11 Travel terms & Hospitality industry trends you should know about
Trip stacking to buddymoon, fresh travel ideas post-pandemic has led to the creation of travel glossary 2.0. Are you familiar with it?
1) Revenge travel
People have spent the last two years – and more – cooped up inside homes or severely restricted when it comes to travel. So, when things started opening, people were ready to travel – with a vengeance. Industry observers termed this phenomenon as revenge travel. From domestic to international, travellers are signing up to revenge trips despite stringent Covid testing requirements, fewer flights and risks.
2) Staycation
Also called a holistay, it is defined as a period where families stay at home or in an accommodation close to home, enjoying day trips around the area. Pre-pandemic, staycations had started picking up popularity with eco-conscious travellers. Covid travel restrictions catapulted the trend. Now almost every accommodation provider has a staycation offer on the cards.
3) Buddymoon
Pricey destination weddings are giving way to friends who tag along with couples for their honeymoon. Instead of a big day, smart couples are spending money on a trip they can enjoy with their friends.
4) Slow travel
Eco-conscious travellers are ditching the jet for other environmentally friendly travel options. This means holidaying local – domestic over international, and even a staycation.
5) Workation
Also called Bleisure travel. This is business travel’s new avatar. The concept blends business and leisure travel, i.e. tacking a holiday and even a family vacation at the end of a business trip. This trend is fuelled by more companies offering their employees the “work from anywhere” option, making it easy to combine holiday with work.
For accommodation providers, this is an opportunity to boost weekday bookings. Make sure your offers target this lucrative audience.
6) Maxi breaks
We all got tired of continually working through Covid restrictions, leading to a growing trend of resignations for some out of office time. Some smart agencies around the work are using this sentiment to match like-minded professionals globally, creating for them maxi breaks – or mini sabbaticals – at a destination of their choice.
Often these types of holidays are combined with apprenticeships in the destination of choice.
7) Babymoons
This trend has been popular for some time. However, as with a number of consumer habits that have been reshaped post pandemic, babymoons have now moved from a “nice to have” category to “high priority”. It’s the trend where first-time parents blow out on a great holiday before their little one arrives. Long-haul and late term travel is out for this audience, so target closer to home when inviting babymooners to your property.
8) Social travel
After experiencing the isolation and boredom of lockdown, Gen Z and millennials are expected to set an exciting new trend this year: social travel.
But what is it? If you’re imagining a coach full of young people, excited about exploring a new place and making friends – you’re not far off. But add in the possibility for Nile cruises and yoga retreats in Morocco. Tree top adventures and rainforest lodges. Ski trips with all tickets and accommodation sorted in advance, so travellers can spend more time on excursions with pals, going to events, trying new things, and generally having a jolly good time. Social travel isn’t a destination; it’s an experience.
9) Trip stacking
Another Gen Z and millennial travel trend. Trip stacking helps you ensure your holiday plans don’t fall through because of travel restrictions. You can book a number of trips that offer free refunds or flexible booking. Even if you’ve only got your heart set on one vacation this year, trip stacking allows you to secure your space, whether it be flights or a package holiday, while insulating yourself from the risk of cancellations.
10) Wellness breaks
Destressing and rejuvenation drive wellness seekers on breaks that are generously soaked in relaxation – think spa, infinity pools, healthy food …
While bungy would be just the adrenaline rush some need to overcome stress; it’s not for everyone. And that’s the gap wellness travel fills.
An emerging extension of wellness travel is spiritual travel where people combine pilgrimages with a holiday – both bucket list items for seekers to ticket off.
11) Solo trips
Not quite out of the window, solo trips continue to grow in popularity. Contiki reported that 49% of their bookings in 2022 are booked individually. Solo travellers do look for like-minded travellers on their trips.
Are you geared to make the most of these rising trends? Do your marketing plans attract these travellers? Find out the latest trends that can help you to be up to date here
