Now that the travel industry (and us humans) seem to be awakening from the post-Covid slump, full recognition of the true value of our freedom and time seems to be catching up with many of us. Freedom, in light of post-travel bans, but also thanks to the allowances of new normal remote and hybrid working arrangements, and the realisation of just how short and unpredictable life really is. Many travellers now get to explore new places while fulfilling their work obligations and hitting that sweet spot of work-life balance. Here are a few travel trends showing up this year and beyond…
‘Show us, don’t tell us’ Sustainability
While sustainability and green travel continue to be contributing factors to the lodges and experiences guests are choosing, it’s no longer enough to merely state that you’re sustainable but rather invite your guests to experience it. Thanks to the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive coming into play, establishments can no longer get away with greenwashing to entice guests. Invite guests ‘back of house’ and turn it into an experience of involving them in where their sustainability cents are going, specifically when the practices show respect and responsibility for surrounding communities fighting climate change. Some examples have included inviting guests to plant indigenous trees on and around the property or volunteering in your conservation projects during their stay.
Silence is Golden
Living in a world where constant messages, sounds and demands are flung at us in malls, shops, restaurants and even tours; the overstimulated amongst us seem to be craving experiences that immerse us in quiet, natural spaces with a complete lack of sound and utter solace. I would hazard a biased guess that we, as parents, would crave these silent retreats and experiences most of all. Experiences like silent retreats, quieter hotels (for adults only), and silent walks are becoming more popular and invite the opportunity to really invite quiet into your life, reset and immerse yourself in the surrounding sounds of nature.
Slow Travel
In an age of instant gratification where multi-tasking is leading us to burnout and exhaustion, less is becoming more when it comes to travel itineraries. In the same way that monotasking is said to have various positive effects on our creativity, productivity and quality of what we are focusing on; slower travel to one or fewer places allows us to deeply connect with the area, the community and the spaces we are visiting. It avails the opportunity to ask ourselves how we truly feel here and now and really enjoy present moments as opposed to frantically racing through a city to hit all major sightseeing highlights and returning exhausted.
Meaningful, Transformative Experiences
Transformative travel took centre stage awhile back and continues to be a motivating factor for how travellers choose their destinations, journeys and experiences. As humans, we long to be moved, surprised, empowered, inspired and even educated as we explore. Passively experiencing an itinerary for pure entertainment is no longer as desired and guests want to return transformed in some meaningful way, e.g., learning a language, cooking a dish with a local and/or being a part of transforming the space they visited in a positive way.
Storytelling
Storytelling has the ability to connect, convert and inspire. All brands, not just those within hospitality and travel, have to tap into their heartfelt narrative which hopefully connects with the shared values of their guests and aligns them with their core reason for travelling. Beyond the obvious, travelling can mean many things to different people: peace, time, connection, companionship, exploration, ease, escape and more. And with vast amounts of options to choose from, those possibly sharing a powerful local narrative with global significance while offering an opportunity to be a part of it can be the most powerful way to sell an experience.
Multigenerational Trips and Private Group Travel
The trend of groups of families and friends renting villas and private accommodation spaces remains a post-Covid trend. Empty nesters find themselves no longer hemmed in by school holidays, solo female travellers over 50 looking to getaway and grandparents accompanying their grown children and grandchildren on holidays to share in the joy, family bonding and childcare.
House-swapping
In true ‘The Holiday’ movie style, alongside the rise of remote working, travellers now have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world and move about rather freely. But with the rising rates of hotels and home rentals, this can get expensive for digital nomads. House swapping is gaining more popularity, especially with websites like https://livekindred.com/, making it a safe and more trustworthy option not to mention way more affordable.
By Lauren Manuel