Are you someone who loves integrating your pets into all facets of your daily routine? You’re definitely not alone! Given how much we value them as integral parts of our family, the idea of being apart from our pets, even during vacations, can feel tough. This often shapes our holiday decisions, prompting us to look into options for traveling with our furry friends.
A leading European travel company seems to grasp this emerging pattern.
Stena Line
, a prominent ferry company, has formally announced 2025 as ‘The Year of Pet Travel.’
This action underscores the growing preference among pet owners who like to include their pets—whether they have fur, scales, or feathers—in their escapades. In my opinion, after all, there isn’t a more suitable traveling buddy.
This announcement follows significant statistics. For instance, Stena Line reported an astounding 78,000 pet crossings just in 2024 across the Irish Sea. This increase in pets accompanying their owners isn’t confined to this region; indeed, search trends show a notable uptick with a 28% growth in online queries about pet travel over the last four years.
Several reasons contribute to this change, such as increasing unwillingness among pet owners to leave their pets behind when they go on trips and the rising number of places that welcome both guests and their furry companions.
Certainly, such a travel trend is also significant when considering its economic effects. Specialists indicate that roughly
About 37% of families go traveling along with their pets.
This represents a rise of 19% over the past ten years. This underscores the deep emotional significance of pets in our daily lives and highlights the considerable economic potential such trends can offer to companies eager to address pet owners’ travel requirements. Stena Line serves as a prime illustration of this trend at work.
“At Stena Line, we understand that pets are vital members of the family, so we’ve gone above and beyond to accommodate them aboard our ships. This includes expanding our pet-friendly accommodations by 34% throughout our Irish Sea vessels,” said Orla Noonan, who serves as the Travel Commercial Manager at Stena Line.
The firm aims to simplify pet travel as much as possible by offering a dedicated pet lounge on certain routes and permitting pet owners to keep their animals inside their vehicles, kennels, or special dog lodges throughout the journey. Providing these choices enables every passenger to select the setup that best meets their pet’s individual requirements and comfort levels.
It may occasionally seem somewhat intimidating when traveling with your pet,” Noonan stated, “however, our aim is to reassure pet owners that using Stena Line offers a stress-free journey for both you and your furry companion.
Stena Line’s designation of 2025 as ‘The Year of Pet Travel’ underscores the dynamic evolution within the travel sector. With our relationships with pets becoming increasingly significant, the travel industry is adapting by facilitating their inclusion in trips, ensuring they can accompany us easily and conveniently.
This is evident in the latest
combination of Roch Dog and Dog In Dog Out
to raise the standards of pet-friendly lodging and the forthcoming
pet-friendly voyage on the Margaritaville at Sea Islander
, embarking on a journey in November.
We’re hopeful that this signifies the increasing number of chances for pet owners to create enduring memories alongside their furry companions.
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