Travel Trends for 2021

Make way for wanderlust

With suitcases having gathered so much dust over the past year, people are more ready than ever to get out into the world and make new memories. Our inherent desire for curiosity, exploration and a well-deserved break hasn’t gone anywhere, and if anything, after all the missed birthdays and postponed events, has intensified.

According to research by booking.com, travellers reported plans to take a similar number of vacations when restrictions are lifted, as they did before March 2020. Pairing this with a trend towards longer stays leaves an exciting space for travel leaders, designers and retreat hosts to be imaginative with their offerings, ready to welcome a wave of travellers wanting to make up for precious lost time.

A new world of work

The rise in remote work has seen a trend towards longer trips (coined “workations”) that, more often than in previous years, couple work with play. With no shackles to the central city office desk, the travel industry is capitalizing the opportunity to be creative with its long-stay offers – to the extent of offering month-long stays! In other words, laptops are now a luggage staple, and that Wi-Fi connection needs to be faster and more reliable than ever before.

Alongside extending work trips to explore their destination, the new kind of corporate traveller will expect high-tech facilitates and a favourable rate – especially with some companies re-assessing their approach to business trips altogether.

Welcoming wellness and sustainability

After such a long period of time confined to our homes, it’s no surprise many have come to cherish their health alongside recognising the importance of our environment. This is likely to see a warming to wellness-related and eco escapes, with nature, fresh air and outdoor activities being high on the wish list.

Similarly, people are likely to pay attention to the amount of privacy available, hygiene considerations and also their destination’s sustainability credentials, with impact on local communities and the planet playing a greater part in the conscience of many it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.