In a post-Covid world, it’s no surprise that people are returning to destination travel with zeal. Everyone needs an escape now and then – and travelers are finding ways to take them, in increasingly creative ways. As professionals within the wide – sometimes intimidating – world of destination marketing, it’s incredibly important to keep a finger on the pulse of the latest travel trends, so you can make informed decisions about exactly how you are going to reach your target audience. Here at Augustine Agency, we’re the top experts in the DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) gauntlet. Read on for a few travel trends we’ve picked up on lately, just in time for all those summer activations you’re sure to be brainstorming.
The Prioritization of Travel Despite Inflation Fears & Travel Hassle
It hardly needs to be said that there are some major stressors affecting daily American life these days. Inflation is one of those – as the cost of basic necessities rise, many Americans are having a hard time dealing with the pressure. Despite these fears, people are also setting aside more funds than ever to prioritize travel. It might sound incongruous at first, but this makes sense – as the anxiety of day-to-day life rises, so does the need to check out of that for a little while.
According to several recent studies, Americans are primed to spend a significant amount more on travel than past years. So much so, in fact, that it’s no exaggeration to say that travel has emerged as a top priority for seasoned travelers, with an increasing number of people placing greater value on travel experiences over material possessions.1
Wellness Travel
Post-pandemic life has lent itself well to the prioritization of health in mind, body and spirit. The rise of wellness travel is especially seen in the younger generations of Gen Z and Millennial groups who are experiencing burnout from an ever-stressful world. Vacationing allows for an escape from daily hardships. We see this across the board in search activity on platforms such as Pinterest – before people are even booking their vacations, they’re searching for things on Pinterest such as, “quiet life,” “quiet places” and “calm places.”2
While on vacation, travelers are prioritizing activities that work overtime to leave them feeling recharged. After all, vacation is supposed to be relaxing – and hotels have even gone so far as to add sleep and rest-focused amenities to their list of offerings, encouraging “Sleep Tourism” with the addition of things like essential oil diffusers in guests’ rooms.3 Additionally, there has been a greater focus on outdoor travel and camping as younger people, in particular, seek to disconnect from technology and spend some time reconnecting with nature.4
Remote Work & The Loneliness Crisis
Changing work conditions, including the advent of more remote workers globally due the pandemic, has caused more worker burnout and a looming sense of loneliness. Enter: the “loneliness crisis.” Since 2020, many have felt a struggle to connect with others. A lot of us are working remotely, and not being in the office means we have to create our own opportunities to see people outside of our homes. For many, this is harder than it seems; 24% of adults worldwide feel intensely lonely these days.
So, travel operates as a means to combat this.
People are traveling solo with the hope of forming new connections on their trips.7 Plus, there is much more flexibility to travel for remote workers, as working on the road is easier than ever. A new group of travelers titled “laptop luggers” are hitting the road without taking time away from the office.8 Whether it’s for a “hush” trip – also called a workcation – or for work-motivated meeting purposes, these travelers tend to stay longer in their destinations, and as a result, spend more.9
Events are a Major Catalyst for Wanderlust
Blame it on Taylor Swift – event-related tourism has really skyrocketed in the last year. While a lot of these event drivers are live music-related, sports and unique experiences are also significant motivators for travel. It seems that people still haven’t gotten over the excitement of getting live events back, post-pandemic; travelers are incredibly eager to see their favorite artist or favorite teams in person this year. According to American Express Travel, 67% of Millennial and Gen Z travelers are interested in traveling for sporting events this year.10 This ties in with the recent prioritization of experiences over physical items given as gifts, as well as a growing want for unique experiences that uniquely match interests.
Pop culture is, as always, a significant influence on – well, pretty much everything, but in this case, we’re talking travel specifically. Pop culture-inspired travel is set to double this year, as travelers add locations from popular films and television shows to their itineraries. And, as we mentioned before, Swifties are hitting the road for the Eras Tour. Gone are the days of only purchasing concert tickets in your city; many are purchasing tickets for anywhere they can, and planning a trip around the event – with some even traveling internationally.11
The Future of Travel
To put it simply, it’s looking pretty bright. As travelers are leaning into experience-driven, more meaningful trips, there is room for destinations to encourage longer stays and all sorts of activities they might not normally focus on. People are even instilling a sense of wanderlust into the next generation, with a large majority of travelers prioritizing family travel post-pandemic.14 No matter the particulars of their goals, it’s clear that people are utilizing travel as a way to find a renewed sense of self. From a DMO perspective, keeping these trends in mind can elevate a simple campaign or activation from good to impactful.
Are you a destination looking for the right agency to elevate your branding? Let’s chat.
Sources:
- State of the American Traveler Webinar, Travel Pulse – Travel Is Now a Higher Priority Over Material Things, According to New Research
- Travel Pulse – Pinterest Reports 2024 Summer Travel Trends
- Skift – Sleep Tourism Wakes Up
- Travel Pulse – Outdoor Travel and Camping is Growing as Younger People Seek Wellness, Nature Experiences
- Travel Pulse – New Destinations, Longer Stays: Travelers Are Embracing Exploration in 2024
- Skift – A Surge in Adventure Tourism: Four Big Trends in 2024
- Skift – How Travel Can Fix the World’s Loneliness Crisis
- Skift – Meeting Boom Continues as Laptop Luggers Hit the Road
- Travel Pulse – Hush Trip Hideouts: Where to go For Your Next Remote Work Vacation
- Travel Pulse – The Top Trends Inspiring Travel in 2024
- Travel Pulse – Pop Culture Inspired Travel Is a Serious Trend in 2024
- Travel Pulse – The State of Sustainable Travel in 2024
- Travel Pulse – Virtuoso Travelers Express Growing Awareness of Sustainability but Also Want Transparency
- Travel Weekly – Family Travel is Growing Up
