With 2024 flowing through its second quarter, some key travel trends are in play, directing the hot list for the year with new styles of globe-trotting. Here are the top five travel insights:
Entertainment Travel
Sports and entertainment travel is going large, as musical tours, like Taylor Swift’s Eras, and huge sports draws, such as the Paris Olympics and UEFA Euro, are now the latest bucket list reasons to go the distance, according to surveys from American Express Travel.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Trips
In the post-pandemic era, once-in-a-lifetime trips have taken on new meaning. People are not waiting another decade or year to go hiking in Antarctica or splurge on a week at that expensive spa retreat with Mom and Grandma. It may mean fewer dinners out or putting a pause on that new car. Traveling while you can is the mantra, which means traveling now, no matter the cost.
Solo Travel
As the world emerged from lockdowns, many travelers had become accustomed to doing what they want, when and where they want, in quiet and solitude—without having to seek agreement from others. According to an American Express survey, three-quarters of millennial and Gen Z travelers hope to take a solo trip in 2024. Ease of planning and ability to create a personalized itinerary are driving factors.
Spontaneous Travel
Days can be spent running the clock, recording every hour’s tasks or route stop with new accounting platforms. So when it comes to travel, it’s the trip that’s spontaneous and free of restraints that beckons consumers to break their digital chains. More than half of travelers surveyed would rather travel without a plan, according to Booking.com, and by adopting AI tools as guides, spontaneous nomads are off and running.
Sustainable Travel
Whether it means glamping, booking a conscientious hotel, going on a volunteer vacation, or choosing destinations that are properly managed, travelers are planning carefully and consciously. According to Expedia, there is now a significant shift toward sustainability, with 90 percent of consumers actively seeking eco-friendly travel options. A fifth of travelers worldwide identify as sustainability “evangelists.”