The Most Popular Travel Trends of 2024
We’ve all had a tough go of it these last few years. Isn’t it hard to imagine there was a time when we were restricted from basic grocery shopping? Forget travel and leisure. That went straight out the window as battles ensued between the vaxxed and the unvaxxed.
Thankfully, time marches on and we’re in less dire straits. The world’s doors were flung open again last year; and the major travel trends in 2024 will offer something for everyone, including the introvert, the extrovert, the health-conscious, and the cruise savvy.
If travel holds a special place in your 2024 new year’s resolutions, one of these ideas should tickle your fancy.
Luxury Cruise Liners
Cruises and theme parks really took a hit during the pandemic. Cruises were practically viewed as floating petri dishes. Although COVID seems like it’s a world away these days, certain industries are still recovering.
Don’t be surprised if, as a traveler, you find alluring deals for cruises and theme parks; they’re still trying to put things right side up and these will be a large part of the travel trends to expect in 2024.
Beyond that, certain cruise lines are going so far as to launch luxurious new liners.
Royal Caribbean, for example, is planning to launch the world’s largest ship, Icon of the Seas. And for the Disney aficionados of the world, the Disney Treasure is about to become their sixth in line. These two are sure to feel like floating cities once they’re up and running.
TV Show Destinations
There’s a famous account on Instagram called Sassenach Historian. Her personal journey is incredible. She came upon the famous television series, Outlander, and didn’t just travel to Scotland to partake in all its glories. She moved there and opened a travel company where she gives tours of the show’s famous filming locations.
It’s completely changed her life. She’s made scores of friends and loves what she does for a living. She’s even engaged to a British man who proposed to her at Midhope Castle, the childhood home of one of the main characters in the show, Jamie Fraser.
That said, she’s not the only one who’s out there leading tours of our favorite shows. Tours exist for other popular series like Game of Thrones, New Girl, Friends, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Poldark, and Breaking Bad.
Even if you don’t go through a reputable agency, you can arrange a tour for yourself. You can pinpoint the famous spaces you’d like to visit and book Airbnbs as you go. It’ll feel a bit like stepping through the screen and into the lives of those you’ve come to know and love.
House Swapping
With the Christmas season coming to a close, the odds are high that the view counts on The Holiday have increased. Who would’ve thought Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black would make such a delightful foursome?
The house swapping trend has been popular for years and it’s not going anywhere in 2024. And, as the option for remote work holds steady, travelers are well-positioned to nab great deals on extended stays.
Of course, this does require a good chunk of change upfront. But, with platforms like HomeExchange, Twin City, or Kindred, folks can rent out their apartments for a month with ease and enjoy a stroll in someone else’s shoes across the globe.
Gen Z-ers are even taking things a step further by arranging their own adventures with hashtags like #houseswap and #homeswap. But, as you can imagine, that’s a true crime mystery waiting to happen if you don’t proceed with caution and discretion.
Sports Tourism
The 2024 trends report is sure to include one of the most famous cities on earth because the Olympics are taking place in ol’ Paris. If you look forward to the Olympics whenever they come around, then you’ll be thrilled by the buzz that’s about to fill the streets.
You don’t have to arrange Olympian watch parties in your living room next year. You can be a part of the party – and from the streets of Paris, no less.
The worldwise event kicks off in late July and extends all the way through to September. But here’s the most astonishing fact of all: the French are embarking on a €1.4 billion endeavor to clean out the Seine. If all goes well, the public will be able to swim in it for the first time in a century.
Pick an athlete, a team, or a country to root for; pack your bathing suit; and, remember: Paris is always a good idea.
Off Season
There are countless reasons to travel during peak season: the weather is at its prime; you can easily meet fellow travelers; the cities are bustling with life; and all kinds of specials are running.
However, if finances are on your mind, it’s actually better to travel off-season. And plenty of people are starting to agree. Sometimes, this is even referred to as the shoulder season, more than the off season.
European destinations like France, Spain, the UK, and Italy are particular shoulder season favorites. In truth, when you visit these hotspots off-season, you’ll save a buck, have more options available to you, and meet more of the locals.
The pubs aren’t quite as busy; the gift shops aren’t quite as packed; and famous sites like the Coliseum or Westminster Abbey will have a more calming effect on your soul. Private Group Travel
Do you have a favorite YouTuber who organizes group trips for their subscribers and members? There’s Shallon Lester, who organizes group trips with her followers, called the Shallontourage.
Then, there’s Royal News Network, which organizes annual trips for their subscribers through a platform called Trova Trip. It’s a pretty cool concept if you’re looking to make like-minded friendships. You’ll come together with common interests and similar viewpoints, putting the odds in your favor of a trip of a lifetime.
Then, in line with the notion of house swapping, large families and large groups of friends are also opting for private group travel. It’s easier than ever to secure a clean, modern, and safe accommodation through platforms like Airbnb or VRBO.
Families end up with entire homes to themselves, ready to be stocked with food, games, and good times. This can be anything from a grand flat in Paris to a large villa in Tuscany.
Silent Travel
It’s unclear which trend influenced the other, but silent books clubs have been cropping up more and more these days. And, with that, a surge in silent travel has also grown in popularity.
The main sector within this trend is silent meditation retreats. As health and wellness continues to move to the forefronts of our minds, there’s a wonderful continuation of the trend of silent retreats, a la Eat, Pray, Love.
Some of the hotspots in 2024 might include a silent retreat in Portugal or Italy, thanks to platforms like Innate. There are other platforms that arrange beautiful meditation retreats to places like Japan, Finland, and the Arctic Circle – to see the Northern Lights.
If you’re an introvert, or just a quiet soul, you might find it incredibly fulfilling to be surrounded by like-minded people who give each other their space throughout the majority of the trip, but intermittently come together during certain intervals like mealtime.
Wellness Tourism
This trend has a few similarities to silent travel. But, they’re such growing trends, they’re worth repeating. You’ve already witnessed it in your local city, with more vegan and gluten-free restaurants. There are also several non-alcoholic brands hitting the market.
The same is carrying over into the tourist industry in the form of wellness travel trends. Resorts and hotels are focused on healthy eating, wellness brands, eco-tourism, and sustainability.
The restaurants attached to major hotel chains are more likely to offer gluten-free, carb-free, vegan, and alcohol-free cocktails for health-conscious travelers who don't want to ruin their hard-earned lifestyle just for a memorable week.
What Will Be Your Travel Trends in 2024?
What’ll it be? A little eco tourism, wellness tourism, or silent tourism? Whichever one of these travel trends in 2024 strike your fancy, you can rest assured there’s a way to pull it off.
With all the resources at our disposal these days, you can personalize the trip of a lifetime – and perhaps even a new annual tradition. And, when you’re ready to set sail, here are a few tips to ensure your luggage moves along as smoothly as you.
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