The data reflects a sustained appetite for overseas travel among UK adults. ONS Travel Trends figures for 2024, released in August 2025, show France recorded over nine million visits from UK residents that year, placing it firmly among the top two overseas destinations. Off-peak and seasonal travel has remained popular among those who wish to have avoided summer congestion, as well as receive more competitive prices and enjoy popular attractions in a less hectic and thoughtful manner. For a good number of holiday makers in the UK winter travel is no longer a second choice but a first choice to most of such travelers.

When the travelers are attracted to experience more than convenience the active winter break provides something most holidays fall short of: a true feeling of accomplishment, as well as real rest. It could be the slope, the sight or just the mountain air but, in any case, winter traveling is hard to argue with.