After a difficult start to 2023, travel is beginning to rebound. With the coronavirus pandemic subsiding, travellers are looking forward to escaping the daily grind and discovering new destinations. As the industry shifts back into normal operations, it’s important for travel brands to stay on top of emerging Travel Trends that will shape their customers’ trips in the coming year. From wellness to sustainable travel, these trends are set to revolutionize the way we vacation.
While some of these trends have arisen directly from the COVID-19 pandemic, most have been influenced by more general consumer actions and needs, including the need for healthy and organic food & drink, sustainability, personalised service and increasing demand for digitalisation. These changes are influencing everything from how people choose their holiday destination to how they book their accommodation and activities.
A thirst for nostalgia is also shaping the future of travel. As we move further into the post-pandemic era, many are looking to explore destinations and experiences that evoke memories of their childhoods. This could see them booking trips to childhood homes or revisiting places from their favourite films and video games. It could also lead to a surge in heritage tourism, with many booking trips to visit landmarks or sites from their formative years.
As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s important for travel brands to take note of these evolving consumer habits and trends. By staying on top of these Travel Trends, they can tailor their offerings to match the needs of a diverse range of travelers, from solo adventurers to families, and help them make more informed decisions about when, where and how to travel in the future.
Increasingly, people are choosing to avoid overcrowded tourist attractions in favour of less-travelled locations that still feel like authentic cultural experiences. This is being driven by a desire to escape the crowds and a growing awareness of how overtourism can impact local communities. Consequently, iconic destinations such as Angkor Wat are now roping off parts of the site to protect it from overcrowding while Machu Picchu is considering a limited visitor number system to limit crowds.
This shift towards off-the-beaten-path destinations has fueled a rise in interest in niche tourism experiences that highlight unique aspects of culture, such as music. It is estimated that grassroots musical scenes and cultures are worth more than $639 billion globally, while the popularity of TikTok is encouraging younger generations to seek out live gigs and festivals.
Sustainability is an ongoing issue that’s being addressed by travellers across all demographics. For example, research from Skyscanner found that 37% of millennials say they are very or extremely concerned about carbon footprint when they choose a flight provider. And searches for “zero waste travel” have nearly doubled on Pinterest as people search for strategic ways to reduce their environmental impact while on the go. This is a great opportunity for travel brands to showcase their green credentials and show how they are helping to address climate change.