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2023 Travel Trends

The agency conducts its own research and read a lot about current trends in travel so as to understands what the travellers are looking for. It is for this reason that when there is no information forthcoming from SAT or NDT on travel trends ECPTA shares what it finds relevant with stakeholders from Google and as shared by other companies that conduct in-depth research on the topic.

A few of these trends were identified and are briefly discussed below.

2.1 Transformation retreats

Transformation retreats will become a popular tool to help people achieve their full potential. After a year of travel for fun, relaxation and reunion post-pandemic, 2023 will be the year we travel for personal betterment. Whether the traveller is seeking to overcome grief, identify life’s mission or discover what their body is physically capable of.

2.2 Set-jetting

Having spent the best part of 2020 and 2021 glued to our screens, so it’s no surprise that love for TV will be working its way into travel plans for 2023. Next year, many travellers will take their favourite TV shows on tour, using stunning and interesting filming locations as a springboard for an exciting new holiday destination.

Recent data from Netflix revealed that 70 per cent of programmes watched by a typical Netflix user were filmed in a foreign setting, and the locations of chosen programmes were frequently their favourite holiday spots. According to Expedia data, films and series are more influential than social media when it comes to booking trips these days. Two-thirds of global travellers have considered doing it and almost 40 per cent are ahead of the trend and have already booked trips after being inspired by their favourite show.

2.3 A new kind of all inclusive

The term “all-inclusive” has long been sneered at in luxury travel circles – for reasons of not wanting to be slapped with a bill while checking out. Certain brands have taken things a step further, an all-inclusive stay offers the chance to book local restaurants at no extra cost – giving travellers a taste of great stay and supporting the local community in one swoop. None of these smart stays can be labelled “cheap” – but travellers become more aware of where they spend their cash, this is a trend that makes the cost of holidays more transparent and those well-deserved trips easier to save for – without any nasty surprises.

2.4 Lisness

The impact Covid has had on the way we think about and approach work has been huge. There has been a noticeable paradigm shift to “Bleisure, where travellers used to approach business trips by tacking on a few days at the end, there’s now a reversal. Some travellers are extending into month-long ventures, with a 75 per cent/25 per cent leisure/business split, allowing for more decompression and reintegration into normal life, and a notable leisure-driven approach to these hybrid trips. The traditional thinking was work, potentially paired with a holiday; now, it’s an intentional holiday-first mindset with work in and around it. Hotel groups and tour operators in turn need to adapt services and experiences to accommodate this pattern, where the value of strong wifi and flexible time zones are more important than ever.

2.5 Educational itineraries

After missing out on two years of adventures, travellers are on a mission not to waste another second. Instead of visiting a destination and barely scratching the surface, travellers want to ensure their experiences are deeper and more meaningful than ever before, learning something new in the process. Following a spate of post-pandemic revenge spending, it can now be expected for travellers to be more selective, placing higher value on fulfilling experiences that fuel their thirst for knowledge and personal growth in 2023. In a recent survey conducted by the luxury travel provider, almost 90% of respondents ranked the appeal of ‘luxury educational travel experiences’ at 8, 9 or 10 out of 10.

Credit: https://www.cntraveller.com/article/travel-trends