new trends in tourism marketing

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Plotting The Next Big Thing: 2024 Travel and Tourism Marketing Trends

By Hayley Corbett

January 6, 2024

2024 offers no shortage of events and trends to reshuffle the travel and tourism marketing landscape. 

From cutting-edge AI and shifting consumer priorities to major events directing tourist flows, this is undoubtedly a year of great change and opportunity. 

As travelers embrace new tools and trends post-pandemic, destination marketing organizations will need to keep pace and capitalize on emerging niches. 

Flexibility, innovation and insight set apart winners as always. 

What trends and tech should define marketing efforts this year? Let’s explore the pivotal changes that separate winning destinations in 2024’s decisive travel environment.

AI Goes Mainstream for Travel and Tourism Marketing in 2024

While just 17% of American travelers tapped AI tools for vacation planning over the past year, that figure is set to skyrocket in 2024. ChatGPT has dominated thus far, cited by 63% of AI-assisted travelers, but new platforms like TripAdvisor are entering the space. 

And with 50% of travelers now open to leveraging AI for future trips, an explosion in adoption looms. Though only 6% used generative tools like ChatGPT in 2023, Expedia forecasts mass acceptance incoming. 

Outside of the apps, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is also using AI to share travel planning by including AI-generated responses right into travelers’ search results. 

For destinations, the implications are immense — 2024 may see swaths of visitors arriving with AI-powered itineraries in hand. To capitalize on this seismic shift, DMOs must ensure prominence on AI platforms, craft specialized travel packages and position themselves as go-to local experts to shape data-driven recommendations. 

The AI-fueled travel surge is inevitable; early movers stand to welcome an influx.

Astrotourism: A Year of Rare Celestial Wonders

Astrotourism, a form of niche tourism centered around stargazing and astronomy, is poised to soar in 2024 as a leading travel trend. With several rare celestial events on the calendar, from vivid meteor showers to an exceptional northern lights display, 2024 marks a banner year for witnessing breathtaking sights in the night sky. 

• Total Solar Eclipse on April 8: The most monumental event is undoubtedly the total solar eclipse on April 8, with the Moon fully obscuring the Sun in a narrow path across parts of Mexico, the central U.S. and Canada. Total solar eclipses occur about every one to two years but are only visible from any given location about once every 400 years, offering a truly singular sight.
• Vibrant Meteor Showers: Several of 2024’s meteor showers may produce incredible shows, especially the Quadrantids in early January and the Perseids in mid-August. With limited moonlight, these have the potential for upwards of 60-100 vivid meteors per hour at peak, an awe-inspiring display.
• Extraordinary Northern Lights: Due to the approaching solar maximum in 2024-2025, scientists anticipate the best northern lights in years during the start of the decade, with their vibrant colors possibly visible farther south than usual under optimal dark sky conditions.

Destinations around the world are leveraging these astronomical phenomena and the rising popularity of astrotourism by offering specialized services such as expert-guided stargazing sessions, bespoke event packages and lavish accommodations tailored to sky-watching. From the salt flats of Botswana to the Adriatic coastline, stargazers can fulfill their celestial dreams in wilderness hideaways or at luxury beach resorts primed for astronomy. 

As travelers increasingly seek restorative, transformational trip experiences, destinations marketing their awe-inspiring night skies and astronomy-focused amenities can tap into this cosmic travel niche in 2024 and beyond.

Election Year Mutes 2024 Travel Spend

The 2024 presidential election cycle casts uncertainty for discretionary travel spend, with historical dips in election years. 

Domestic and international travel still rank as top priorities for high-income households, but shortened planning cycles point to last-minute bookings. DMOs can leverage flexible offers, emphasize value and keep messaging inspiring — yet sensitive — to the political climate. 

Promoting convenient weekend getaways, discounted shoulder season packages and easy full-refund booking can attract hesitant vacationers. While election distractions may mute 2024 travel initially, deploying strategic promotions as votes are counted can help destinations gain market share into 2025. 

Capturing wavering demand just before or after an election makes for savvy marketing.

Wellness Travel to Skyrocket

Fresh off 36% annual growth from 2020-2022, the thriving $651 billion wellness tourism industry is forecast to rapidly accelerate – projected to reach a soaring $1.4 trillion value by 2027. 

As personal health, self-care and mental health become indispensable to travelers planning 2024 getaways, quality sleep will take center stage. Destinations should highlight specialized programming like multi-day sleep optimization retreats, mindful meditation and partner with hospitality brands offering amenities to aid sleep health. Blackout shades, pillow menus and Sleep Concierges are just the start. 

Marketing efforts should also showcase nature excursions, yoga sessions, spa treatments and other local wellness offerings. Catering to this high-value niche with personalized, restorative experiences taps into its meteoric post-pandemic rise. 

With wellness tourism showing no signs of slowing its explosive expansion, destinations that promote transformative sleep and overall well-being are poised to gain happy, healthy visitors and significant revenue. Early movers stand to win big.

Gig Tripping Hits the Road 

Gig tripping, traveling specifically for concert tours and festivals, is skyrocketing thanks to major 2024 world tours like The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Bad Bunny. 

With 44% of US travelers willing to fly short-haul and 18% long-haul to see artists abroad according to Skyscanner , often for ticket savings, gig tripping has mass appeal. Destinations can create targeted campaigns spotlighting the exact performances, highlighting discounted accommodation and transport packages bundled with tickets. Tailored festival sponsorship opportunities also hold potential. 

Similar to the rise of bleisure travel , extending gig tripping beyond concerts to emphasize broader local music culture and unique destination amenities, could further attract ideal travelers. 

As tens of millions combine live shows with tourism in 2024, destinations leveraging their music scenes have a stage to draw substantial new visitors and revenue.

‘Dupes’ Drive a Sustainable Shift

The TikTok-famed concept of substitute “dupes” is steering 2024 travel away from over-visited hotspots and toward fresh discoveries. 

Expedia uncovered major flight search spikes for unexpected alternatives to popular destinations. These changes are signals of travelers moving from packed bucket-list locales to lesser-known gems offering similar amenities for less. 

• Taipei, Taiwan for Seoul, South Korea (+2,786%)
• Pattaya, Thailand for Bangkok, Thailand (+249%)
• Paros, Greece for Santorini, Greece (+193%)
• Curaçao for St. Martin (+185%)
• Perth, Australia for Sydney, Australia (+109%)

Dupe Destinations also aid sustainability by redirecting tourists from saturated destinations to places with capacity for more visitors. 

DMOs have a pivotal role to play by spotlighting their regions as affordable, crowd-free alternatives. Tailored marketing that draws parallels to beloved but maxed-out destinations, like emphasizing Pattaya’s vibrant culture or Paros’ azure waters, will entice tourists as it does in their related destinations. Packages pairing discounted flights with small distinctive hotels can also tap the trend. As “dupes” gain steam for underrated authenticity and value, destinations creatively positioned as the next hot-yet-hidden spot will win big. 

Capturing this wave early helps disadvantaged places by distributing travelers and dollars sustainably.

Foodies Hungry for Flavor

For many globetrotters, it’s the flavors that leave the most lasting memories. According to Amex, 81% eagerly anticipate trying local cuisine above all else when traveling . Culinary adventures satisfy more than just taste buds – they offer a tasty window into regional cultures.

Whether it’s slurping hand-pulled noodles in Shanghai, nibbling sweet French macarons by the Eiffel Tower, or gingerly biting into a scorching hot Carolina Reaper pepper grown by chiliheads in New Mexico, iconic bites crystallize a place in our minds.

Street markets promise adventure, chaos and discovery, too. Travelers can lose themselves amid Marrakesh’s Djemaa el Fna’s thrills or Seattle’s lively Pike Place Market sights and smells. From steaming skewers to towering fruit stacks, iconic markets can feed minds as well as stomachs.

In 2024, increasingly motivated by cuisine, 50% of U.S. travelers will select vacations based on iconic restaurants or food festivals alone. Destinations can spotlight signature dishes, interactive cooking classes, once-in-a-lifetime Michelin-starred dining and quirky food experiences to transform menus into travel brochures. Satisfying appetites for authentic flavor promises delicious returns.

Seize The Moment

As forces reshape travel in 2024, the key becomes responding strategically to ride this wave of change. 

By harnessing engaging content and innovative campaigns, spotlight the competitive edges that set your destination apart. Target emerging niches and embrace new technologies, not just to keep pace with shifting demands, but to redefine them. 

More than ever, position your DMO not just as the ‘go-to local experts,’ but as the heart of a collaborative network that pulsates with the passion and energy of your local community. This is more than adaptation; it’s about crafting the future of travel, one inspired step at a time.

Our team at Noble Studios lives at the intersection of creative digital performance marketing. We can help you gain an edge amid 2024’s pivotal developments. 

Let’s connect to craft tailored strategies for your destination to flourish today and tomorrow.

Hayley Corbett

Associate Director, Client Experience

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8 good tourism trends for 2024.

• January 2, 2024
• No Comments

The future of tourism in 2024

The start of a new year is a great time to look towards the future. What’s happening and what’s changing? What are the most relevant trends and which ones are worth following?

The travel industry is thriving after the pandemic and exciting trends and developments are on the way. In this article you’ll find a selection of 8 trends that we believe are here to stay and are worth tapping into as a travel business.

8 key good tourism trends in 2024

To help you achieve a successful year, we listed 8 key good tourism trends that we find worth following. Be inspired and informed on how to respond and benefit.

In this article

• Cool weather summer vacations
• Increased growth for shoulder seasons
• Low-carbon adventure travel
• Long distance train travel
• Culinary tourism
• Passion focused niche travel
• Responsible revenge travel

Good tourism trends in 2023

Good tourism trends in 2022, trend 1: cool weather summer vacations.

The most popular destinations for the summer holiday were mainly those where the sun was shining brightest. In Europe, travellers would usually travel south to visit Spain, France, Greece and Italy and enjoy the Mediterranean climate. However, with the rising temperatures caused by climate change, we’ve seen extreme hot weather with temperatures rising over 40 degrees (104 °F). Resulting in a boiling hot summer in Europe but also in North America and China.

Travellers now think twice about visiting the same areas and are looking for summer destinations with moderate weather. In Europe, Northern destinations such as Norway, Finland and Iceland are gaining popularity. Also, in other parts of the world travellers are looking for cool weather summer vacations. In the US, they are promoting summer destinations with an average temperature of 80 °F (26 degrees).

How to respond to this trend

If you have the opportunity to expand to more destinations, focus on those that have cooler weather in the summer season and promote the benefits to your customers. This is also your chance to explore new destinations. Make sure to not simply follow the competition but to look closely at what fits your business and ideal customer best.

Travelling in shoulder seasons has many advantages for travellers.

Trend 2: Increased growth for shoulder seasons

Very much linked to the rising temperatures worldwide, there is an increased growth for travelling in the shoulder seasons, off-peak season. Instead of visiting destinations in their high seasons, travellers are looking to travel off-season more and more. Destinations that are usually in high demand in the high season are now gaining momentum for the shoulder seasons. The months before and after the peak.

Travelling in shoulder seasons has many advantages for travellers. Besides avoiding the extreme heat that some destinations experience in high season, they’ll also escape the crowds of tourists flooding every city, beach and landmark. And on top of this, the shoulder seasons are cheaper to travel in.

To follow this development and encourage your travellers to travel in shoulder and low season , you need to start adapting your itineraries. Develop brand new itineraries specifically for these shoulder seasons and excite your travellers for travelling off-season.

Read our article: “How to develop low-season travel experiences”

Trend 3: Low-carbon adventure travel

Now that more travellers opt for cooler summer destinations there is a growing increase in low-carbon adventure travel. These destinations are perfect for spending more time outdoors and enjoying nature . The global adventure tourism market size is projected to reach $2 trillion by 2032 and is expected to continue to grow steadily!

With the increase of awareness of climate change, there is also a growing focus to reduce emissions while travelling. Travellers seek more immersive travel experiences that don’t produce emissions while being outdoors. Low carbon adventure travel experiences are the answer, where travellers engage in outdoor adventure experiences, but without the emissions.

Great examples of low-carbon adventures are:

• Mountain climbing
• Paddleboarding
• Rock climbing
• Scuba diving

Adventure travel experiences have always been popular, and they are in high demand from travellers in varied travel segments. Focus on adding more low-carbon adventure experiences to your itineraries. Thereby, reduce emissions in existing travel products to respond to this trend and also look into develop new low-carbon adventure experiences.

Read our article “Benefits of carbon-free travel experiences”

70% of travellers are craving a sense of calm and relaxation on their trips in 2024.

Trend 4: Calmcation

According to a study by Campspot , 70% of travellers are craving a sense of calm and relaxation on their trips in 2024. Travellers are feeling stressed in the post-pandemic phase and with the unpredictable global economic landscape, people are looking for a way to truly unwind. Calmcations have emerged as the ideal solution, offering a break away from complexities and uncertainties of daily life.

Travellers are looking for experiences closer to home, more affordable and immersed in nature. This means that in 2024, we’re back to nature driven travel but with a comfortable twist. Not only the committed camper is interested, so are many other travellers. They’re looking for beautiful destinations with facilities for a comfortable outdoor experience. Camping trips in nature where they can breath in fresh air, enjoy amazing views, and water-themed.

Travellers are looking for nature driven travel, but with a comfortable twist. Depending on your ideal target group , offer (luxurious) camping adventures combined with low-carbon travel experiences. Besides tents, cabins and ecolodges also fit well into this trend. Focus on developing experiences or complete holidays that allow travellers to take a break from their own life and reconnect and enjoy nature.

Trend 5: Long distance train travel

Rail travel is predicted to be one of the fastest growing travel categories worldwide in 2024. With a new wave of rail lines, itineraries and new train travel booking platforms, there is a growing demand for long distance and luxury train travel. According to the Euromonitor’s travel survey , one third (33%) of travellers prefer alternatives to air travel such as rail for their trips. There is a growing climate consciousness of both travellers as travel businesses, looking to travel more responsibly.

In Europe, new connections are being announced and it’s more attractive than ever to hop on a nightjet train to comfortably explore European cities such as Berlin and Prague or to Alpine ski resorts for a winter holiday. In Asia, the Eastern & Oriental Express is making a comeback in February and let’s not forget about the extensive rail network in Japan, India and Canada. With more and more rail lines (re)opening, train travel is the solution for those that want to traveller slower, travel off the beaten path and reduce their emissions.

Train travel is more popular than ever among travellers so make sure to follow this trend. You can offer train travel as main transport mode to replace flights and reduce emissions or include train travel as a local mode of transport in the destination. You can also offer complete railway itineraries where the experience is the train ride, and not just the mode of transport.

Trend 6: Culinary tourism

For many people, food is one of the main reasons for travelling somewhere. Travellers are eager to explore a destination through its restaurants, farms, traditional ingredients and local dishes. Trends observed for next year are travelling with chefs, unpretentious wine-tasting and dining with locals. Travellers not only want to eat locally during their trip, but they also want to cook and eat with locals.

According to Food & Wine , there is also an increase in Foodie Field trips, where travellers have the opportunity to participate in classes such as bread baking and coffee roasting.

Social media also has a large influence on this trend, especially on younger travellers. Influencers are highlighting certain destinations and restaurants with special food that people will want to taste, sometimes even resulting in the so-called TikTok queues.

As we mentioned, food is one of the main reasons for travelling somewhere. Review your existing (or new) destinations and highlight the food experiences. What’s the destination known culinarily and what’s there to explore? Include local food experiences such as cooking classes and ensure the traveller actively participates in the food scene.

Looking to have your travellers explore the local cuisine? Social enterprise Resirest connects local families and travellers in food experiences. They empower local families long-term, while providing travellers with a unique, cultural and local food experience.

Trend 7: Passion focused niche travel

Culinary tourism is a very specific trend, based on the travellers passion for culinary experiences. In 2024, passion focused niche travel is booming. We’ve already seen that travellers are choosing experiences over specific destinations, and this year they’re more passion-led than ever. Passion focused travel is all about customisiation and personalisation based on your ideal customers.

The better you know your customer, the more insights you have in their passions and travel wishes. The thing with passion focused travel is that it’s very niche specific. It’s about being hyper-focused on what desires travellers have in experiencing and developing new itineraries around it.

Examples of passion focused niche travel:

• Passion for horses: spending a week in the African bush on horse-back
• Passion for dinosaurs: visiting dinosaur museums and learning about their history
• Passion for wine: touring a wine area, tasting and learning about the process
• Passion for birds: visiting designated areas to go bird spotting with experts

To actively follow this trend, you need to have in-depth insights in your ideal customer. Tailoring your travel experiences to their passions or even creating entirely new products for them, requires you to know their passions. Dig deep into your buyer-persona and determine the best combination of passion, destination and experience and turn this into a passion focused niche experience.

Read our article “How to identify your buyer persona”

This year, we’re looking at responsible revenge travel.

Trend 8: Responsible revenge travel

Revenge travel is a trend from last year and it’s the type of travel where people make up for missed adventures due to the pandemic. These trips are often fast-paced, bucket-list-ticking trips and focused on travelling as much as possible. It’s leaving travellers exhausted, they’re not truly connecting to a destination and are not taking sustainability into account that much.

This year, we’re looking at responsible revenge travel. Travellers are still looking to explore the world and make up for the time it was impossible to travel. But they’re doing it more consciously. They’re looking to travel to cool(er) weather destinations, travel in the shoulder seasons, go on low-carbon adventures, spend time outdoors calmcationing, travel by train, enjoy the local cuisine and simply love travel!

Travellers are looking for ‘the experience of a lifetime’ trip and grand adventures, but in a responsible way. Make sure to develop and promote travel itineraries that maximise positive impact and have travellers use their money as a force for good. Lead them off the beaten path, support the locals, celebrate local culture, ensure animal welfare , protect nature and reduce emissions.

Read our practical Good Tourism guide

What does your future look like?

We’re excited for the coming year and looking at the trends, there are great sustainable developments taking place. When responding to the good tourism trends, make sure to always apply the principles of people, planet and profit. Follow trends, improve your travel experiences and grow your business; but focus on creating positive impact.

Don’t forget that trends can also be combined. Think about low-carbon adventures or culinary tourism in shoulder season or calmcations in cool weather destinations. Be creative and use these developments to stand out from the competition, distinguish your travel experiences and be on your way towards travel success. Travel is a force for good, maximise its impact!

2023 was our second year we published an article with trends for the future of tourism. Are you interested to see if our predictions came true? Read our 8 key good tourism trends for 2023 below.

• Good tourism
• Excellent customer experience
• Strong online visibility
• Outdoor nature experiences
• Travelling off-season
• Remote working
• Local travel market
• Spontaneous travel

Trend 1: Good tourism

Travellers are looking for experiences that benefit the destination they’re travelling to. Good tourism is the concept of creating positive impact on people and planet, while offering great travel experiences.

This has always been a movement, but travel behaviour has shown it’s becoming more important. Travellers are looking to:

• Reduce their negative environmental impact
• Support local economies
• Support local cultures and communities
• Visit lesser-known destinations
• Contribute to nature and wildlife protection
• Reduce their carbon footprint

“90% of consumers look for sustainable options when travelling” – Expedia Group

Trend 2: Excellent customer experience

Travellers expect a personal and efficient customer experience (CX) at all times. They judge every interaction they have with your business and each of these interactions are evaluated. From the first up until the last contact moment, businesses and employees need to be on their best behaviour. Both offline and online.

The expectations of excellent customer experiences (CX) are changing , and loyalty and speed are more important than ever. So, it’s key you know what you stand for, and who you want to attract and to offer fast and personalised services.

“Being able to serve relevant information at the right moment in the customer journey often determines success” – Evolv Al

Trend 3: Strong online visibility

Travellers spend a significant time online searching for travel inspiration and tips. They’re absolutely doing so again in 2023. The importance of being visible online is still growing every year. We’re expecting for video to take over even more (look at the rise of TikTok).

With these travellers going online to find their next dream destination you need to be prepared. Make sure to have a fast and user-friendly website , your Google Business profile up to date, focus on content marketing , be active on social media channels where your target group is active and don’t underestimate influencer marketing .

Trend 4: Outdoor nature experiences

Travellers are looking to experience and explore the outdoors more often. The pandemic has made a lot of people realise how much they love the outdoors and how much they appreciate it. Travellers want to go out, breathe in fresh air and go back to basic . Think about multi-day trekking or camping trips.

Important to remember when looking at this growth in outdoor nature experiences, is to always develop travel experiences that are good for the planet too. Therefore, focus on carbon-free travel experiences where possible to truly connect travellers with nature.

Trend 5: Travelling off-season

Travellers are looking to avoid crowds and overtourism and go for a different experience instead. Travelling off-season is cheaper due to less demand, there are less people around so no crowds, and travellers are able to experience a completely different side and feeling of the destination.

Trend 6: Remote working

Travellers realised they can make the world their office and work remotely. The ‘work from anywhere’ trend has changed the tourism industry. The number of remote workers is growing rapidly and opening a new market for long-stays. Remote workers are usually very flexible, travelling to new destinations to work while exploring new surroundings.

The interesting factor here is that remote workers don’t need 24/7 entertainment while travelling. They’re working after all. What they are looking for, is a structure or plan of how to travel, where to stay and where to (co-)work.

Trend 7: Local travel market

Travellers have the desire to stay closer to home for ease, comfort, and local connection. Again, pandemic times have shown them there is a lot to explore close to home. They’ll be exploring lesser-known cities, going to the highlights they ignored before or rewinding in their own unexplored nature.

Be aware that people staying in their own country are looking for different experiences. This means they won’t be triggered by the same marketing messages you’re sharing to attract inbound travellers. Adapt your marketing efforts to their needs to ensure interest and bookings from locals.

Trend 8: Spontaneous travel

Travellers want to turn their ideas into travel plans quickly, easily, and last-minute. Planning proved to be difficult and unpredictable during pandemic times. People got used to not making plans at all or making them very last-minute.

They’ll most likely continue this behaviour and decide when and where to travel only shortly before departure. As a tour operator, you can expect more last-minute bookings and also less time between travel request and booking.

2022 was the first year we published an article with trends for the future of tourism. Are you interested to see if our predictions came true? Read our 6 key good tourism trends for 2022 below.

• Online preparation
• Loyal customers
• Philantourism
• Minimum carbon footprint
• Continued care for health and safety
• Experience of a lifetime

Trend 1: Online preparation

According to Google research, travellers who took a large trip in 2021 spent over 70% of their time researching their trip online. It’s expected this will grow in 2022 as well. When travellers are spending this much time online, they’re searching for inspiration, tips, and companies to book their trips with.

How to respond

You can respond this trend by being visible online. Invest time in your online marketing strategy. Make sure your website is found by those researching their next trip. You can achieve this through content marketing. This strategy helps you give potential customers what they are looking for, while they are actively searching for it. This means creating content, such as blogs, photos and videos about your business and everything you offer.

Also make sure to be active on social media for online brand visibility but also to convert followers to clients .

Trend 2: Loyal customers

It’s predicted that in the coming years, travellers will look to remain loyal to brands and businesses that align with their values. Brands that care for the planet and who contribute to a better world. If travellers found a brand they love, they’ll choose to come back again instead of searching for something else.

Earning customer loyalty is not something you can do overnight. Key is to make sure to know and communicate your own value. How can travellers align if you are not certain about yours? Also focus on increasing your customer value. There are no real shortcuts or easy ways to stimulate loyalty. You have to work hard and earn it, as creating loyal customers requires care and devotion.

Lastly, also (re)connect with your customers via email marketing to keep on top of their mind. You’ll benefit from this as soon as they’ll start travelling again.

Trend 3. Philantourism

Philantourism is a trend that originated in COVID-19 times and is a natural evolution of volunteer tourism. It’s tourism where travellers choose off the beaten track destinations to spend their free time and their money. Specifically in those destinations that need it the most. They don’t commit to projects locally, but simply spend their money to benefit the local economy .

Both you as a tour operator and your customers are important for this trend. For tour operators, it’s important to offer trips and travel experiences to lesser-known destinations and create itineraries that support the local economy. You can also increase your impact by developing community-based tourism .

For travellers, it’s important they know where to go and how they can best support the local economy. Do this by adding tips for local restaurants and shops to your itineraries and traveller communication . This stimulates travellers to go out and spend locally!

Trend 4. Minimum carbon footprint

This is already a very familiar trend to most tour operators, but now it’s also a growing factor for travellers. According to research by Ipsos, 50% of travellers claim that carbon emissions and offset options are worth considering when booking a new trip.

First, it’s important to take the goal of a low(er) carbon footprint seriously. Sign the Glasgow declaration and start reducing your emissions. In your office but also in the trips and experiences you develop. Offer destinations closer to home and include train travel. Also focus on slow travel and add carbon-free travel experiences. Hiking, biking, sailing, and kayaking are popular and allow travellers to experience the destination to the fullest.

Thereby, also provide your customers with the option to compensate their trip. Be transparent in your calculations and offsetting program or partner.

Trend 5. Continued care for health and safety

Not surprisingly, research continues to show that health and safety measures regarding COVID-19 make travellers feel safer. Travellers search online for the specific regulations and measures companies take to provide a safe experience. They expect their well-being to be top priority throughout their trip.

COVID-19 is here to stay, at least for now. Most importantly is that you take responsibility for the health and safety of your customers. Update your company health and safety protocol where relevant. And clearly communicate the safety regulations to your customers. Be clear and positive about what’s possible in the destinations you offer. But also manage expectations and prepare customers for changes.

Additionally, also make sure to have fair and flexible cancellation policy available. (Potential) customers require transparency and honesty.

Trend 6. Experience of a lifetime

Flowing from two years of COVID-19, lockdowns and travel restrictions all over the world, travellers are looking for “the experience of a lifetime” trips. They realised they don’t want to postpone their bucket list trips and are looking for grand adventures for when they can finally travel again.

Offer travellers the experience of a lifetime by creating new (and longer) itineraries with the highlights of the destination. Create trips that make travellers travel slower and experience the destination to the fullest. Don’t forget that a highlights trip does not necessarily mean including the most famous tourist attractions. Surprise your customers by going off the beaten track and to offer them something special.

For the best tailored experience, make it easy for travellers to add smaller packages to extend their trip. For example, a few days relaxing on the beach or a mountain trekking .

Keep in mind that not all trends (in this article and overall) are fully relevant for every tour operator. Select those trends that support you in your journey towards the future of tourism. Keep close to your mission and USPs and focus on the trends that make you better in business.

Your business development is subject to the (local) circumstances, niche market , target group and your preferences. Be in charge of your own future but remain open for outside inspiration and influences.

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Top Tourism Marketing Trends That Will Shape the Travel Industry in 2024

• December 15, 2023

The world of tourism is an incredibly dynamic and growing sector. In recent months, market trends in the tourism industry have experienced important changes and are still constantly adapting to the growing needs and demands of worldwide customers. 

In this article, we will have a look at the top tourism trends that are set to define 2024 and beyond to help successfully increase your bookings on a long-term basis. 

The Importance of Understanding Tourism Trends

Digitalisation has had an immense influence on the industry in the past years, and the importance of online travel markets is growing every day. More people are travelling internationally again, and by the end of this year, it is expected to be close to 90% of how things were before the pandemic. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) tells us that from January to September 2023, around 975 million tourists visited other countries. That’s a big increase of 38% compared to the same period in 2022.

This is why understanding and adapting to market trends in the tourism industry is truly vital to reach your desired audiences. As the expectations of customers are continuously increasing, It is absolutely necessary to stay ahead of emerging tendencies and already guide your digital marketing into the future to be prepared in the best way possible.

Tourism Customer Journey

When it comes to marketing in travel and tourism, the customer journey leads its way through inspiration, consideration, decision-making, booking and the post-trip reflection. That means that the customers are involved in various touchpoints during the whole process.

• Inspiration: This stage serves as the initial information-seeking phase where potential travellers explore ideas and information to ignite their interest
• Consideration: In this phase, individuals intensely assess various options, carefully weighing different factors such as destinations, activities and accommodations
• Decision-Making: Customers narrow down choices and make the final decision on their travel plans during this critical phase
• Booking: The pivotal point where customers commit to specific travel arrangements
• Post-trip Reflection: The final stage where travellers share their experiences and memories after the trip, offering an additional window for engagement

Every step of this journey is an explicit opportunity for digital marketing to leave a lasting impact. To be able to successfully respond to every step, it is essential to understand your customer and their needs and to target marketing efforts in a way that resonates with their expectations.

Given the complexity of the tourism customer journey, properly implemented digital marketing activities become even more essential. This is crucial to effectively connect with the travellers who are actively seeking to book their upcoming holiday with your brand. 

Some of the upcoming tourism digital marketing trends that will grow even more in 2024 are…

Automation and Personalisation Take Center Stage

It is no surprise that in 2024, automated processes are one of the leading trends in tourism marketing as the digitalisation of the sector is moving forward and constantly adding more positive value to the efficiency and faster bookings. Next to automation, another tourism trend of the upcoming year is definitely personalisation. You will find no way past ensuring that you personalise and tailor the interests and behaviours of the customers in your marketing and advertising by creating relevant content for every user type. Customers nowadays want new and different content and inspiration ideas that make them feel unique. They also put quite high expectations on the possibility of the business to adapt quickly to their wishes and needs. 

For example, Hilton Hotels & Resorts made personalisation one of its main strengths by specialising on individual customer values and analysing their specific preferences and past behaviours . It ranges from loyalty programs which give loyal guests personalised benefits with tailored email content to advertising campaigns that catch potential customers in the right moments of their dreaming phase.

Content Gets Even More Mobile-Friendly

As automated processes have generated a rise in bookings over smartphone apps, mobile marketing gains even more importance in travel and tourism trends of 2024. Smartphones are present in nearly every life situation and make it easy for customers to search for inspiration or even give reviews at home, in the bus or park. According to Condor Ferries , mobile sales have risen from 36% to almost 50% when compared to desktop or laptop sales, accounting for nearly half of all digital travel sales. Additionally, 70% of travellers now prefer to use their smartphones for researching travel information . That means that mobile-friendly content combined with responsive web design and mobile app for your service will give you a huge advantage in marketing and targeting the right customers. 

Hostelworld is a great example of a successful mobile-friendly appearance as they adapted their content and marketing precisely to their target audience. The free Hostelworld app compacts some special and useful features which make it possible to look for inspiration, learn about the place you are planning to go, book your hostel, book tours and activities, give a review afterwards and even chat with other travellers. 

Applications of Virtual Reality in Travel and Tourism Trends

Nowadays, once-in-a-lifetime experiences are what travellers are looking for. By incorporating the newest digital tourism trends into your marketing, you can change people’s ways of experiencing travel and give them a special involvement which they will never forget.

One of the (still very new) technological tools with a potential to develop into a great marketing gem over the next few years is virtual reality and its ability to generate virtual tours of a desired destination or accommodation. By making it possible for customers to see and experience the location before booking it , VR is able to provide your audience with a safer and more familiar feeling during the pivotal decision-making process.

Elevating Tourism Sector with User-Generated Content

User-Generated Content (UGC) is one of those trends in tourism marketing that can have an incredibly huge influence on travel decisions of your potential customers. Ranging from social media posts to exceptional reviews, a great UGC strategy engages with your customers by posting pictures and videos and sharing their travel experiences in a way that gives your business an authentic and trustworthy profile. 

Especially for destination management organisations, UGC is a perfect way to reach new customers and elevate online visibility. For example, Visit Brisbane, the official destination management brand of the Australian city of Brisbane, is setting a successful example with their social media account, where they encourage travellers to post their photos and videos of their Brisbane experience with the hashtag #visitbrisbane. Statistics suggest that they collect thousands of new leads and Instagram followers, effectively catching the attention of their targeted audience.

Synergising Local SEO with Emerging Tourism Marketing Trends

When it comes to everlasting trends in tourism marketing, nothing is more essential to your business than appearing in the top search results after people type their dream travel destinations. But the ultimate goal of an effective Local SEO strategy is not only to secure a prime spot in search results, but also to drive substantial website traffic. By optimising for local search terms and incorporating location-specific keywords, tourism businesses can attract potential customers who are actively seeking services in their geographical area. This targeted approach ensures that the business is prominently featured when travellers are exploring destinations or accommodations, increasing the likelihood of capturing their attention and, ultimately, securing their business.

Key Takeaways

Staying attuned to these evolving tourism trends and integrating them into marketing strategies is essential for tourism businesses to properly navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. As an international agency specialising in the travel sector, we understand the intricate dynamics of this industry and how to successfully dominate SERP for top holiday destinations .  

While digitalisation has certainly enhanced travel experiences, it is still important to nurture unique and personalised connections with your customers. This balanced approach ensures that your business not only keeps pace with market trends in the tourism industry but also maintains the essential human touch that resonates with travellers of the future.

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Experiences refined for people

The Top 12 Travel Marketing Trends Defining 2024

Erik Stubenvoll

Wanderlust is revitalizing the travel industry.

Amidst this boom,  travel advertisers rebounded with post-pandemic vigor, boosting ad spending by 15% in 2023 over the previous year.

Explore these 12 travel marketing trends that illustrate an industry recovering and reimagining its future.

1. Alternative ID-free targeting methods are surging in the new cookieless advertising era

With increasing concerns over privacy and Third-Party cookies’ impending phase-out , travel marketers must rely more on alternative methods like First- and Second-Party data, contextual marketing, cross-device audience targeting, and more.

Below are the top targeting strategies you’ll see to in response to this cookieless trend:

1.  First-Party Data

First-Party (1P) data , collected directly from customer interactions, is now the gold standard in travel advertising. This includes data collected through direct interactions, like website visits, app usage, customer feedback, and booking histories. 

Travel brands use this data to understand where and how their core customers interact with digital marketing placements.

2. ID-Free Artificial Intelligence (AI) & First-Party

ID-free targeting combines AI with First-Party data to analyze anonymous digital journey patterns, creating a map to identify the actions of similar website visitors. 

Advertisers can tailor their model using their own First-Party data to forecast and choose impression opportunities.

3. Second-Party Data

Collaborating with trusted partners to use Second-Party data involves collecting data through deterministic processes like login IDs, providing a more accurate and scalable way to target specific audience segments.

4. Contextual Marketing

Contextual marketing targets ads based on the content currently being viewed by users, replacing the need for Third-Party data.

Contextual marketing matches ads with the user’s current interests and the webpage’s theme, enhancing relevance and audience engagement.

AI-powered contextual marketing analyzes audience actions in real time to identify engagement patterns, enabling brands to target similar content to new audiences at optimal moments.

Travel marketers should explore and implement cookieless solutions, experimenting with strategies that best align with their brand and audience to stay ahead this year.

💡 The Takeaway

Travel marketers must adopt cookieless targeting strategies like First- and Second-Party data, ID-free AI, and contextual marketing to achieve precise, privacy-compliant audience engagement.

2. Sports tourism is very popular amid the Paris Olympics & other big events

Sports tourism will continue to surge in 2024, fueled by high-profile events like the Paris Summer Olympics , the FIFA World Cup , March Madness , and the Super Bowl , where tourists book travel tickets at least a year in advance.

The appeal of sports tourism is growing due to new tournaments and a rise in women’s sports participation, including events like the Women’s Big Bash League and the women’s edition of the Indian Premier League.

Increased government funding, initiatives to promote sports tourism, and a rise in young athletes are also major influences.

Travel marketers can take full advantage of this surge by integrating strategies, such as advanced TV advertising strategies like Connected TV (CTV) and Picture-in-Picture (PiP) (a type of interactive CTV) advertising , as well as advertising on Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels.

PiP allows viewers to watch live sports and other content, allowing travel brands to present appealing packages during these events.

Sports tourism’s rising popularity, driven by major events like the Paris Olympics and increased women’s sports participation, presents a significant opportunity to use advanced advertising strategies and tap into this growing market.

3. Video content to expand target audiences & enhance website traffic

Integrating traditional blog posts with concise, visually engaging video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram greatly enhances a brand’s reach and website traffic potential.

TikTok’s user growth–approximately eight new users every second –highlights video content’s potential to reach a broad audience. This trend isn’t lost on travel companies, which they use to engage customers better.

Video content for travel marketing serves multiple purposes:

• Sharing Holiday Experiences: Travel companies use videos to give potential customers a glimpse of the experiences that await them, making these destinations more tangible and inviting.
• Highlighting Destination Information: Videos provide a dynamic way to showcase the attractions and uniqueness of a country or destination, offering viewers a virtual tour that text alone cannot match.
• Presenting Activities and Experiences: Through video, travel brands can vividly depict the range of activities available at a destination, from adventurous excursions to relaxing retreats, engaging viewers with the possibilities.
• Conveying the Destination’s Essence: Videos enable travel companies to capture and convey the essence of a destination – its culture, scenery, and atmosphere – creating a compelling narrative that draws viewers in.

Online video (OLV) and Connected TV (CTV) have also opened new avenues for reaching families and larger audiences, especially using cross-device targeting.

For example, a family watching a Royal Caribbean cruise ad on CTV is later targeted with personalized smartphone follow-up offers, enhancing engagement and allowing travel marketers to track the ad’s effectiveness across multiple platforms.

💡 The Takeaway Integrating visually engaging video content, such as on TikTok and Instagram, alongside traditional blog posts can significantly expand a travel brand’s reach and website traffic potential, engaging viewers with immersive storytelling.

4. TikTok emerges as a modern travel guide to engage younger audiences

TikTok has transformed travel guides, with videos replacing traditional blog posts as the go-to source for travel inspiration and information.

Since 2021, TikTok has seen a staggering 410% increase in views of travel content, with 71% of European users likely to book a holiday based on TikTok recommendations. 

🌴 TikTok Made Me Travel There 83% of Spanish users would consider a travel product or activity after seeing it on TikTok.

TikTok’s community craves content that stirs wanderlust, showcasing unique destinations and experiences.

TikTok’s findings on the top travel content for 2023.

Travel brands should align their content strategy with the top emerging TikTok travel trends and user preferences, such as:

• Luxury Travel: Many users discover affordable luxury destinations on TikTok, increasing interest in these experiences. Brands should showcase any luxury options.
• Domestic Travel: As travel preferences shift towards more local experiences, brands should highlight unique local travel experiences.
• Sustainable Travel: Sustainability is a growing concern among TikTok users, with hashtags like #SustainableTravel and #EcoTourism drawing millions of views. Travel brands should promote eco-friendly and sustainable travel options.

Adapting to these trends, travel brands can inspire, engage, and connect with a travel-enthusiastic audience.

TikTok is a prime platform for travel inspiration and recommendations. Travel brands should align their content with emerging TikTok travel trends like luxury, domestic, and sustainable travel to engage younger audiences effectively.

5. Influencer marketing is a resurgent force, especially on TikTok

According to a MediaRadar report, as major travel categories (e.g., airlines, lodging, rental car companies) ramp up their marketing efforts, a substantial portion of their budgets is allocated to partnerships with creators and influencers.

Influencers, with their large followings and ability to generate authentic content, offer a personal touch and a sense of trust that traditional advertising channels often can’t match. 

Local influencers help draw their following to restaurants and other locations in the area.

@gracietravels i bet you didnt know about these! 🫣 ✈️ #travelhacks #traveltiktok #travelfyp #travellife #traveltips #travelhack #traveltok ♬ original sound – grace | TravelCreator✨

Gracietravels shares helpful dos and don’ts for various exotic locations.

As travel marketing continues to surge, much of marketing spending will likely go to creator partnerships, increasing total influencer marketing spending.

Influencer marketing is returning, particularly on TikTok, with significant budgets allocated by major travel categories for partnerships with creators who offer authentic and trustworthy content.

6. Eco-tourism is a rising star, especially among younger travelers 

Ecotourism focuses on travel experiences that preserve and sustain natural environments while improving the welfare of local populations.

A lust for more outdoor travel experiences, urbanization, and affordable flight availability primarily drives ecotourism’s popularity. Generation Y (millennials) dominates ecotourism, with 60% of the share and spending $200 billion on travel.

For example, #SustainableTravel boast s 78.1 million views, and #EcoTourism garnered 72M views on TikTok.

Booking.com found that 76% of survey respondents planned to travel greener, up 15% from 2021. 55% of travelers seek off-the-grid vacations for escapism, with 44% preferring simpler travel experiences.

Hotels are increasingly committing to go carbon-neutral by 2050 or earlier to appeal to eco-conscious travelers. The Brutalist-style Hotel Marcel Hilton in Connecticut is the first net-zero carbon emissions hotel in the United States.

Travel marketers can tap into these younger generational and eco-conscious segments by focusing on eco-friendly and unique travel experiences in their campaigns.

Ecotourism is on the rise, driven by the popularity of outdoor travel experiences and younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z. Travel marketers can cater to eco-conscious travelers by highlighting sustainable initiatives.

7. Virtual reality offers virtual tourism opportunities

As VR technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, it opens up new opportunities for consumers and advertisers.

Innovative services like Discover Live and Wowzitude , are offering interactive virtual vacation tours, allowing users to experience destinations before they decide to visit them in person.

Companies like Meta are enhancing the VR experience, with products like the Oculus headset offering virtual tours of world-renowned sites, such as the reconstruction of Notre Dame.

Platforms like Renderverse and Avatour provide VR-based real estate and travel tours, allowing users to explore properties and destinations remotely.

The VR space also opens up the potential for partnerships and sponsorships. For instance, theater groups could secure corporate sponsorships by integrating ads into their VR performances.

Despite its growing popularity, VR technology is still evolving. Users want high-quality, real-time experiences to share with friends, pushing the boundaries of current VR capabilities.

Virtual reality (VR) technology offers immersive virtual tourism experiences and advertising opportunities, driven by innovative services and products, but the demand for high-quality, real-time VR experiences continues to challenge its growth.

8. Adapting to SEO & local SEO in the AI age

Advanced AI models like Google’s Gemini signal a trend toward AI-generated content rich in quality and relevance. Gemini can understand diverse formats like text, images, and even audio.

Google’s Search Generative Experience will integrate diverse content formats like videos, web stories, and podcasts in SERP (search engine results pages) optimization to directly engage users from the search results. A consistent and diversified presence across these channels can help travel brands capture more organic traffic, complementing paid search strategies.

For travel marketers, the increasing need for personalized, localized, and experiential local strategies signifies a shift towards creating more immersive and region-specific content. 

Create content that resonates with the local culture and experiences. This includes local posts, stories about the area, and highlights of unique local attractions.

In the AI age, travel marketers should prioritize creating immersive and localized content to enhance SEO and engage users effectively.

9. Travel apps are transforming how travelers organize trips

Travelers have a growing demand for travel apps, with the industry witnessing a 53% increase in the last year.

These platforms serve as digital travel agencies, offering a seamless interface for managing bookings, accommodations, and activities. They offer convenience without juggling various booking sites and the fear of falling into tourist traps or overpriced services.

As digital tools for trip planning become more popular, opportunities in marketing partnerships, targeted ads, and direct customer engagement grow. Booking.com leads with its intuitive design and broad booking capabilities.

Meanwhile, niche apps like TakeMeOutOfOffice , Brevity , and LetsBatch cater to unique travel needs, offering specialized services for leisure breaks, business trips, and group travel, respectively.

10. Return to hotels in the face of Airbnb’s growing challenges

Despite financial prosperity, with bookings hitting unprecedented highs and the company celebrating its first full profitable year in 2022, Airbnb confronts a mix of discontent from guests, hosts, and cities alike. 

Issues range from the platform’s rising costs to the mismatch between online portrayals and actual accommodations, alongside stringent regulations from cities aiming to curb short-term rentals.

Airbnb listings surpass available apartments:

• Airbnb listings outnumber available apartments in NYC areas (Manhattan, Brooklyn, northwest Queens).
• Asheville, NC: 2,881 Airbnb properties vs. 250+ long-term rentals.
• Austin: 12,205 Airbnb listings vs. 3,700 long-term rentals.

Airbnb’s growing challenges, including rising costs, regulatory pressures, and guest dissatisfaction, are driving a noticeable shift of some travelers back to traditional hotels.

11. New Airbnb-style car rental companies are taking off

Skyrocketing rental car prices were a popular frustration during pandemic-era travel stories, hitting record highs in July 2021. Turo , a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, allows car owners to rent their own cars to regular people, like an Airbnb for cars.   The global car-sharing market surpassed $2 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at least 20% annually through 2027. Taking advantage of the industry’s growth, other companies like Getaround and Car Shair are quickly following. These platforms cater to a growing consumer demand for more accessible, cost-effective, and flexible car rental options. Whether or not it will face the same fate as Airbnb is yet to be decided, though it is certainly challenging traditional rental agencies.

The rise of peer-to-peer car rental platforms signifies a transformative shift towards economical and personalized transportation options, challenging traditional rental models.

12. Travelers want nostalgia & more family time

A staggering 88% of travelers desire nostalgic getaways that hark back to yesteryears—be it visiting locations of retro film fame or opting for bus travel reminiscent of school excursions.  23% of travelers, including millennials and Gen Z who have not experienced it firsthand, are yearning for pre-digital charm, seeking an escape to a simpler time. This sentiment is fueling interest in popular destinations in the ’80s and ’90s, such as Budva in Montenegro and Bolzano in Italy, both trending locations in 2023. Furthermore, family travel is evolving, with 54% of respondents planning multi-generational trips or “family reunion” vacations.

There’s an increasing demand for nostalgic travel and multi-generational family trips. Offering competitive Child Rates is a strategic move to capitalize on this trend. Such initiatives can potentially boost family bookings by 15% on average.

Travel Advertising Trends in 2024

The shift towards cookieless advertising, the rise of sports tourism, the dominance of video content, and the growing influence of platforms like TikTok and VR technology are redefining how travel brands engage with their audiences.  With a stronger focus on eco-tourism and the integration of AI in SEO strategies, travel marketers are poised to deliver more personalized, immersive, and sustainable travel experiences. Adapting to these trends will help travel brands stay ahead in a competitive market and meet diverse traveler needs around the globe.

About the Author

Erik Stubenvoll is a Managing Director at KORTX with over 20 years of experience. When he is not learning about his client’s goals, he is on the sidelines with his wife at his daughter’s softball and soccer games or on the golf course.

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What search trends mean for travel marketers today

The travel industry has been hit especially hard by the pandemic. It was first into the crisis — and will likely be among the last out of it. Even now, as restrictions loosen, worldwide tourism spending isn’t expected to fully recover until 2023 . And McKinsey predicts international air traffic won’t return to 2019 levels before 2024.

There is hope though. We see from Google searches that people want to travel, provided they feel safe to do so. Global searches for “ where to travel ” and “ can I travel ” are near all-time highs. But as customer needs, priorities, and expectations continue to shift, only 9% of travel marketers believe their business is completely prepared for what the next phase of travel will bring. 1

At Google we’ve done new research to help the industry adapt to the travel needs of today — and tomorrow. Let’s dive into the latest consumer trends and tools to help your business stay ahead.

Travelling for people instead of places

New research from Google and Kantar shows that a primary motivator for travel right now is visiting friends and family. This is echoed by tourism academic Fabio Carbone , who highlights that consumers are looking to travel more for people than destinations. Travel brands can take action by shifting away from more traditional traveller themes; emphasise human connections and shared experiences on your website and ads.

Another travel motivator is ‘ getting away ’. After a dry period of travel, people are looking to disconnect from day-to-day life. With continuously changing restrictions, and ongoing hesitancy over long-distance trips, travel brands should look for opportunities to show how they can help people press the reset button and enjoy life’s simple pleasures .

Quickly adapting to changing consumer needs has helped many companies survive this pandemic. A good way to respond to these changes is through the use of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) . Whenever someone searches using words or phrases similar to those on your website, Google Ads automatically creates a clear and highly-relevant ad headline that can bring more people to your site.

Destination: Domestic

With global travel restrictions continuing, many travellers are looking for getaway destinations closer to home, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. Intent to travel domestically continues to rise, especially in Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the U.K.

On the plus side, all that homegrown business is helping to sustain many tourist destinations, and will continue to be a key recovery driver in the short to medium-term.

What can your business do to connect with domestic travelers? In the United Kingdom , search interest for places to stay within the U.K. has risen by over 75% . Consider getting back to basics, and explore how you can help people tap into those forgotten or under-valued treasures nearby.

Focus on sustainability

Sustainable travel was already cited as a trend back in 2019. While 2020 saw far less travel than anyone could have anticipated, this green trend continues to grow. Our research shows that environmental responsibility may become a bigger focus for future travelers, as 42% of travel marketers expect this to be an increasing need. 2

Engage green-conscious consumers by offering eco-friendly experiences and services, and exploring ways to highlight sustainability credentials in your marketing communications.

How people feel about travelling

While consumers are ready to go exploring, many are still cautious about what the future holds and we've seen a notable increase in interest for travel insurance. 3

Additionally, 50% of travel marketers expect tourists will prioritise socially distanced options for the remainder of 2021. 4 According to the OECD , this mindset could even reshape the way people travel in the future — with a greater focus on hygiene and safety protocols as well as contactless tourism experiences. Similarly, people are more inclined to avoid big gatherings and favour private options when travelling.

Ensure you elevate messaging around flexible booking and safety measures further up the marketing funnel to give consumers peace of mind and encourage conversions. People want to know they’re in safe hands and won’t be out of pocket if travel restrictions are suddenly re-introduced or adjusted.

Travel disruption may linger for years to come and operators must find effective and sustainable solutions to see them through. There is no silver bullet, but there are steps you can take to stay on top of emerging trends, spot new opportunities, and give potential travellers the reassurance they need.

Gain powerful insights into real-time travel demand with Destination Insights and Hotel Insights . These new online tools use global Google Search data to highlight destinations with the fastest-growing interest and the most in-demand cities. Brands can see the exact levels of interest for any part of the world at any given time, along with information about where travel interest is originating from. Let these insights power your marketing strategy and improve your business agility.

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Accelerating behaviours: what search trends tell us about changing consumer habits, a (snackable) future of retail report, ‘slow living’: the new fast-rising consumer trend, 5 tips for marketing mix modelling in today’s travel industry, creative intelligence: 3 steps to land your message in a privacy-first world, hany abdelkawi, marco giorgini, sources (4).

1,2,4 Google/Savanta, Global (DE, FR, JP, SG, U.K., U.S.), The Future of Travel: the Travel Marketer Perspective 2021, Online survey, n=983 Global Travel/Tourism manager+ marketing decision makers/influencers fully employed by mid to large market companies, March 2021–April 2021.

3 Google/Kantar, The Journey Reshaped, AR, BR, CL, CO, ES, IT, MX, PE, UAE, U.S., n=3,275, A18+, Sept. 2020–Dec. 2020

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Effective Tourism Marketing and Promotion Strategies in 2024 and beyond

By: Marium Farooq

December 12, 2023

Table of Contents

According to a study by Statistica in February 2023 , global travel is expected to go up in 2023 and 2024. After a big drop during the COVID-19 pandemic, travel started picking up again in 2022. The forecast predicts a 15.5 percent increase in people visiting different countries in 2023 compared to the year before. At the same time, the number of people traveling from one country to another is estimated to go up by nearly 16 percent during this period.

The tourism industry stands out due to its distinctive nature – it involves marketing and selling experiences that include various elements such as destinations, services, and activities. Unlike typical products, the competition in this industry is consistently intense. To effectively compete with others, marketing strategies must be not only creative and unique but also comprehensive. This calls for meticulously crafted approaches that offer a distinct edge over competitors.

To thrive in this expanding and profitable industry, you require a marketing strategy that suits the modern, ever-changing digital landscape. Run promotional campaigns to increase visibility for your brand, and most importantly, attract more customers. Here are some strategies that can give you the competitive edge you’re seeking:

1. It all begins with understanding your Target Market

The first step is to comprehend your ideal customers. Understanding your customers is the initial key to a powerful marketing strategy. The most effective way to do this is by creating an ideal customer profile that addresses key questions: Who are your customers? What is their demographic information? What motivates them? What interests them, and where do they seek information? How do they prefer to book their experiences? If you have successfully answered all these questions, you can start mapping out your communication strategy that highlights what makes you unique. These customer personas will form the foundation of your marketing strategy.

2. Social Strategy 

As we’ve discussed previously, what sets the tourism industry apart is the intense level of competition it faces. In the world of tourism, the saying “seeing is believing” holds significant weight. Nowadays, customers have high expectations, seeking a fully immersive experience and meticulously planning every aspect of their trips – from bookings to sites and experiences. The key? They want to visualize it all before embarking on their adventure. Given these dynamics, social media is an essential part of your digital marketing that emerges as one of the most potent marketing channels for your tourism organization – provided you choose the right platforms. Each platform presents its unique features and challenges. The two most popular social media platforms for travel marketing are:

Instagram: Instagram boasts over 1.5 billion monthly users , and its user base continues to expand. The platform’s remarkable growth positions it as one of the most trending platforms, coupled with the fact that it is entirely visual. This unique characteristic makes Instagram exceptionally effective for tourism marketing.

The platform has witnessed substantial growth in its mobile video content since its launch, with brands increasingly relying on this medium to enhance engagement metrics and conversion rates. As a tour operator, your responsibility is to assist your potential customers in crafting the perfect tour package and ultimately a great vacation experience. On Instagram, you can captivate your audience by sharing pictures of experiences, hotels, meals, and itinerary events to facilitate their planning process for your tourism business.

Facebook: With over 3 billion monthly active users , Facebook stands out as the most populated social media platform, underscoring the importance of establishing a presence on this platform. However, how can you effectively leverage Facebook for your travel marketing? First and foremost, ensure that your business information on Facebook is complete. Often, travellers access such information about the tourist activity or tourism product through your Facebook profile, particularly if you operate a small business or if your official website has a low ranking on search engines. Given Facebook’s status as the most populated platform, it consistently receives high rankings and Domain Authority on search engines making it an essential tool for your social media marketing.

Another way travellers love to interact with a tourist destination is through check-ins, especially beneficial for destination marketing. Ensure that you use location targeting in your ads, as well as other parameters such as language, age, gender, interests, behaviours, etc. for a highly targeted marketing campaign.

Whether employing precise targeted advertising or a tourism promotion, the platform guarantees that your offers reach your intended target audience. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to deepen your understanding of your customers, ultimately boosting sales for your travel brand.

3. Create Immersive Content with Reels

When it comes to visual content, more is better. Reels are one of the most exciting features offered by social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and they are excellent for capturing the attention of diverse audiences. Reels provide a fun and interesting way to connect with your audience. When considering the duration of your video content, ensure it includes all aspects of your experience. You can later break it down and repurpose it on different platforms. Create stories, TikTok reels, visuals for your Facebook creatives, and more.

Depending on your content, you can attract more audiences, increase your brand awareness,inspire your audience, and showcase your services. Focus on what your audience is looking for instead of creating mundane behind-the-scenes videos of your work unless that’s what your audience desires. Otherwise, stick to the fully immersive experience you offer. Your visual content is the key for the successfulness of your content marketing.

One of the key challenges tour operators face is how to distribute content effectively without being too redundant. As mentioned earlier, more is better. Create multiple videos of your offerings, focusing on each aspect of the services you provide. This way, you have plenty of options to choose from and can easily edit and use them on multiple platforms using various online tools.

Another crucial aspect is not to omit important information. If your audience is inspired by the experiences you offer, they will likely be interested in tiny details such as the location, prices, availablilty, customizations, and who they can contact to work out a plan. Make sure you address all these questions.

4. Leverage Social Media Influencers

After creating and effectively distributing your video content, if you find it becoming repetitive, consider engaging Instagram influencers followed by your target audience. Influencer Marketing not only adds credibility to your business but also plays a crucial role in expanding your reach to new audiences.

The key lies in selecting influencers wisely. As a tour marketer, it may be tempting to focus solely on the number of followers each influencer has, but this approach overlooks two crucial pieces of information. Firstly, consider whether there is a match between the influencer’s brand personality and yours. Is your target audience likely to follow this specific influencer? This question harks back to the beginning of our blog, where we emphasized creating an ideal customer profile. If there is a match, the second crucial piece of information is the level of influence the influencer has over their audience. This can be determined by analyzing the engagement of the influencer’s followers. At times, influencers may have a modest follower count but a high level of influence, presenting an opportunity for you to strike a profitable deal with them which might be essential for a successful tourism marketing campaign.  

5. Create a Seamless Website Experience

Your website serves as the primary tool to enhance your conversion rates, representing a critical component of your customer’s journey where key decisions are made. The first crucial aspect is to ensure all essential information is readily available, creating an easy booking process. Missing information may prompt customers to leave your website to seek details on your social media platforms or, worse, abandon the booking process. Display all relevant pictures, video content, and details where the booking occurs.

Pro Tip: Enhance your website’s efficiency by utilizing advanced booking software like Zaui, which significantly aids in establishing a seamless booking process for your guests.

The second pivotal element is the user experience on your website. If it is cluttered, slow, or difficult to navigate, it can significantly impact your booking numbers. It is important to maintain a well-designed and organized website for a smooth user experience. The third key point is to integrate a booking system directly into your website to initiate online bookings. Consider using Zaui, a popular booking system that enables revenue growth and automates everyday reservation tasks. Book a demo, and our experts will guide you through the platform, addressing all your questions.

6. Google Things to do

Consider the first step in trip planning: a keyword search on a search engine. With Google commanding over 90% of search traffic, securing visibility on this leading platform is crucial. Ensure your presence spans four relevant surfaces: Google Maps, Google Travel, Google Search, and your Google My Business Profile, each with unique attributes.

To learn how to enhance your visibility and outperform popular OTAs on these platforms, download our Google Things to do ebook . Alternatively, reach out to us for a personalized demo to experience our advanced integration with the Google Things to do platform. Over the past year, our Zaui experts have dedicated themselves to providing tour operators with a premium experience on Google Things to do, marked by advancements in integration and exemplary support. Download the ebook now to get started. CTA – Download Ebook

7. Email Marketing

If you currently don’t have an email list, it’s time to start building one. Your email list is among the most crucial marketing assets you possess, offering greater power than many other marketing channels since Email Marketing is the third-highest return on investment (ROI) .

Ideally, incorporate a subscription form on your website to invite visitors into your online community. This allows you to reconnect with them and potentially convert them into paying customers.

Another facet of your Email Marketing strategy involves guest communication . Establish a seamless guest experience with effective pre and post-trip notifications. Utilize this avenue to build credibility through reviews, ensuring the automation of review notifications. If you find this challenging, there’s no need to worry; your booking software can seamlessly handle it. Book a Personalized Demo with Zaui to explore these features further.

8. Tap into The Power of Reviews

Your reviews serve as a window into customer satisfaction, and there has been a consistent increase in reliance on them. Multiple review sites, such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Local, are perfect for building an online presence and reputation. Consider joining one or a couple of notable platforms and be diligent in responding to all reviews, both negative and positive. This demonstrates that you are attentive and value all feedback.

Another crucial aspect is the use of pictures, which provide the highest form of credibility. This is where you can elevate your marketing efforts. Photo marketing tools like Fotaflo and PicThrive can seamlessly integrate with your booking system , assisting you in getting direct referrals and reviews that outshine your competition, thereby enhancing your visibility. In tourism marketing, visual content plays the most important role, and professionally taken pictures shared through photo marketing tools provide control over the quality of visual content, as well as improving the overall guest experience.

Standing out in the tourism industry can be a daunting task. However, by incorporating a few unique and modern marketing tactics, you can create a memorable experience for your customers, ultimately strengthening your tourism marketing strategy. With the right strategy and approach, your marketing efforts can help you build deeper connections with your target audience, allowing you to stand out in a crowded market and achieve long-term success in the tourism industry.

If you are seeking unique ways to outshine your competition, get in touch with Zaui. We offer an All-in-One Booking Solution fully equipped with tools and services to help you attain the marketing success you are seeking for your business.

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Who wants to stay home when there’s so much to see and do across the globe? 

If you operate a travel company, your services will always be in demand. But you’re not the only travel brand on the market. 

The travel industry is highly competitive, with countless options available to consumers. So, successfully marketing your travel brand requires standing out. 

It’s not an easy feat. 

But with the right strategies in place, your travel brand can become the top-notch, go-to destination for consumers.

Educating yourself on the latest travel marketing trends is the first step. However, implementing them will require you to be adaptive and open to innovation. 

There are many benefits to keeping an ear to the ground on these trends. You stay ahead of the competition, build rapport with consumers, and much more. 

If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t worry. 

We’ve outlined 9 of the top trends in travel marketing. Plus, we offer examples of how these trends work and tips on how to make them work for you.

Ready to give your travel marketing and PR strategy an upgrade?

Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with one of our PR and marketing experts. We will take a look at you current mix to see where it could benefit from these travel marketing trends.

Travel Marketing Trends 2024

• Public Relations
• Micro-Influencer Marketing
• Video Content
• Optimized Google Business Profile
• Eco-Friendly Tourism
• Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
• Personalization
• User-Generated Content
• Social Media Marketing

1. Public Relations is an Excellent Way to Build a Good Reputation

In the travel industry, a good reputation is vital and can significantly influence customer decisions. That’s why public relations (PR) is one of the most important travel marketing trends. 

PR helps you build and maintain a positive reputation through consistent brand messaging and responses to feedback. 

Also, with the abundance of travel options available, credibility is key for customers to trust your company. PR can help you build a positive reputation through media placements, mentions, and influencer relationships​​.

PR strategies involve creating personalized and localized content that resonates with specific audiences​​. When it comes to the travel industry, timing is everything.

Start preparing your PR plan a year in advance. Align it with your travel company’s seasonal calendar. This involves crafting timely PR responses for travel events, offers, or news. Early pitching of press releases and content is crucial for securing journalists’ consideration. 

Here is an example of a travel press release from Tripadvisor: 

Pro Tip : Use PR to highlight local stories, traditions, and experiences that travelers can only find at your destination. This can include featuring local artisans, unique cultural events, or hidden gems that aren’t widely known. And remember, press releases are only one type of PR content.

PR isn’t always an easy undertaking. We can help you streamline the process and build a positive brand image. Learn more by booking a free demo .

Ready to start your PR strategy? Need some ideas to get started? See our article: 18 Top PR Trends Shaping the Industry in 2024

2. Micro-Influencer Marketing Can Help You Reach Your Target Audience

About 11% of adults follow travel influencers. But not just any influencer will do. 

Micro-influencers typically have higher engagement rates compared to macro-influencers, placing collaboration with them among the top travel marketing trends. 

Their smaller audience size tends to foster a more personal and authentic connection. This can lead to higher levels of interaction.

Plus, micro-influencers often cater to niche markets, making them ideal for targeting specific segments of the travel market. This may include luxury travel, budget backpacking, adventure tourism, or cultural experiences.

Additionally, micro-influencers can provide tailored content that resonates deeply with their followers. These followers often share similar interests.

Start by using specific Google searches or hashtag searches on social media platforms to find influencers relevant to your brand. This can include “adventure travel influencers” or “luxury travel influencers.” 

Instead of scripted or overly promotional content, encourage influencers to share genuine experiences. Authentic storytelling can resonate more with audiences.

Here is an example of micro-influencer marketing in the travel industry: 

@katelyn_roth travel rankings ✈️❤️ #traveltiktok ♬ Run Boy Run (In the Style of Woodkid) [Karaoke Version With Backing Vocals] – Playback Audition

Pro Tip: Evaluate micro-influencers’ engagement levels and ensure their followers are genuine and active. Additionally, utilize their authentic voice to share honest and detailed perspectives about travel experiences. This can be more influential than traditional advertising​​​​.

Think influencer marketing is right for your brand? Get more influencer tips by reading our article: 9 Top Influencer Marketing Trends Shaping the Industry in 2024

3. Video Content Showcases Your Travel Offerings

Travel is inherently about stories, and video is one of the top storytelling mediums. That’s why video content is one of the leading travel marketing trends for 2024. 

Travel video content showcases the thrill of new experiences, the discovery of different cultures, and the personal transformations that occur on the journey. It leverages this natural storytelling aspect, which enables you to connect with audiences on a deeper level.

In the travel industry, customer engagement is critical. Video content marketing provides valuable and relevant information that keeps potential travelers engaged. This approach helps build a community of followers who are more likely to return for more information and bookings.

When leveraging video content, use high-quality video production. That includes a good camera (even smartphones can work in some situations), stable recording equipment, and external microphones.

Your video content should tell a story that resonates with your audience. It could be about the adventure, relaxation, culture, or unique experiences that a destination offers. Use compelling narratives to show the beauty and uniqueness of the location. Focus on what makes it different.

Below, you’ll find an example of video content in travel marketing: 

Pro Tip : Use a variety of video types to showcase the diversity of experiences your travel brand offers. This can include destination guides, travel tips, promotional videos, and customer testimonials. You can also include videos that answer frequently asked questions.

For more video marketing ideas, check out our article: Top 10 Video Marketing Trends for 2024 [+ Tips]

4. An Optimized Google Business Profile Boosts Visibility

With billions of searches conducted daily on Google, Google My Business profile optimization has become one of the top travel marketing trends for 2024. 

An optimized Google My Business profile increases the likelihood of your travel agency being discovered by potential customers. This profile appears in relevant search results, making it easier for travelers to find travel companies based on their search criteria​​.

It also helps lend credibility to your travel business. It displays important information such as contact details, customer reviews, and ratings. This transparency and availability of information can greatly influence a potential customer’s decision.

Start by claiming your Google My Business page. Even if Google has automatically created a listing for your business, you need to verify the information and optimize it. 

Ensure that all details are accurate and fully completed. This includes your Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP), website URL, business category, and description. For example, if you run boat tours, select “Boat Tour Agency” as your category. 

Here is an example of what travel marketing looks like on Google My Business:

Pro Tip : Use the “ Reserve with Google ” feature. This allows potential customers to book and pay for tours directly from your Google My Business listing. This feature simplifies the booking process and can be an advantage for in-destination bookings​​.

SEO is a great marketing strategy for travel brands. Get more SEO ideas by checking out our article: 9 Essential Search Engine Marketing Trends for 2024 (+ Tips and Examples)

5. Eco-Friendly Tourism is the Latest Travel Craze

There’s a growing global awareness about eco-tourism . This places promoting eco-friendly tourism among the top travel marketing trends. 

Many travelers are now more conscious of their ecological footprint and are seeking travel options that are less damaging to the environment. This shift in consumer behavior drives demand for eco-friendly travel experiences.

But what is it exactly?

Eco-friendly tourism often involves engaging with local cultures and communities in a more meaningful way. Many travelers today aren’t looking for superficial tourist activities. They want authentic experiences that offer a deeper connection to the places they visit.

Additionally, the trend towards health and wellness has expanded into the travel sector. Eco-friendly tourism often includes activities in nature. This aligns with the desire for healthful, outdoor, and wellness-oriented vacation experiences.

When marketing sustainable tourism services, it’s crucial to focus on a specific target audience. Research indicates that younger generations, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are most concerned about sustainable travel. 

Your marketing should cater to the platforms and content styles preferred by these demographics. This can include using social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. It can also include creating content that resonates with their environmental and cultural values. 

Earth Changers is one of the many eco-tourism companies promoting sustainability. Here is an example of what they offer:

Pro Tip : In your marketing materials, focus on the positive impacts travelers can make by choosing your services. For example, if your company contributes to conservation or local communities, articulate these impacts clearly.

6. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Provides Immersive Travel Experiences

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are among the most innovative travel marketing trends. They both provide an immersive experience unmatched by any other digital technology. In fact, there’s a growing interest in travel AR and VR across the globe.

VR offers a highly engaging form of advertisement. It allows potential visitors to feel as if they are already at the destination before they book.

Meanwhile, AR can provide comprehensive guided tours around museums or exhibitions. This can enrich the visitor experience with additional information and interactive elements​​.

Additionally, AR technology can be used to create gamified tours. This often requires users to scan images to activate travel experiences or mini-games. This both entertains guests and increases dwell time at various locations. 

This technology also allows users to go on virtual tours of famous landmarks while being in one place. They can get extra information while traveling to various locations. This “try-before-you-buy” method can significantly increase customer confidence and interest.

Try using VR to offer potential travelers a virtual tour of destinations, hotels, or experiences. Renderverse and Avatour are excellent VR tools for this. 

With AR, create interactive guides that travelers can use at destinations. For instance, pointing a smartphone at a historical site could display information or stories.

Rock Paper Reality is one AR tool used for travel and tourism. Here is an example of what it looks like:

Pro Tip : Transform the booking process with VR. Allow customers to virtually explore different room types, amenities, or even travel options. This allows customers to make more informed purchasing decisions as they shop.

Want to see how you can further integrate new tech into your marketing and PR strategies? Learn more here: 8 Marketing Technology Trends That Can Supercharge Your Marketing Efforts

7. Personalization is Key to Turning Consumers Into Customers

Why is personalization one of the leading travel marketing trends? It allows travel companies to tailor their services and communications based on individual preferences and behaviors. This strategy leads to a more satisfying and relevant experience for customers.

By providing personalized experiences, you can engage customers more effectively. This often translates into enhanced customer loyalty. Customers are more likely to return to a brand that understands their preferences and provides customized experiences.

How can you get started on personalization as one of your travel marketing trends?

First, you’ll need to gather customer data. AI and data analytics enable you to gather, analyze, and act on vast amounts of customer data. You can use this data to predict customer preferences and behavior.

Be sure to collect zero-party and first-party data. This can include information directly shared by customers and data gathered from interactions with your brand. Use this data to understand customer behavior in real-time.

Once you’ve collected your data, use it to segment your email list and social media followers based on interests, behaviors, location, etc. 

This enables you to create content that resonates with each group. For example, you can send location-specific offers to customers based on where they live or their destination preferences. 

Using quizzes is a great way to send personalized travel content to potential customers. Here is an example from Conde Nast Traveler : 

Pro Tip : Employ dynamic content in your emails to customize parts of your message for different subscriber groups. This approach allows you to send one email but tailor certain sections, such as offers and images.

Using AI can boost your PR and marketing efforts across the board. Want to see how others are using it? Check it out: 8 AI Marketing Trends for 2024 and Beyond (+ Tips & Ideas)

8. User-Generated Content Lends Credibility to Your Travel Brand

User-generated content (UGC) offers a level of authenticity that traditional marketing methods can’t match. That’s why it’s one of the top travel marketing trends. 

When potential travelers see real photos, videos, and reviews from other travelers, it lends credibility to the travel experience you’re promoting. Unlike professionally created content, UGC is seen as more genuine and relatable.

For travel companies, UGC is a cost-effective marketing tool. It reduces the need for expensive photo shoots and ad campaigns because it leverages content that customers create. This helps save money, time, and resources.

Plus, content created by users tends to receive more likes, shares, and comments. This higher engagement rate boosts your travel brand’s visibility. Plus, UGC fosters a greater sense of trust and brand authenticity.

When garnering UGC, encourage customers to generate content that highlights particular aspects of your travel offerings. For example, a retreat leader might focus on the serenity of the destination. A tour operator could emphasize the excitement of activities. 

Inform customers about the type of content you seek and explain how you will use it. Also, ensure that you have their permission to share it.

Testimonials are an excellent type of UGC. Here is an example of how they’re displayed on travel websites:

Pro Tip : Leverage UGC across multiple channels and formats for maximum impact. This can include featuring customer reviews on your website, creating social media feeds with curated customer content, and using customer images in recurring marketing campaigns.

Content marketing helps you inform your audience about your destinations. Want to see what’s trending? Learn more: 7 Top Content Marketing Trends 2024 [+ Tips and Tricks]

9. Consumers Often Use Social Media Platforms Before Booking Travel Destinations

Social media is one of the top travel marketing trends due to its vast global user base. And research shows that social media has the biggest influence on travel destination choices .

One of the reasons is that travel is a highly visual industry, and social media is an ideal platform for showcasing stunning images and videos. This visual appeal can capture the interest of viewers and inspire them to explore new destinations.

Plus, compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is more cost-effective. Even with a limited budget, your brand can reach a large audience through targeted ads and organic content.

Not to mention, social media also allows you to engage with your audience in real time. You can respond to queries, gather feedback, and manage your reputation more efficiently. 

How should you incorporate social media as one of your travel marketing trends?

Keep an eye on current social media trends and adapt them to fit the travel industry. Use interactive content, such as polls, quizzes, and challenges. You can also run contests and giveaways, which are popular and encourage participation.

It’s important to be genuine in your social media interactions. Share real travel photos and stories. Diversify your content to balance promotional material with lifestyle, destination, and activity posts.

Here is an example of social media marketing for travel companies from Intrepid Travel : 

Pro Tip : If you have the budget for targeted advertising, consider using it. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer sophisticated targeting options that can be very effective in travel marketing.

Not sure what’s currently trending? Need more ideas on how to leverage social media? Read our article: 9 Top Social Media Marketing Trends Taking the World by Storm

Key Takeaways on the Latest Travel Marketing Trends

The travel industry is crowded with options with many companies trying to stand out at the same time. Making your travel brand front and center requires unique and innovative marketing strategies.

However, it’s equally important to be flexible and open to implementing these trends in your strategies. This adaptability is key to staying relevant and appealing in the rapidly evolving travel market.

As a travel brand, you have a destination to reach: increased engagement and ROI. Consider these travel marketing trends as the fastest possible route to getting there. Give them a try and find out which ones work best for your travel brand. 

Ready to get started? Not sure how to add these travel marketing trends to your mix? Let us help! Book a free consultation and we’ll look at how to boost your current strategy.

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The Biggest Travel Trends to Expect in 2024

If 2022 travel trends were all about a return to travel, then 2023 was the year we went further than ever before . Travelers took to the skies, rails, roads, and seas to cross off goals on their bucket lists with Arctic adventures, luxury yacht cruises , and even the first tourist trip into space.

In 2024, travelers will be putting what’s important to them front and center of their plans, valuing deeper experiences that leave a positive impact, time spent with loved ones, and wellness moments that last well after checkout. We’ll be choosing destinations carefully, slowing it down to enjoy the silence and the stars, indulging in our love of food in new and interesting places, and immersing ourselves in wellness practices that help us live longer.

These are the 20 travel trends likely to guide how we see the world in 2024.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK .

1. Astro tourism

What’s the trend? Astronomy, of course, is a field of study that has been around since the dawn of civilization, and the act of gazing up at the stars has long been a source of soul-soothing wonder. Today, the more society falls deeper into an ever-expanding virtual world, the more we feel a need to broaden our horizons in the real universe. Astro tourism is the act of traveling with the aim of catching sight of astronomical phenomena—disappearing to lands devoid of any pollution, crowds, and traffic, where we can focus solely on the skies above and while away hours gazing at the stars, planets, and constellations overhead.

Why will it matter in 2024? Increasingly, wellness-centric hotels and spas are creating the space for guests to gaze upwards, watching for comets, spying constellations, and identifying patterns in the glittering expanse. In the UK, Port Lympne has opened the Lookout Bubble, a glass dome allowing guests to sprawl out on king-sized beds and study the stars. Further east on the Arabian Gulf, Zulal Wellness Resort is surrounded by the expanse of the Qatari desert—the ultimate destination for pollution-free astromancy, with dedicated workshops and stargazing sessions for families and children looking to learn more about the cosmos.

Safari company Desert & Delta organizes trips for travelers looking to soak up the stars across Botswana and Namibia, where guests can sleep in tents at remote locations such as the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt flats, and spend nights with uninterrupted star vistas. Similarly, Tswalu is a South African safari camp with star beds set on a sleep-out deck in the Korannaberg mountains. And 2024 happens to be a big year for the skies, from mind-boggling eclipses to spectacular meteor showers.

Plus, scientists are predicting the best displays of the Northern Lights in 20 years, according to the Guardian , as we approach the next solar maximum (the sun’s peak of its 11-year activity cycle). — Olivia Morelli

2. Eco diving

What’s the trend? A rise in divers choosing their travel destinations based on the sustainability of the scuba centers , and having a more positive and regenerative impact on the ocean once there.

Why will it matter in 2024? In 2022, UK marine ecology charity The Reef-World Foundation found that 95% of divers wanted to book with sustainable operators, but struggled to do so. In response to this, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (a.k.a. Padi) launched its Eco Center accreditation on World Earth Day in 2023, with the United Nations Environment Program and Reef-World itself. The steps required to earn this green status are so rigorous, including sharing evidence of conservation activities and a real reduction in environmental footprint, that Padi advised operators to allow at least 12 months to hit the criteria—taking us to Earth Day 2024.

After an initial figure of just 11 worldwide, there are now 100 accredited operators, and Padi has set a goal to reach 660 by 2030—a tenth of its membership. “South East Asia currently has the highest density (more than 20), along with the Caribbean ,” says Julie Andersen of Padi. So what does this mean for divers and their trips? “The type of conservation work done and reported on depends on the Eco Center,” Andersen explains. “Those in the Caribbean offer coral replanting programs, key for regenerating coastlines. In Baja, Mexico , they’ve developed citizen science courses, collecting data for whale conservation.”

There are also a number of new Padi courses being launched for any diver to take anywhere, including the Global Shark and Ray Census in August 2024, as well as the relaunch of the Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course before December. — Becky Lucas

3. Home swapping

What’s the trend? Increasingly, discerning travelers are looking to stay away for longer stretches, while the rise of remote jobs means that working and living abroad has never been more appealing. The catch? Forking out on hefty accommodation fees while you’re at it. Enter home swapping: the perfect solution to guarantee yourself a (free) home abroad while you offer up your own in exchange for weeks or even months at a time.

Why will it matter in 2024? As the cost of traveling continues to climb, home swapping is an affordable alternative to splashing out on expensive hotels or Airbnbs. And while the concepts of couch surfing and house exchanges have existed for decades, several slick new platforms are redefining what home swapping looks like today.

Twin City , which operates in cities like as Lisbon and Los Angeles , has curated a community of over 1,100 carefully vetted users in just eight months. For an annual subscription fee of about $189, members can find Twins to connect with through the platform, and are encouraged to exchange local recommendations for their city as well as their homes, enabling members to feel as if they’re swapping with a trusted friend rather than a stranger.

Meanwhile, Kindred , a home-swapping platform where members rack ​​up credits for each night that they exchange homes, raised $15 million in funding this year to expand operations across the US and Europe, and currently has more then 10,000 homes in over 50 cities. Members simply pay a cleaning and service fee for each stay, while the cost of the stay itself is free.

Travelers can skip out on membership fees entirely and head straight to TikTok, where Gen Z appears to be spearheading the home-swapping movement on social media. Inspired by the film The Holiday , trending tags #houseswap and #homeswap have garnered more than 23 and 20 million views respectively, with users utilizing the platform as a means to advertise their homes, discover like-minded peers to swap with, and document their adventures along the way. — Gina Jackson

4. Train stations are the new food destinations

What’s the trend? Train stations around the world are usually passed through as quickly as possible, having not been designed for commuters to stay and hang out. Nowadays, as travel delays increase and visitors want more local experiences, it pays for train stations to welcome travelers with shops, restaurants, and bars for them to explore. In an effort to create a more dynamic visitor experience, historic train stations are being revamped, with bespoke food and drink offerings as an integral part of the redesign.

Why will it matter in 2024? As train stations are renovated to accommodate more travelers and update old infrastructure, local restaurants and bars are being added to attract more customers. In 2023, the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York City became home to The Irish Exit, a bar from the team behind the acclaimed Dead Rabbit, and Yono Sushi by trendy BondST, plus outposts of beloved NYC restaurants Pastrami Queen and Jacob’s Pickles, with Mexican hotspot La Esquina coming soon. As part of its renovation, Toronto’s Union Station launched Union Market in May 2023 with favorite local food retailers Manotas Organics, Chocolatta Brigadeiro’s, Patties Express, and Kibo.

In the UK, Platform 1 , a new bar and restaurant, opened in November underneath Glasgow Central Station . The cave-like space, with its historic brick arches, serves street-food-style dishes and craft brews made in the on-site microbrewery, plus there’s an outdoor beer garden. Meanwhile, in Somerset, Castle Cary station is in the process of a revamp, with nearby hotel The Newt creating a creamery, cafe, and co-working space, which is set to open in 2024.

Also on tap for the next few years is the completed renovation of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, with plans for a 20% increase in concession space that will focus on local purveyors. — Devorah Lev-Tov

5. Sports tourism

What’s the trend? Sports tourism has evolved in the past few years with a new generation of sports fan emerging, thanks to glossy TV documentaries ( Formula 1: Drive to Survive , we’re looking at you). Now, we’re taking our fandom out of the house and following a host of different sports in destinations across the world, planning trips that hinge around seeing games, races, and other activities in exotic locales, and extending trips on either side to see the sights too.

Why will it matter in 2024? A little event known as the Olympic and Paralympic Games anchors the 2024 sports calendar. It kicks off in Paris in late July and runs until early September , during which time more than a million tourists are expected to check in across the French capital. The games have inspired city-wide projects such as the €1.4-billion clean-up of the Seine, which, should all go well, will allow public swimming in the river for the first time in a century.

Elsewhere, the Tour de France starts in Italy for the first time, with competitors speeding off in Florence before heading to Rimini on the Adriatic coast and then north to the Apennines through Emilia-Romagna. New bike routes in the area have been released by tour operators such as Ride International Tours and Ride Holidays for cycling enthusiasts keen to join in the fun. — Sarah James

6. Coolcationing

What’s the trend? For the vast majority of folks, summer holidays used to be about following the sun, seeking the heat—watching the mercury climb and hitting the sands. With the intense, record-breaking temperatures of recent years, however, many are considering traveling in the opposite direction: booking "coolcations" in temperate destinations, which also benefit from being less crowded.

Why will it matter in 2024? It's official: 2023 is the hottest year on record . Little wonder that many travelers are thinking twice before booking literal hotspots like the South of France and Sicily, prone to heatwaves , in July or August. A survey for luxe travel network Virtuoso found that 82% of its clients are considering destinations with more moderate weather in 2024: destinations such as Iceland , Finland , and Scotland , according to Intrepid Travel , along with Latvia, which is surging in popularity. “We’re seeing an increase in those holidaying further north,” says Andrea Godfrey of Regent Holidays . “Scandinavia and the Baltics are both getting noticed more: They offer a more pared-back style of holiday but have some lovely beaches, forests, and lakes for both relaxation and adventure activities.”

Cooler temperatures are particularly well suited to family travel too. “We’re getting far more inquiries from families for destinations that offer summer sun, but also respite from the high temperatures being experienced in beach resorts across the Med,” says Liddy Pleasants, founder of family specialist Stubborn Mule Travel . “Kayaking in Norway, with its midnight sun, for instance, and cycling or hiking in Slovenia, which is also very good value.” — Rick Jordan

7. Gig tripping

What’s the trend? For years, athletes and wellness gurus were the big headliners at retreats. But rock stars are, well, the new rock stars of travel. Call it the Taylor Swift Effect. Destination concert business is up more than 50%, led mostly by Taylor Swift, says Janel Carnero, a travel advisor at Embark Beyond . In the US, tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour cost thousands and were still impossible to score. Music fans are realizing they can pay less and have a more memorable experience by seeing their favorite pop icons perform in say, Amsterdam or Milan . (Remember when everyone went to see Beyoncé early in Stockholm ?) Tours from performers such as Pearl Jam, U2, Doja Cat, and Madonna will anchor trip itineraries, while music festivals—Glastonbury sold out in less than an hour—will be major catalysts for travel.

Why will it matter in 2024? New music festivals, including Untold in Romania's Cluj-Napoca, are introducing travelers to less-popular destinations, says Alexandrea Padilha of Fischer Travel . And it’s no longer just about the music, says Carnero. “It’s the social aspect of sharing experiences with friends,” she adds.

Hotels and travel companies have taken note and are creating the equivalent of backstage VIP experiences for guests. Global adventure collective Eleven has recently introduced Music with Eleven. The program’s dedicated team of music-industry insiders (including Chris Funk, guitarist from the Decemberists) design custom itineraries that might include sitting in on a recording session at Flóki Studios, just outside the Arctic Circle at Deplar Farm in Iceland. And Rhythm & Sails  hosts musicians on its catamarans. The company’s music director, Anders Beck of the jam band Greensky Bluegrass, curates the line-up of artists who perform sessions onboard and in ports as you island hop around the Caribbean . — Jen Murphy

8. Resorts will help you biohack your health span

What’s the trend? Longevity is the latest wellness buzzword thanks to best-selling books such as  Outlive  and the hit Netflix documentary  Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones . Between 2021 and 2022, venture-capital investment in longevity clinics more than doubled from $27 million to $57 million globally, according to analysis from longevity research and media company Longevity.Technology. Now, the science of extending life and optimizing health has become the focus at hotels. Blue Zones retreats are the new boot camps, and even sybaritic resorts are offering the latest biohacks. Poolside vitamin IV, anyone?

Why will it matter in 2024? Since the pandemic, feeling good trumps looking good. “People have become aware of the critical importance of developing a more proactive, preventive approach to health on all levels,” says Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya , a wellness retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand . This means a new willingness to go beyond diet and exercise and embrace sci-fi-sounding bio-regenerative treatments such as ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers, both on offer at Kamalaya's new Longevity House.

Luxury hotel brands are embracing the trend too. Six Senses Ibiza recently teamed up with biotech company RoseBar to offer guests full diagnostic testing. Maybourne Hotel Group is collaborating with wellness tech pioneer Virtusan to help guests boost performance. And Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea administers treatments such as stem cells and NAD+ (a.k.a. the fountain of youth) through its partnership with Next Health . At 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai, guests are welcomed with a B12 shot and the resort’s new wellness-specific rooms come with recovery-boosting mod cons including infrared light mats. If the trend continues, the secret to longevity may be as easy as taking more holidays. — Jen Murphy

9. Peak season gets the cold shoulder

What's the trend? There’s been a dramatic recent increase in shoulder season travel to Europe’s most popular destinations (particularly France , Spain , the UK , and Italy ), which is set to continue in 2024. Luxury travel specialists Original Travel has launched new shoulder season itineraries to locations traditionally in demand during the summer—including the crystalline seascapes of Sardinia and Corsica—after seeing 14% more bookings for September 2023 than for August 2023. Pegi Amarteifio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World shares similar insights: “Comparing phone reservations in 2023 against 2019, we’ve seen a 33% increase for March to May and a 58% increase for September to November, a pattern reflected across our other booking channels too.”

Why will it matter in 2024? A combination of social, economic, and environmental factors is driving this trend into 2024. The cost of living crisis means a heightened focus on value. For 62% of respondents to Booking.com’s 2024 travel trends survey, this is a limiting factor for 2024 travel planning, so much so that 47% of respondents are even willing to take children out of school for cheaper off-peak travel. Shoulder season travel is also becoming more attractive due to rising temperatures, and more feasible due to flexible working. Layered on top of these practical considerations is an emotional motivation too: Travelers are craving authenticity more than ever, seeking a tranquil and local feel when abroad, rather than beaches that resemble a Where's Waldo? scene. — Toyo Odetunde

10. Private group travel

What’s the trend? The post-pandemic desire to gather friends or family and embark on a shared holiday experience shows no sign of abating. In fact, it’s on the increase in luxury travel, as people appreciate the benefits and savor the moment, from three-generation family groups to 50-something empty-nesters keen to rekindle life-long friendships. Just don’t take Succession ’s family outing to Tuscany as a role model.

Why will it matter in 2024? “While some predicted group travel would peak post-pandemic, we’ve seen it have a lasting, positive impact with private group bookings continuing to be a dominant trend,” says Tom Marchant of Black Tomato , for whom group travel now accounts for 30% of bookings. The company has just launched its See You in the Moment series to cater for the demand. It uses a mood board of over 35 experiences themed around key flash points, from The Meal (a backcountry feast served on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon , for example) to The Challenge (rafting down the Apurímac in Peru , perhaps), all designed to create lasting memories. For Scott Williams , meanwhile, multi-generational travelers are thinking big: Why take one house when you can take a whole estate, such as Meli on Paxos in the Greek Islands, which sleeps 17?

Other groups are taking to the water, with Red Savannah reporting an increase in bookings for Turkish gulets, Egyptian dahabiyas, and Indonesian phinisis. Scott Dunn have seen an increase in bookings amongst groups of friends, with 30% of respondents in a recent survey saying they were planning trips for 2024 that included ski trips to France, adventure travel in South and Central America, and beach breaks on Antigua and Barbados.

Empty-nesters are also a growing force, with groups of couples in their 50s to 70s hiring villas in the shoulder season for cultural weeks away, and all-female groups—mainly aged between 50 and 65—who are proactive in wanting to renew long-term friendships. “We had one repeat group that included several cancer survivors,” says Sarah-Leigh Shenton at Red Savannah. “A hammam afternoon in Turkey was a deeply bonding experience and they’ve since traveled to Jordan and Sicily together.” — Rick Jordan

11. AI aims to be your sidekick

What's the trend? Early last year, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT broke the record as the fastest-ever growing consumer app, travelers started playing around with AI chatbots to get inspiration on where they could go. More recently, major travel booking platforms have started to integrate AI chatbots into the booking experience. But if 2023 was the year of AI chatbots wanting to plan your trips , 2024 will be all about how AI aspires to be your travel sidekick. A wave of new AI-powered features and products aims to support travelers on the ground, all while raising concerns around the potential negative impacts as AI becomes more widely integrated with our travels.

Why will it matter in 2024? AI will start to make more real-time interventions in our travels in 2024. One practical example is live translation , which Samsung plans to launch on its 2024 Galaxy devices. Imagine calling somewhere you want to visit to get information without worrying about whether staff speak the same language as you. Another example is greater AI personalization in popular apps you already use. Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has recently touted the company's increasing use of personalized AI algorithms , which will learn about your habits and make suggestions based on what you’re doing.

For the true early adopters, real-time travel interventions could also mean ditching your screen entirely and clipping a screenless personal translator and travel assistant to your chest. This is the unusual idea behind the new talking and projecting AI Pin from Humane , a start-up backed by investors including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, that promises to function a bit like the universal translator from Star Trek . Will anyone want to actually wear the pin or will it go the way of previously hyped devices such as Google Glass? It certainly raises a host of ethical questions about privacy and data protection. Yet the more that AI products successfully help in addressing on-the-go problems, the more travelers will come to rely on them too. — JD Shadel

12. Skip-gen travel

What’s the trend? Skip-gen travel describes when grandparents holiday with grandchildren, in other words, “skipping” a generation. “In the past few months, I've had around twice as many enquiries as usual for grandchild/grandchild bookings,” says Clio Wood, founder of family retreat company &Breathe . “There’s been a rising trend of grandparents taking their grandchildren away,” agrees Ollie Summers, head of sales at luxury travel operator Scott Dunn . “Often to places that have a sentimental meaning to them.”

Why will it matter in 2024? Several travel agencies have created itineraries to cater specifically for this demand in 2024. “Skip-gen safaris are emerging as a micro-trend from the UK, reflecting a niche traveler group now well established in the US luxury market,” says Liane Goldring of Mahlatini Luxury Travel . “The grandparents are usually in their 70s and still active enough to fully embrace a fully guided safari adventure.” Original Travel, meanwhile, has relaunched its Bonding Holidays Collection , featuring trips focused on discovering something new together, such as its 14-day Family Ranching itinerary in the American West. Some of this growth can be attributed to big-ticket lockdown promises coming to fruition. Now, parents are also keen to make the most of the time and childcare support of their typically retired parents. Plus, the global ratio of living grandparents to grandchildren is higher than ever, thanks to a combined increase in life expectancy and drop in the number of children per person. We’re even said to be living in the “the age of the grandparent.” Don’t expect this trend—or your grandparents—to slow down anytime soon. — Becky Lucas

13. Train travel gets glam

What’s the trend? Rising climate consciousness has fueled a rail travel revival, and so the luxury train niche is reaching new heights of popularity, extravagance, and ambition. Travel booking platforms are reporting growing demand for luxury rail trips , where the journey is, yes, the destination. In fact, new design-forward train lines increasingly rival the finest hotels for the culinary experiences and bells and whistles on offer.

Why will it matter in 2024? A new wave of rail lines and itineraries launching in 2024 puts an emphasis on deeper immersion into the culture and landscapes of the destinations, which are more and more off the beaten track. Responding to growing demand for luxury train travel among its user base, specialist platform Railbookers plans to launch arguably the most geographically extensive and expensive luxury train itinerary around. With prices per person starting at $113,599, the 80-day Around the World by Luxury Train voyage will cross four continents and 13 countries. Beginning in August, the slow journey will string together existing luxury rail trips including Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper, and India’s Maharajas Express from Delhi to Mumbai.

In Asia, the previously paused Eastern & Oriental Express is making a grand comeback starting in February, with carriages getting an upscale revamp and its legendary route being retraced through Malaysia's landscapes. Meanwhile, Japan is a hot destination for its scenic train journeys such as the exclusive Train Suite Shiki-shima, which quickly closed applications for its 2024 trips due to demand.

And in Europe, six new train lines will commence or terminate in Rome under Accor's La Dolce Vita umbrella, with suites designed by starchitects Dimorestudio, building on the cultural legacy of the famous Orient Express . — JD Shadel

14. Restaurateur-owned hotels

What’s the trend? Restaurants and hotels are the two keystones of the hospitality industry. And naturally, the two are often intertwined on one premises. Until recently, though, most hotels weren’t started or owned by restaurateurs. Yet as food-focused travel keeps increasing, with people hankering for the next hot reservation and planning entire trips around engaging with a culture through its food, it makes sense that restaurateurs are adding hotelier to their personal bios—and ensuring their new properties have impressive food offerings. We’d be remiss not to mention Nobu, which began as a restaurant in 1994 and in 2013 launched its global hotel brand , as a harbinger of the trend.

Why will it matter in 2024? Just as design brands (RH, West Elm) have opened hotels in recent years, now restaurateurs are getting in on the action. In the US, restaurateur and 12-time James Beard award nominee Sam Fox has just launched the Global Ambassador in Phoenix, Arizona, with five restaurants. Santa Barbara’s Good Lion Hospitality is relaunching Petit Soleil , a Californian wine country boutique hotel, with a new bar and restaurant slated for next spring. The Lafayette Hotel & Club was debuted last summer in San Diego by Arsalun Tafazoli, founder of a local hospitality group that operates 16 bars and restaurants. The hotel has five restaurants and bars, with two more opening by the end of the year. In Dallas, Harwood International, which owns a dozen or so restaurants in the area, opened Hôtel Swexan in June.

In the St. Gallen region of Switzerland, two hotels were recently added to beloved restaurants: the revamped Mammertsberg  and  Gasthaus Traube . In Slovenia, AS Hotel is a new place to stay launched by Sebastijan Raspopović, son of chef Svetozar Raspopović-Pope of renowned restaurant Gostilna AS in Lublijana. Aside from a restaurant by Raspopović-Pope, the hotel also has an eatery by Michelin-lauded chef Ana Roš. Finally,  R48 , and its lauded Chef’s Table, was opened in Tel Aviv last spring by R2M Hospitality Group, which also runs restaurants CoffeeBar and Herzl 16. — Devorah Lev-Tov

15. Silent travel

What’s the trend? In an age of overstimulation, silence might be just what we need from our travels in 2024. Offering a chance to restore and reset, silent travel represents a more mindful kind of trip, one that doesn’t leave you needing a holiday to recover from your holiday. Silent meditation retreats are an increasingly popular wellness trend, but silent travel also encompasses secluded nature resorts, sleep retreats , quiet hotels , silent walking tours and even silent disco and concert experiences.

Why will it matter in 2024? Saturated with stress and screen time, many of us are looking for ways to disconnect. The silent walking trend that recently took TikTok by storm reflects a growing impulse to escape the noise of our tech-fueled lives and embrace the quiet, with promising implications for wellbeing. One 2015 study suggests silence may help to stimulate brain development, while another found that two minutes of silence during or after relaxing music increased the music's calming effects. With the Global Wellness Institute forecasting a 21% increase in wellness tourism in the next two years, what better counter to the chaos of our always-on lives than silence? Silent travel is also part of a move towards more sustainable tourism. Quiet Parks International , for example, offers unique nature experiences in dedicated quiet spaces, reducing noise pollution for the surrounding wildlife.

Silent travel opportunities abound in 2024. Kick off the year with a silent retreat in Portugal (with Innate ) or Italy (with Mandali ). More adventurous silent-seekers can trek the peaceful Japanese Kumano Kodo trail, or explore Finland’s Arctic landscape with a Silence & Nature Tour . For a tailor-made silent experience, Black Tomato’s Blink camp offers luxury accommodation in the world’s most remote settings, while its Get Lost program promises to help you find yourself by getting lost in a far-flung location. — Tasha Kleeman

16. Urban gardens

What’s the trend? Never mind the biophilic office and those pot plants you forget to water: Whole cities are going green as architects and planners create leafy microclimates amid the grey concrete to help keep us cooler, connect communities and even feed us.

Why will it matter in 2024? Having trees and gardens in our cities is a pretty good idea. King Nebuchadnezzar certainly thought so, which is why his Hanging Gardens of Babylon made it into travel’s first-ever bucket list—the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—back in the 2nd century BC. Nowadays, planting trees creates much-needed shade, stores carbon, and increases biodiversity, but it also makes our cityscapes so much nicer.

While Valencia, an early adopter of urban greening with its 12km-long Turia Garden in 1986, is the 2024 European Green Capital, France is busy planting trees like there’s no tomorrow. Go to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and you’ll spot budding new forests growing in Place du Colonel-Fabien, Place de Catalogne, and in the Charonne district, while Bordeaux ’s Grandeur Nature project includes urban cooling islands, micro-forests, and rain gardens.

Meanwhile, on Cyprus—an island that experienced temperatures of 111°F in 2023—the new Salina Park opens in time for summer shade in the seaside city of Larnaca. In Brazil , Rio’s Hortas Cariocas is a groundbreaking achievement that will be completed by the end of 2024: the largest urban vegetable garden in the world, connecting 56 community gardens across favelas and schools.

And in London , the £1-billion Google building in King’s Cross will show just what can be done with one structure. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the “landscraper”—only 11 stories high but stretching out longer than the Shard is tall—is hoped to provide a blueprint for future urban projects: running along the rooftop is a multi-level garden, with wildflowers, lawns and decked seating areas, set with more than 55,000 plants and 250 trees. Can you dig it? — Rick Jordan

17. Back-of-house tours

What’s the trend? Greener hotels giving us a look behind the scenes to show us—not just tell us— they're sustainable. Not just a look-see at solar panels or composting, but experiential tours that help us appreciate why it matters to support socio-economic uplift through tourism. In South America, Blue Apple Beach invites visitors to get up close and personal with the community work it does in Colombia through its impact fund. Founder Portia Hart wanted more than token-gesture carbon offsetting, where locals themselves could decide how money was spent. In Africa, guests of the Bushcamp Company contribute to initiatives through the Luangwa Conservation and Community Fund. A popular excursion in Zambia is visiting the boreholes that are installed with outreach funds. Each pump provides fresh drinking water to hundreds of people a day, and visitors who spend time with those gathered get a very tangible insight into how such provisions funded by hospitality can literally change lives in regions most affected by a warming planet.

Why will it matter in 2024? Transparency is on the up as the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive comes into force and greenwashing is coming close to being officially outlawed. A year of droughts, floods, and heatwaves also reminds us we need to make better-informed choices in our travel planning—and all the better if we can also get a crash course on the science and sociology of positive impact. Experiences that go beyond explaining responsible practices, but demonstrate a deep respect for communities on the climate-change frontlines and help make their challenges relatable to visitors are especially helpful. — Juliet Kinsman

18. Wild feasting

What’s the trend? Have you ever noticed how food always tastes better outdoors? But in today’s modern world, many of us are more used to eating a sandwich while staring at a screen. Wild feasting describes the trend for beautifully curated culinary experiences in natural environments with the incorporation of hyper-local and foraged ingredients. In Sweden , for example, you can tap into a network of do-it-yourself outdoor restaurants where you book a table in a scenic location, search for nettles, birch leaves, lingonberries, and trumpet chanterelles, and then cook them on an open fire according to a recipe card provided by a Michelin-grade chef.

Why will it matter in 2024? A greater range of wild feasting opportunities will give urbanites a chance to properly connect over food. Leading the way is Noah Ellis, founder of the UK's Nomadic Dinners . “Since launching in 2018, we experienced compounded year-on-year growth for our feasting and foraging experiences,” he says. In 2024, he will be hosting a new series of fire feasts, including one set among the bluebells. Also tapping into the zeitgeist is TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson (a.k.a. the Black Forager) who will publish a book about wild food in 2024. And don’t forget, 2024 is the last year you will be able to eat at Copenhagen ’s legendary, foraging-focused restaurant Noma before it turns into a test kitchen and closes to the public.

Another innovator is Holmen Lofoten’s Kitchen On The Edge Of The World series in the Norwegian Arctic Circle, where guests can participate in four nights of wild feasts cooked by top chefs. In 2024, these will include Lennox Hastie, José Pizarro, and Heidi Bjerkan. Ingunn Rasmussen, owner of Holmen Lofoten, says, “Now, as when we were little kids, gathering around a bonfire in the wilderness, sharing stories, and feasting under the stars in these magical, remote surroundings is one of the absolute highlights, both for our guests and for us.” — Jenny Southan

19. Plan-free travel

What's the trend? Saying no to endless scrolling to plan every inch of a trip, and saying yes to spontaneity instead. The power of the algorithm-spawned era of FOMO travel is waning, with those once secret spots made Insta-famous becoming tired and cookie-cutter, and the drive to plan a trip around them losing momentum. The rising counter movement is travel with no plans at all.

Why will it matter in 2024? The plan-free appeal is going one step further in 2024. Booking.com recently reported that 50% of UK travelers want to book a surprise trip in 2024, where everything, even the destination, is unknown until arrival. And it’s possible to do it via travel companies such as Black Tomato, whose Get Lost service offers customers the ability to simply select a preferred environment—polar, jungle, desert, mountain, or coastal—and leave its team to decide everything else. “While we launched Get Lost several years ago, post-pandemic we’ve seen a notable and rising uptick in bookings and enquiries,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant.

Journee offers a similar surprise element, with travelers only finding out where they’re going at the airport. The service, which includes a full itinerary and access to a team via Whatsapp, is particularly popular with solo female travelers, while overall demand has grown so much that the London-based brand recently launched trips in the US. — Lauren Burvill

20. Frontier tourism

What’s the trend? To go above and beyond. Or below and under. As crossings of the tumultuous Drake Passage to Antarctica rack up millions of TikTok views and traffic jams form on Everest, canny travelers are seeking more individual, less obvious experiences that combine thrill-seeking with more meaningful self-empowerment.

Why will it matter in 2024? One person’s frontier is another’s backyard, of course, so frontiers are entirely subjective here. For some, this could mean being the first to camp under the stars in a remote landscape, or hike an ancient pilgrimage trail that’s been off the map for centuries. It’s still possible to bag a rare place on a Kamba African Rainforest Experience in the Republic of the Congo, being one of just 12 people to explore a game park the size of Belgium.

Black Tomato, meanwhile, is designing an intrepid new expedition to the remote Mitre Peninsula in Argentina, along with a trip in Peru navigating the Sacred Valley of the Incas by raft. “This sort of adventure goes beyond bragging rights and is more akin to self-empowerment and the gratification of pushing our own horizons,” says Black Tomato co-founder Tom Marchant. The Ultimate Travel Company is also heading to Peru, a country repositioning itself for luxury travelers, with stays at Puqio, its first tented exploration camp, in the remote Colca Valley in the Southern Peruvian Andes.

Wilderness camping is also pegging out fresh terrain in Kyrgyzstan, with yurt stays on the steppes trending for 2024, according to Wild Frontiers, as is Mongolia; while Albania, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Empty Quarter of Oman are all on the radar for an increasing number of travelers. And while the space-age pods of White Desert have already sold out for New Year’s Eve 2024 and 2025, latter-day frontiersfolk can take the path less traveled and explore the frozen continent’s southern coast (99 per cent of visitors go from South America to the northwest) with The Ultimate Travel Company’s new Ross Sea cruises, seeing the Ross Ice Shelf and Transantarctic Mountains. Don’t forget to pack your penknife. — Rick Jordan

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12 Travel Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2024

• travel marketing

Here’s your list of travel marketing trends you cannot ignore in 2024. If you want to:

- Fight the stiff competition and low ROI in your industry - Pivot your travel marketing strategy despite the pandemic - Capture more bookings when travel resumes full speed

Then this list will be really helpful. You also get a glimpse of travel marketing ideas by brands that you can learn from. Let’s dive in.

12 Travel Marketing Trends in 2024

1. virtual reality experiences.

Ideally, the best virtual experience requires a VR headset, but today we also have 360-degree and panorama videos that can provide a virtual experience. This is an increasingly popular form of travel marketing, used by various sectors of the industry. For instance, hotels use VR tours to showcase their hotel rooms, while travel agents offer VR videos of tourist attractions. For example, check out this VR tour of the Conrad Koh Samui resort.

Want to know how you can create your own VR videos? Check out this video below.

Pro-tip: Once you’ve created your video, you can easily edit it using InVideo’s online video editor  

2. TikTok Marketing

With over 2 billion downloads and over 1 billion monthly active users , TikTok is the latest social media platform marketers need to look at. Travel marketers have a unique opportunity to stand out on TikTok with travel-related videos, something many people are desperately craving more of right now since they may not be able to go anywhere themselves. TikTok video tours and video stories have the potential to go viral . You can even repurpose your Instagram reel videos on TikTok! 

Create viral travel TikTok videos

With trending InVideo templates

For example, Trip Hacks DC , a firm that provides guided tours of Washington DC, actually saw phenomenal success using TikTok. They posted 1 video daily on TikTok in December 2020. They gained 738,551 video views, 3,511 new followers, 92,300 likes and 6,572 profile views. Check out their best performing video (with 320K views) below:

Check out this article by Trip Hacks DC founder Rob on his learnings. Meanwhile, here are a few TikTok video tips to help you get started on your TikTok travel marketing journey:

Tip #1 - Use relevant TikTok hashtags the same way you would on Instagram to show up for those using the search feature.

Tip #2 - Add your location to your profile because geo-location is a factor in the TikTok algorithm. This is especially helpful for travel businesses as it means your geo-tagged post will show up in relevant searches and help you get more views.

Tip #3 - There are 2 types of videos you may find on TikTok - trending videos and original content. You make trending content by copying an existing video concept and putting your own twist on it. Trending content usually revolves around a specific piece of music or audio. For example, a popular trending video in 2020 involved people hopping to the beat of the Black-Eyed Peas song “Where is the Love” with a funny caption about how they were “on my way” somewhere. 

Wondering how you can find out the top TikTok trends for 2024 that you can mirror for your brand? Check out this list of 5 trending video ideas for any business.

Tip #4 - Rob from Trip Hacks DC found that his best performing TikTok videos included all original content - a video he made with a tip to stand near the Washington Monument for magnificent city views (320K views). Other high-performing videos were about Florida House (149K views) and a lesser-known FDR monument (66K views). Meanwhile, the trending videos he made garnered very few views comparatively. 

Tip #5 - The above point is interesting because it suggests that viewers want to see locations and places in a new way, from different perspectives. Travel businesses can create TikTok tours that give a sneak peek of what the travel experience will be like, keeping this insight in mind. For example, check out this compilation of TikTok videos on YouTube that show a vlogger traveling to different locations - his concept revolves around shooting his feet on unfamiliar terrain.

3. Facebook Ads can be your best bet!

In 2020, a few travel operators braved Facebook Advertising despite the pandemic. They ended up seeing astounding results, generating six figures in revenue for bookings with less than $1000 ad spend. This might have required careful planning and testing of different combinations. But these travel marketers found interesting new target users and audiences.

For example, Morgan Cantrall, the founder of History Well Travelled , a walking tour operation in Georgia, discovered that their Facebook ads got the most engagement from older generations! Who knew Facebook Ads was one of the hottest senior citizen tourism trends?! Check out some of Morgan’s learnings here .

With 2 billion monthly active users and hundreds of targeting and retargeting options, Facebook ads can give you genuine ROI and provide massive reach. 

Want to learn more about how you can get started with Facebook advertising in 2024? Check out this step-by-step tutorial that will help you create and set up your first Facebook ad.

Create thumb-stopping Facebook ads

Using templates that convert

4. Remarketing

Even though brands spend big bucks on marketing, according to a Think with Google study, only 14% of leisure travelers always book with the first airline that comes to mind when they start their research. Even worse, that number drops to 10% when we look at the first hotel brand that came to mind during their research. Essentially, this means that you need to keep reminding your consumers of your brand presence throughout their consideration process, before they book a flight or a hotel room or any other service.

The best way to ensure your brand remains top of mind for travel planners is to leverage the power of remarketing. 

For instance, maybe they started to book a hotel room, or looked at flights and then stopped midway. As a travel marketer, this is a unique lead you can reach out to through remarketing, mainly because you know exactly what they are looking for. For example, check out the Facebook ad below. They targeted this to customers who already checked out hotel prices on Expedia.com, but did not make a booking. The ad subtly nudges customers to come back to Expedia.com and look for a relevant hotel while promoting the Aava Whistler Hotel. 

You can tailor the actual content you target individuals with to show them the exact product they were viewing for maximum relevance. Remarketing enables you to push the services and products that your consumers need. It can be carried out primarily using Google AdWords and Facebook ads . Check out this guide to remarketing to learn how you can use it for your business.

5. Review Marketing

For the travel and tourism sector, customers turn to review marketing for deals, discounts and making decisions. Websites and services like TripAdvisor, Hotel.com, Kayak.com, and more provide reviews for hotels, airlines, tours, and services. If reviews are a part of your travel marketing strategy, they are likely to give you stellar results. Check out this search result for hotels in Michigan - the top few names are ones that have great reviews on Google.  

As a travel marketer, you need to make sure that your profiles on platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, Kayak, et al., are well maintained with accurate images, and descriptions as well as prices. You also need enough reviews to mitigate any negative ones. The main travel marketing tips in this area are to encourage customers to leave reviews through email requests, and to take the time to update information and photos on each review platform. 

6. User Generated Content

User-generated content includes videos created by users, images uploaded to social media platforms, and comments on blog posts. You can factor in user-generated content as a part of your travel marketing strategy to build brand loyalty and authenticity.

A restaurant can encourage customers to upload images to their website, while hotels or attractions can provide a digital photo booth at their location, which automatically adds the company or relevant hashtag to every photo. Brands can also hold contests on social media to create user-generated content. 

For example, as part of their For the Love of Mesa contest, Visit Mesa asked people to create content describing what Mesa (a city in Arizona, USA) meant to them. They then featured the best photos and videos in a music video, “For the Love of Mesa”. Check it out here:

Hashtag campaigns are also a great way to create user generated content while subtly promoting your products and services. For example, Cathay Pacific created #lifewelltravelled in 2015 to align it with their global advertising campaign. The hashtag took a life of its own though with constant involvement from travel blogger Jessica Stein . Today the hashtag is still in use and pretty popular with 2,900,532 posts on Instagram.

Check out how you can use hashtags to improve your business in this article .

7. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves influencers and influencer marketing agencies endorsing a product or a service to their existing following on social media sites like Instagram and YouTube. Since the audience trusts them, they are more likely to trust the marketing content influencers share.

Images and videos are ideal for this, as it allows the influencer’s audience to see their travel experience. Businesses may reach out to influencers that have a following from a specific demographic, in order to target them. For example, check out travel influencer Murad Osmann ’s video collaboration with the Renaissance Hotels chain.

8. Augmented Reality

AR or augmented reality differs slightly from virtual reality. It involves the use of apps and overlays to show an object in a particular space. Travel companies can use this to enhance real-world settings. 

For instance, a review app might display customer reviews for a restaurant when a phone is pointed at the building. Some hotels have also innovatively used AR, providing wall maps within rooms and a companion app, which overlays additional information onto the map. For example, check out this AR Travel Guide to the city of Florence, Italy.

9. Artificial Intelligence 

More and more travel marketing plans include some or the other application of AI or artificial intelligence. Customer service is one of the biggest areas where businesses compete, and the use of AI-powered chatbots can significantly improve response times and offer 24/7 service, even when staff are not available.

From recommended flights to intelligent online travel assistants, tailored offers for loyal customers and dynamic pricing, AI is used extensively. For example, Expedia.com, an online travel agency, uses the Facebook messenger chatbot to help you find hotels when travelling. The bot (image below) asks you various questions about your journey and then selects the top 5 hotels that suit your criteria to make it easy to look for accommodation. 

10. Customer Experience Marketing

To stand out among the competition, your brand and business need to create and deliver customer-centric experiences and campaigns as it gives your target audience an interesting reason to stay and become repeat customers. You also must create an emotional connection between your brand and customers, putting them at the center of your travel marketing strategy.

Most believe that the highest form of customer experience would be personalised to each consumer. One example of personalisation is the use of data aggregating softwares. For example, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has appointed SevenRooms as their global reservation, table management and guest engagement platform software.

SevenRooms is a software platform that captures data right from the start of the guest’s journey. 

This software helps Mandarin Oriental teams to understand their guests’ needs and personalise their services accordingly. They can track guest data from reservation to check-in to meal orders and preferences (see image below).

It also helps with reservation and seating arrangements (see image below), point of sale (POS) and property management systems (PMS), and automatically tagging guests according to preferences and providing upgrades or experiences according to their profiles. This software also helps Mandarin Oriental with marketing automation and engagement tools like email automation, review aggregation and special offers. 

Mandarin Oriental can capture approved guest data points including personal, preference and transactional data that can then be used both in- and post-service to drive repeat visits through direct reservations across the Group. Similarly, you too can ensure that your customers delight in experiencing your product or service and come back for more. Check out how your travel business can improve customer experience here .

11. Voice Search

With Amazon Alexa, Siri, Google Home and other smart devices becoming mainstream, voice search now must be a part of your travel marketing strategy. A growing number of customers are turning to smart phones and devices to make hotel, flight, and transport bookings, using online travel agencies. Besides offering this kind of service, marketers can also optimise web content to capitalise on voice searches. Hotels are increasingly using smart hubs within their hotel rooms, improving the customer experience. 

A good example of voice search in action within the travel industry is seen in this video, focused on the Expedia skill for Amazon Alexa. This provides a voice-activated means of managing your upcoming travel and booking holidays.

Check out this article to understand how you can optimise your website and content for voice search.

12. Personalised or Targeted Marketing

Personalized travel experiences are one of the most significant trends within the tourism industry, with some brands already jumping on the bandwagon. According to a report, 69% of travelers will be more loyal to a provider that personalizes their experiences. For example, check out this Hilton Hotels virtual guide, a part of the Hilton Honors application. 

The app accompanies guests during their stays. It provides suggestions, recommendations, activities, resolves doubts, and more. If the guest is looking for the hotel spa, the app helps them get there, and may even send them an exclusive deal on the way. Guests can also check in using the app, control the devices that are connected to their room, and use it as a key. Not only that; app users also collect points they can share with friends or redeem on Amazon. Pretty cool right!

Personalised or targeted marketing can include AI based recommendations, targeted emails, text messages, and even remarketing campaigns. Check out this guide to travel personalisation to understand what kind of travel marketing strategies you can adopt to follow this trend.

Wrapping Up

So these were the top 12 trends you can leverage as a part of your travel marketing strategy. If you found value in this article, you definitely want to check out this ready reckoner of top video ideas that you can create in the travel space. Do share this with your friends and drop-in questions you may have on tourism marketing.

For more quick tips and hacks on editing and creating videos, subscribe to InVideo’s YouTube Channel . Finally, if you’re looking to create thumb-stopping videos in minutes (even if you’re not a PRO)- sign-up for a free account on InVideo.io today. 

This post was written by Upasna and edited by Abhilash from Team InVideo

Let’s create superb videos

June 21, 2023

Travel Marketing Trends and Changes in Tourism Consumer Behavior

By liza colburn.

Today’s consumers are traveling more often than in previous years. Multiple consumer travel marketing trends studies (including Persado’s) have found the same upward trend in travel plans and bookings. According to Hopper’s 2023 Travel Trends Report , 59.3% of respondents plan on spending more on travel in 2023 than they did in 2022. 53.6% plan on taking more trips in 2023 than they did the previous year. Persado’s 2023 Consumer Travel Survey shows more of the same results. 74% of the respondents said they plan to take the same or more vacations this year as they did in 2022. In fact, consumers seem to be prioritizing travel over other leisure expenses. 

Economic changes and personal debt don’t seem to be slowing down travel spending, either. In Persado’s recent tourism motivation survey , only 9% of respondents indicated they will delay travel until they pay off personal debt. 15% stated that personal debt does not affect their travel plans at all. While changing economic conditions have transformed consumer behavior in other industries such as financial services and retail sales , travel is accelerating despite changes in the economy. 

While the consumer signs are positive, travel operators face new challenges. These challenges include serving increasing demand and competition in an environment marked by changing consumer behavior. There are also new expectations and emerging travel marketing trends to consider. How can top travel & hospitality brands better serve today’s travel-ready consumers and gain market share? By understanding how to personalize the digital booking experience, delivering digital messaging that inspires customers to take action, and delivering value according to what the ever-evolving consumer expects from their next getaway.

Travel marketing trends: The need for personalized digital booking experiences 

Thanks to highly successful travel loyalty marketing programs and other factors, travel & hospitality brands have more data on their customers than most industries. Nonetheless, personalization across the digital booking experience remains relatively low across travel & hospitality. 

The personalization of the digital customer experience has been traditionally limited to location-based campaigns around where customers live. While it might be nice to receive a deal on a tropical vacation on a brisk day in the Northeast of the US, travel & hospitality brands have the opportunity to create far more impactful personalized digital experiences and meet the modern traveler’s booking experience expectations using their wealth of data alongside the latest travel marketing trends. 

Let’s dive into some trends and responses to recent changes in tourism consumer behavior. 

8 game-changing tourism marketing trends to watch  

1. increased flexibility and protection .

Modern travelers see flexibility, or the ability to seamlessly cancel or reschedule their trip without penalty, as paramount to the booking experience. Policies that protect the customer from an unforeseeable change in plans are just as important as personalization in inspiring the confidence customers need to finalize their booking. Lack of flexibility is one of the primary reasons customers abandon their booking at the trip summary page or don’t book at all. 

Today’s customers want to be reassured that their money is protected should they have to change or cancel their trip. While the desire to travel is high, so is travel anxiety. After witnessing or perhaps experiencing massive travel disruptions over the past few years, today’s travelers need some extra reassurance in order to confidently book. Brands should not only offer these policies, but also promote them throughout the digital customer journey to keep customers engaged, inspired, and assured, especially on the trip summary page. 

2. Personalized booking experiences – including on the trip summary page 

Top travel & hospitality brands have the data they need to further personalize the digital customer experience through personalized digital messaging, useful recommendations, and more based on their travel history and preferences instead of more generalized segments based on age, gender, geography, etc. One of the most neglected, yet most impactful opportunities for personalization is on the trip summary page. According to McKinsey , a message’s timing is just as important as its content. With booking abandonment rates around 85% on average , it’s time travel & hospitality brands found new ways to get more customers across the finish line at the moment it matters most. 

Persado Dynamic Motivation uses web session data alongside Generative AI and our unique Motivation AI knowledge base to deliver the words that motivate travelers to book right on the trip summary page. While one person may see “Your adventure awaits,” another will see “Time to get away.” 

Dynamic Motivation works on the trip summary page whether or not a customer is signed in or not. It adapts to the customer’s behavior to deliver the most effective messaging. It can also be applied across the entire website and email in order to drive more upgrades and higher AOV. Travel & hospitality leaders who use Dynamic Motivation on the trip summary page see a 3-5% increase in incremental revenue. 

Persado Motivation AI helps travel & hospitality leaders personalize digital marketing messaging across every digital channel to motivate more customers to engage and book. Brands generally see a 41% conversion lift on average across their digital channels. 

3. Authentic and personalized upgrade options 

The booking experience doesn’t end once the customer books a trip. Travel & hospitality brands continue to market upgrades leading up to the vacation and throughout the trip. Not only do customers want to feel like upgrades are personal recommendations selected just for them, they also want to feel like the experience itself is unique, personalized, and culturally authentic. In addition to personalized language throughout the online booking experience, travel & hospitality leaders should also take a second look at the types of upgrades and experiences they offer. 

According to the American Express Travel 2023 Global Travel Trends Report , today’s travelers want to take part in authentic experiences. They want to get a true taste of local culture and to support the local community. Modern travelers want experiences that are off the beaten path and look to visit lesser-known destinations before they become popular. Digital marketing campaigns around these experiences and upgrades should promote their authenticity and the ways these excursions give back to local communities. According to Avantio sustainable tourism statistics , travel & hospitality brands can drive more upgrades by upselling services and experiences in partnership with the local community. Emerging tour companies like Withlocals are already doing this. This goes along with the movement toward sustainable travel (more on that later). 

If your brand already offers authentic local experiences that support the community, but they aren’t marketed as such, it’s a missed opportunity to drive interest and additional bookings. If your upgrades and experiences are too commercial or don’t authentically represent or support the local community or economy, consider replacing those experiences with partnerships with local businesses and guides. 

4. More competitive loyalty programs 

Just about every major travel & hospitality brand has a loyalty program . Most are competitive with a corresponding credit card and various chances to earn points and rewards. However, as competition among loyalty programs, including brand agnostic travel points programs like that of Chase Sapphire Reserve, and competition across travel brands increases, consumers demand more from their travel loyalty programs. Brands can enhance their travel loyalty marketing through mutual partnerships with non-competitive yet complementary brands (ex: Hilton Honors + Lyft ). They should consistently reevaluate the needs of the ideal customer along with changing tourism consumer behavior. 

5. Sustainable travel

Sustainable travel refers to ethical travel practices that minimize the impact of tourism on the environment. Sustainability in travel also represents and affects local cultures in a positive way. According to Exploding Topics , searches for sustainable travel are up 250% in 2023. Booking.com research found that sustainable practices in travel are important to 81% of travelers. 59% said they want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived. 

Sustainable travel is less of a travel marketing trend and more of a movement toward greener and more ethical tourism practices. 73% of travelers are more likely to choose accommodations that markets their sustainable practices. Many major hotel chains such as Fairmont and Marriott publicly share their sustainability policies and goals. United Airlines launched their Eco-Skies Alliance program and JetBlue is working toward zero carbon emissions by 2040 . Leaders in travel & hospitality not only have sustainable travel practices, they also market them prominently across the omnichannel customer experience.  

6. Blending business and leisure travel 

Today, there is a lot more fluidity between business and personal travel. Remote work has given rise to the “workation” or “bleisure.” According to Hopper , 77% of survey respondents will tack personal travel onto a work trip. This is a convenient and more cost-effective way to travel. So even if your customer is primarily a business traveler, it might add value to the customer experience to start promoting upgrades, experiences, and deals on an extended stay that they might be interested in purchasing out of pocket in order to capitalize on this travel marketing trend. 

7. Wellness and relaxation 

Consumers look to travel as a way to escape their daily routine, relax, and rejuvenate. According to American Express , 57% of survey respondents plan to take extended vacations to focus on wellness. In order to unplug from their daily lives, people are booking trips to destinations that help them decompress and feel healthier. 

This is supported by the 2023 Persado Consumer Travel Study . When asked what motivated their most recent trip, escaping their day-to-day routine / relax & unwind was the most popular answer among survey respondents. In our 2023 Customer Motivation Report , the Persado Content Intelligence team found that Rejuvenation was the most effective narrative across digital marketing campaigns in travel. 

8. Last minute bookings 

Travelers now book flights and hotels much closer to their departure date than they did pre-pandemic. On average 55% of hotel reservations made on the Hopper app in 2022 were for same-day check-in. This is up by 7.5% compared to 2021 and 10.8% compared to 2020. This is trending even higher in 2023 with 63% of bookings made the same-day as check-in. Hopper also reported that domestic flight bookings have shortened since 2019. On average they are being made about 3 weeks ahead of departure compared to 3-4 weeks in 2019. 

This new tourism consumer behavior follows the need for flexibility and the anxiety consumers feel around the cost of travel. They want to be protected, should their plans change. So they book later in order to avoid the hassle and cost of having to cancel or reschedule a trip they booked too soon. Travelers can score deals on hotels when they book at the last minute, but risk hotels in the area being sold out when they go for last minute deals. 

For more on changing tourism consumer behavior and how top brands use AI to stay ahead of the curve, check out our insights into new consumer profiles and what motivates travel bookings . 

Persado AI-generated language is proven to perform (i.e. drive more bookings and upgrades) across the digital customer journey as it’s based on over 1.5 billion customer interactions from 150 million US-based customers. Top brands such as JPMorgan Chase, Kate Spade, and Gap motivate customers to engage and act across digital channels using Persado. Request a demo . 

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Top 10 Travel Marketing Trends You Should Be Following in 2023

Kyle Morley

January 26, 2023

The travel marketing industry is evolving alongside the behaviors of customers. The engagement on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube isn’t slowing down. Hotels and resorts are competing with Airbnb in a crowded marketplace. Online travel agencies have become more sophisticated and easy to use. 

In order to find room in such a competitive space, travel companies need to think one step ahead of the marketplace. This resource is a great place to start. 

Over the past few years especially, marketing for travel is tracking toward something new and different. We’ll tell you what we’re seeing on our side, and highlight our top 10 travel marketing trends to be aware of in 2023 and beyond. 

How Has The Travel Industry Changed in Recent Years?

There have been some major changes in the way that consumers want to travel after the Covid-19 pandemic. People are no longer looking for a cookie-cutter experience. They value local, authentic travel opportunities in their excursions and top-notch accommodations. 

Additionally, consumers have started researching their travel destinations more thoroughly. The popularity of travel video content has increased as many consumers prefer to visit virtually before booking their destination. They’re not only looking for an immersive experience in their destination, but immersive marketing before they book. 

Taking the time to identify key trends in travel marketing can help position your resort, hotel or attraction as a highly sought after vacation spot and compete with other top destinations in your area and across the globe. 

10 Travel Marketing Trends to Get Ahead Of in 2023

1. influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing has continued to explode in popularity amongst the travel and tourism industry. Instead of relying on traditional marketing campaigns, consumers are turning towards their favorite content creators to inform their travel decisions. Utilizing influencer marketing and social media can help create a unique buzz around your business model. 

Many travel companies are hiring influencers to produce timely and engaging content around their destination. Influencer marketing campaigns can help you reach a wider audience, drive bookings, and increase brand awareness overall. Additionally, offering a small discount code in conjunction with your influencer marketing campaign may help drive bookings.

2. Video Content Creation

Users are doing more research and want to see every aspect of the trip before deciding to book. Creating engaging video content can help create a sense of excitement surrounding your travel destination and showcase everything that makes it a worthwhile vacation. 

Video content allows you to highlight key elements of your travel destination that may drive user engagement on your site and social media platforms. Additionally, this can benefit the booking experience if you include video content competitors don’t, like room tours, for example. 

Both short-form and long-form video content are great ways to create easily digestible and shareable content that your users can engage with.

3. Leveraging Consumer Reviews

One of the best tactics for marketing your destination within the travel industry is to rely on consumer reviews. Word of mouth marketing has been a key marketing tool for the travel and tourism industry used to increase bookings and gain traction. However, it is easier than ever to leverage this data with the emergence of travel and review sites like TripAdvisor and other OTAs.

Most travel destinations already have reviews on these travel websites, as consumers readily supply them on their own. Travel and tourism companies can utilize this data to market their products. Customer testimonials are incredibly valuable to include on your website, as they offer real experiences from consumers. 

However, you can also use that data to inform your future strategies. What are consumers really liking? What are they not responding well to? 

4. Virtual Reality Experiences

Virtual reality is really starting to take off, especially after the pandemic. For the travel and tourism industry, that means that marketers can utilize panorama and 360-degree videos to create a real-life experience for potential travelers. This is especially important because travelers are doing more research than ever before booking a vacation. 

Virtual reality videos can be used to promote a variety of things, like hotel accommodations, amenities, or other excursions. Increasing consumer engagement with virtual reality can really boost the booking experience and help consumers experience your destination before they even get there.

5. User-Created Content

Another marketing trend emerging from the travel and tourism industry is the utilization of user-created content. Vacation destinations represent a huge opportunity for consumers to take photos and videos to post on their own social media platforms. Oftentimes, these are specifically curated for an audience. 

Travel companies can also use this user-generated content as a low effort and low cost method to promote a hotel, resort or travel destination. Social media-conscious users take beautiful snapshots or videos of the places they go to document a trip. 

You can utilize user-generated content to highlight positive experiences and encourage users to engage with your brand. User generated content can also provide potential consumers with real-life experiences from other people, which may increase trust in your brand and further encourage booking. 

6. Artificial Intelligence

AI is a great way to leverage technology to get the most of your team’s time. These tools can help deepen the interactions between your brand and the target consumer. While AI can be easily incorporated into your marketing plan in a variety of ways, the most popular (and effective) method is through chatbots. 

New advances in AI technology allow companies to upgrade their user experience. Some tech combines data from previous travelers to build an ideal itinerary for new guests. Chatbots can answer common questions, offer user support, and discuss availability. These small additions can readily improve your customer experience and increase OTA bookings. 

7. Memberships & Rewards Programs

Another popular trend emerging in the travel marketing industry is the use of memberships and subscriptions. Many companies are offering membership benefits like season passes, early access to activities or events or even line-skipping abilities. 

Additionally, rewards programs can offer benefits like free nights, food vouchers, or souvenirs. Creating and marketing a membership or rewards program for your travel company can help increase the amount of repeat visits and increase engagement with your brand. 

8. Email Marketing & Newsletters

While email marketing may not seem like a new strategy, it is a great way to increase your consumer engagement. Leveraging the power of email marketing and newsletters can keep your brand front-of-mind for many consumers.

It is also an easy way to get the word out about new promotions, discounts, or updates in travel safety protocols. While this tactic may seem like a no-brainer, many companies are not taking advantage of their email marketing opportunities. 

Creating a sequence of engaging emails or newsletters can help you actively engage with your audience and generate more popularity around your brand as a whole. 

9. Unique Accommodations

Consumers are looking to get a more well-rounded, fully fleshed out experience out of their travel. That means they are looking for a unique spin on every single aspect of their trip. Unique accommodations like airstreams, campsites, or eccentric themes are becoming increasingly popular. In order to keep up with this demand, travel companies need to flex their marketing focus.

Travel and tourism companies need to focus on their unique amenities and what truly separates them from the competition. What makes your accommodation unique? What sets it apart from the other hotels and resorts in the area?

10. Long-Term Stays

Work from home jobs and platforms like Airbnb and VRBO made long-term stays more popular amongst consumers. People are booking long-term stays so they can work and vacation at the same time. Travel companies will need to prepare for this shift in the industry. 

While brands like Airbnb can comfortably accommodate long-term stays, hotels and resorts are surely falling behind. Creating opportunities for long-term stays is incredibly important for the travel industry. You can appeal to this new trend in a ton of ways – with a rewards program, new accommodations or a new marketing campaign.

Creating an Innovative & Effective Travel Marketing Strategy

In order to be successful in a competitive marketplace like the travel and tourism industry, staying on top of the latest marketing trends is necessary. As the industry continues its evolution, we’ll be working on new ways to leverage emerging trends and platforms to better-market our clients. 

If you feel like you’re falling behind, we can help you pick up the place with an agile, scalable plan to drive bookings and put your brand in front of more users.

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7 Top Travel Industry Trends (2024 & 2025)

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• Transportation Industry Trends
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This is our list of the top 7 travel trends happening right now (in 2024).

Along with expert predictions about trends that are likely to blow up in 2025.

1. Travelers go it alone

A survey by American Express found that 69% of travelers are planning a solo trip this year .

The same survey discovered that 76% of Gen Z and Millennials were open to solo travel.

There are other signs that this trend is on the rise.

Google searches for "solo travel" have increased by 223% over the last 10 years . 

Solo travelers are big on social media too. We're seeing a large increase in videos and images posted on social media that feature solo adventures.

The big question is: why are more people planning trips alone?

• Self-care: AMEX's recent Global Travel Trends Report found that 66% travelers planning to go solo did so to focus on treating themselves.
• Less hassle:  No need to coordinate agendas or competing interests. Solo travelers can book the exact trip they desire without compromise.
• Quick refresh:  Most solo trips are for smaller getaways. Which makes them ideal for a weekend or single-week trip. Travelers still prefer a partner for longer journeys.
• Meeting new people: Traveling alone makes it more likely to make new connections with locals or with other travelers.

2. Travelers crave local experiences

The "experience economy" is huge in the travel industry.

However, fewer travelers are seeking traditional sightseeing expeditions. 

Instead, “consumers [will] pursue authentic experiences , distancing themselves from mainstream tourism providers and venturing into pastimes that feel more meaningful”.

Data insights company AirSage marks this as an emerging trend because “people no longer want boring and conventional travel experiences as much as they used to. Instead, they would rather pay for vacations that are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities”.

Airbnb is betting on this trend.

Their Experiences feature makes it easy for people to have unique experiences on their trip "hosted by locals".

Airbnb currently offers around 50,000 experiences . 

The company also recently launched " Icons ", which is essentially a VIP version of Experiences.

For example, travelers can book a night to hang out with comedian Kevin Hart.

Other companies are banking their entire business model on this trend.

Withlocals offers “personalized traveling” — the opportunity for travelers to book private tours and activities with locals around the world.

Camping (and glamping) trips have also become a popular way for people to travel while experiencing the local culture.

Companies riding this trend include:

Outdoorsy has been called the “Airbnb of RV rentals”.

Under Canvas runs seven glamping camps in wilderness locations across the United States aimed at exploring the local landscape and inspiring human connections.

3. Travel tech adoption accelerates

Technology is presenting the travel industry with seemingly endless opportunities.

The pandemic served to increase the speed of tech adoption in the travel industry.

A McKinsey survey showed that “companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations by three to four years".

One example: room service robots.

Two Chinese hotel giants invested in ExcelLand, a manufacturer that already had 3,000 robots in operation.

BTG Homeinnes is looking at these robots as a way to control costs and safeguard guests.

Hotels, airlines, booking sites, and others are using chatbots like never before.

Travelers can chat with providers during every stage of their journey.

And, they won’t (always) feel like they’re talking to a robot. Advances in generative AI have made this type of communication hassle-free.

United Airlines has launched an “ Agent on Demand ” service that allows travelers at the airport to video chat with a customer service representative simply by scanning a QR code.

More and more airlines and airports are deploying facial recognition technology.

Corporations and government entities tout this technology as a boon for travel safety.

But many privacy advocates have put a halt to this emerging trend. They warn that this type of surveillance could easily turn dystopian.

With all of this new tech, companies are also continuing to capitalize on an older piece of technology — the smartphone.

Stats show that travelers who book tours and activities on their phone spend 50% more than those who book elsewhere.

4. Consumers blend business and leisure travel

The latest statistics say there are nearly 17 million digital nomads in America.

The concept of being location-independent, traveling and working remotely, has become even more popular since the start of the pandemic.

The hospitality industry is starting to cater specifically to digital nomads.

Aruba is opening its beaches up to travelers who’d like to work remotely, calling the marketing campaign “ One Happy Workation ”.

Visitors can stay for up to 90 days. And do not need any governmental documentation.

Barbados and the Cayman Islands will also let you work remotely from paradise for an extended period of time.

Booking.com reports that the "workation" trend is going strong.

More than 50% of travelers say they would extend their business trip to enjoy personal time at their destination.

Hotels are beginning to even cater to locals who needed a quiet place to work.

The Hamilton Hotel in Washington, DC, is just one example. It’s WFH-Work From Hamilton program offers rooms on a 6:00 am to 7:00 pm schedule.

5. The travel industry gets serious about sustainability

Recent data shows that more than half of US travelers believe there aren’t enough options when it comes to sustainable travel.

A poll conducted on behalf of Exodus Travels went even deeper into consumers’ attitudes .

• 91% of travelers see the importance of taking ethical trips
• 56% believe in buying souvenirs from local merchants
• 44% want to support local businesses at their destination

Sustainable travel involves minimizing impact on the local cultural environment.

And also taking an eco-friendly approach to the physical environment.

Nearly 70% of travelers say they are more likely to book accommodations if they know the property is planet-friendly.

Many in the travel industry have recently made commitments to preserving the environment.

For example, India-based ITC Hotels Group has LEED certified each of its hotels.

As of 2023, hotels in the state of California will no longer be allowed to provide single-use toiletries in plastic bottles to their guests.

Marriott International has made a pledge to remove these types of plastics from all their hotels, too. But the pandemic has put a temporary stop to that plan.

A recent report from Skift made this summary statement regarding sustainable travel in the future:

“[It’s a] less flashy way of viewing and traveling the world . . . with an emphasis on safety, sustainability, and profound experiences while getting from point A to B without wrecking the climate and local quality of life in the process”.

Sustainability isn't just about helping the environment. 

Offering sustainable travel options has the potential to increase revenue as well.

A survey by Simon Kucher found that high net worth consumers are willing to pay up to 40% more for a travel option focused on sustainability. 

Booking.com surveyed travelers and found that they'd be happy to pay a premium for accommodations that were certified sustainable. 

The exact figure of how much consumers are willing to pay for sustainability varies from study to study.

But overall, we see that most travelers are happy to pay around 10-20% extra for vacations that have sustainability in mind. 

6. Younger Travelers Seek Exotic Destinations

McKinsey recently discovered a generational divide among travel preferences.

Specifically, they found that Gen Z and Millenials were just as likely to book an international trip than a domestic one.

Members of Boomers and Generation X were 2x more likely to travel domestically. 

Notably, older generations have different goals when it comes to travel.

Younger generations are primarily looking for fun, novel experiences.

While older folks are aiming to spend quality time with family.

In fact, older travelers specifically cite that  having fun with loved ones is a bigger priority than seeing a new place .

Here are a few other reasons that younger generations are seeking destinations abroad more often:

• Lower barrier to entry (literally):  More and more countries are offering visa on arrival or other programs to encourage international visitors. Older generations likely remember the hassle of needing to arrange visa and other travel arrangements well before booking a trip. 
• Staying in touch: Smart phones and communication apps makes it easy for travelers to keep in touch with friends and family at home.
• Easy navigation:  Travelers can use apps like Google Translate and Apple Maps to get around their destinations without hassle. 
• Bragging rights: Showing off a video or picture from an exotic place is likely to get more engagement on social media compared to posts featuring local destinations.

7. AI Adoption Increases

Generative AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity etc.) could see real world impacts on the travel industry in the very near future.

In fact, Skift recently asked 17 executives from the travel industry about their outlook on AI.

These executives largely saw tremendous promise in adopting AI and machine learning technology to their businesses.

Specifically, these executives saw a few areas that AI could be used to improve operations in the travel space:

• Personalization: Generative AI tools can be used to help plan personalized itineraries for guests. For example, a travel agent could prompt ChatGPT with: "My client is a 40 year old single mother with a 10-year old son. They want to travel somewhere abroad that has plenty of gluten free eating options". And the AI could provide a list of suggestions for that specific traveler. 
• Advanced segmentation:  AI has the potential to offer hyper specific targeting options. Some even think that AI could even generate campaigns for a specific customer. 
• Customer service: Incorporating AI tools into workflows can help improve the customer experience for both the traveler and staff members. For example, AI can automatically answer common questions that come in. Which empowers workers to spend more time on challenging situations or edge cases.

Other uses cases for AI in travel include:

• Predictions: AI can analyze large amounts of data to help predict future demand at specific destinations.
• Booking agents: The process of booking a trip may change from manually buying airline tickets and hotel rooms online. Instead, AI agents may take care of all of the details on the traveler's behalf.
• Real-time translation: LLMs like ChatGPT-4o are capable of essentially real-time translation via audio.

That’s it for the top seven trends driving the travel and tourism industry forward into 2024 and beyond.

Through these trends, we can see a dynamic relationship between the travel industry and consumers.

It’s a push-and-pull that’s sure to continue in 2025 and companies that can adapt quickly to the changing wants and needs of travelers are the best suited for future success.

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16 min read

Top 10 travel marketing trends for 2022.

By: Russ Shumaker on March 28, 2022

As someone in the travel industry, you undoubtedly understand the challenges of keeping up with the latest travel marketing trends . Those challenges became even more apparent after pandemic lockdowns brought tourism and travel to a standstill.

But as the pandemic enters its third year, people are ready to get out and enjoy life again. One of the things at the top of their list is travel and tourism.

We'll share the top 10 travel marketing trends for 2022 to help your travel brand thrive in the new travel landscape. But first, here are a couple of things you should know.

How Are Travel Brands Pivoting from a Post-pandemic Perspective?

According to Google, only 9% of travel marketers think they're prepared to recover and adapt to new trends in a post-pandemic world .

Consumer values have changed since the pandemic, as has consumer demand. As a leader in the tourism industry, understanding trends in the travel industry and shifting your travel marketing strategies to better engage with your audience will ultimately increase your sales and ROI.

Many travel brands have tweaked their business models to adapt to shifting consumer preferences and a new pandemic-conscious world. Some of those marketing trends include:

• Changing from a brick-and-mortar to an online business model
• Enhanced safety training and protocols for workers
• Social media and marketing training for sales workers
• Connecting with customers through empathic and emotional communication about COVID-19 concerns
• Reacting in real-time as the pandemic landscape evolves, i.e., addressing concerns with empathy during heightened outbreaks and using enthusiasm and assurances to engage consumers who are ready to travel again
• Collaborating with consumers to learn what they want, i.e., listen, pivot, and adapt
• Messaging that is authentic and reaches your target audience where they are
• Sharing how common ground, life-changing events have impacted you and your family and your brand and its workers

Before the pandemic, travel and tourism dominated the business world. And though things might still seem uncertain, travel has always rebounded in the wake of other major life-altering events.

What Are Travelers Searching for Online?

As travel became more difficult during the pandemic, travelers spent their time doing online research as they looked forward to a time when they could travel again.

Consumers are searching for safer travel destinations and protocols while also wanting assurance that it's a good time to leave home and go someplace new.

By now, tourism companies have learned that safety is vital and that reinforcing safe protocols is crucial for the travel industry to stay alive in 2022 and beyond.

Travelers are also searching for flexible travel solutions, contactless tourism, or more private travel options.

They also want to ensure their bookings in case travel restrictions become necessary again.

Wha t Are Some Travel Marketing Trends for 2022?

1. virtual reality experiences.

Many would-be tourists are still on the fence about travel. They understand that they might book a trip two or three months out and that cancellation is possible.

Enter the virtual reality experience. Panorama and 360-degree videos have become popular travel marketing tool because it creates a real-life experience for potential travelers.

A VR tour can promote your Airbnb, hotel rooms, resort, or other tourist attraction . At the same time, the experience can offer your guests a fantastic experience, transporting them to another reality that distracts them from real-life concerns.

Some are biding their time and looking for the right opportunity to follow through on booking their trip.

In the meantime, VR experiences are an excellent travel marketing idea to connect with your target consumers and sell your brand.

When creating a VR experience, create an engaging and authentic story, adding fun facts to draw the travel consumer into your brand. Learn more about your target consumer and adapt the material to cater to their needs.

2. Social Media Ads (Facebook and Instagram)

Social media marketing is a leading player in the travel marketing world. Facebook ads , for example, cost very little but can yield tremendous results and offer a fantastic return on your investment (ROI).

Facebook has 2 billion active users each month and offers many ways to target consumers and expand your reach.

Instagram attracts younger consumers who are considering travel. In fact, Instagram is the perfect channel for the click-happy traveler who loves to tell the world where they are in the moment. That means free advertisement for your business when that location is part of your brand.

Turn the tables on your target consumer. Initiate a travel marketing campaign that brings your attraction to the consumer, whether it's in the midst of a bustling metropolis, on sandy beaches, or somewhere in between. Offer inspiration for them to have the travel experience of their lifetime.

3. Blogging

Blogging is one of the oldest and most effective Internet marketing tools for any industry and continues to be alive and relevant today.

Blogs attract consumers in multiple ways. You're more likely to be ranked on page 1 by Google and other search engines by providing relevant content that includes keywords and long-tail search terms.

Beyond basic SEO , you can ask customers to upload a photo of their experience with your brand onto your website, creating testimonials and providing social proof of your value. You might even consider running a competition on your website to see who can provide the best content (photos, guest blog, etc.).

4. Brand Reputation and Reviews

According to Travel Pulse , 83% of users say that online reviews play an essential role in deciding whether or not to book with a particular travel brand.

You have probably searched for brand reviews yourself to evaluate a brand's reputation before purchasing.

And while higher ratings will draw more customers to your brand, you don't necessarily need to have excellent reviews. Many consumers prefer to see positive and negative reviews because they seem more authentic.

A small number of negative reviews add to the credibility of the reviews, but you want to be sure that your brand has enough positive reviews to outweigh the negative ones.

5. Remarketing

Many travel consumers start to book an experience but abandon the booking before completing it. Enter remarketing as a travel marketing strategy.

When this happens to you, it's not a total flop. After all, you did engage a potential consumer. But maybe there was one travel preference they weren't sure you could deliver on.

Remarketing allows your brand to find those consumers and reintroduce more targeted offers to get them back to your website and complete the transaction.

You can achieve this by partnering with a retargeting partner that uses smart-ad technologies and personalized ads while positioning your brand before your consumers when they're looking for your products.

A hospitality and tourism marketing agency can help develop a remarketing campaign for your business.

6. Self-guided Tours

Although self-guided tours were around before the pandemic, the concept has grown popular in a post-pandemic travel world. Pre-pandemic, one in five tourists in the U.S. took a self-guided tour. One can only imagine that this number has grown.

Self-guided tours are a more attractive option in 2022 for many reasons.

Travel consumers today want more private, smaller-group experiences that are also easier on their pocketbooks.

A self-guided tour allows the traveler to make their way through a destination independently on their own time while experiencing similar benefits to a traditional tour. They can depart when they want, linger on a favorite experience, or move on when something doesn't interest them.

Travel companies would do well to position themselves as innovators in the self-guided tour industry.

7. AI Chatbots

A consumer's online experience often determines whether or not they will translate that connection into a buying experience or navigate away from your site.

AI chatbots can help deepen your target audience's online interactions with your brand while providing an edge over your competitors.

Anticipate the types of questions travel consumers ask. These can include inquiries about your travel company's cancellation policy or availability. An AI chatbot offers an automated response to reduce visitors' wait time for an answer.

AI chatbots can help get web visitors to your site's booking form more quickly, narrowing their time to change their minds.

A more seamless experience for potential consumers is also likely to offer added confidence that you care about their needs, encouraging them to seal the deal.

8. Local SEO and Travel Search

The travel landscape has changed, and most people are interested in staycations and staying closer to home instead of roaming the globe. Therefore, local SEO is a vital travel marketing tool to reach them.

While staycations have become increasingly popular over the past year or two, tourism centers have been harnessing the power of local SEO to increase bookings for over a decade.

Use specific local and geographical search terms as part of your SEO strategy and consistently update your content, whether it's on your webpage , social media , or other marketing avenues.

Ensure that your messaging is relevant to the local population when employing local SEO strategies.

You'll also want to consider using Hearst Bay Area's Google My Business Lead Optimizer to increase your tourism agency's SEO rankings. 93% of local searches highlight a Google My Business listing, so you'll want to be sure to have one.

9. Newsletters and Personalized Email Marketing

Email marketing yields the highest ROI of all marketing strategies , offering an average return of $36 for every $1 spent.

Many travelers get their information through newsletters and email marketing. If they don't get it from your business, they'll get it from your competition.

Over two-thirds of consumers are more likely to do business with a travel provider that offers more unique solutions for their guests.

Leverage the power of an effective email marketing campaign to recruit or retain customers, discover preferences that cater to their needs, answer questions, send promotional discounts and offers, offer updates and details about bookings, showcase your travel company, and more.

You'll also want to tell travel customers about industry trends, including increased safety standards in a pandemic-conscious travel world.

To learn more about hotel email marketing , read our blog, Hotel Email Marketing: 9 Awesome Campaign Ideas to Drive ROI .

10. Video Content

Videos are one of the best travel marketing tools , as they offer lots of visual content for travel consumers. And short-form travel videos are the third-highest trending topic on social media apps like Instagram and TikTok .

Videos engage potential travel consumers more deeply than images or words can, transporting viewers into your world and shining a spotlight on the type of travel experience you can offer them.

Some travel companies form partnerships with micro-influencers , a major trending marketing tool. They are a liaison of sorts between your company. They can inform web visitors about adventurous opportunities surrounding your brand and address questions to which visitors want answers, ultimately driving conversions for your travel business.

Your marketing strategies should also create emotional responses through user-generated content in all forms, be it written content, pictures, or videos.

Travel Marketing Trends for 2022: Key Takeaways

• Travel brands must have a prominent digital footprint in the current travel landscape.
• Online bookings are gaining ground, with travel consumers performing in-depth searches online as they consider re-entering the tourism market.
• Remarketing increases your chances of converting people who visit your website for the first time.
• Personalization wins over generic content every time.
• Video can be professionally shot or self-shot. The key is providing relevant content to your target market.

In wrapping up, consider harnessing the power of these key travel marketing trends for 2022 . Begin with a couple and add more as time progresses, then evaluate which ones offer you the best results for your investment of time and money.

Many travel businesses find that partnering with a travel marketing company helps them understand and capitalize on the current trends in the tourism industry.

Whether you're a tour operator or run a hotel, booking or travel agency, airline, cruise line , resort, amusement park, or another local attraction, we can help!

Contact Hearst Bay Area to leverage the best travel marketing trends for 2022 . A robust digital presence will strengthen brand recognition for your travel business. Let's make it happen together.

Click below to learn The Top Travel Marketing Trends for 2023

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Premiumisation in travel & tourism (2022): industry trends, premiumisation in travel and tourism 2022.

The demand for refined and luxurious offerings has constantly increased in travel and tourism. This demand is supported by the replacement of many more high-end purchases with experiences, driving the desire for better-quality and more bespoke choices that come at a premium. As experiential consumption continues to grow, the travel market will see demand for more luxurious and bespoke services increase accordingly.

Listed below are the key industry trends impacting the premiumisation theme, as identified by GlobalData.

Niche tourism

The more niche an experience is, the more it tends to cost, making the themes of niche tourism and premiumisation highly interlinked. One trend within niche tourism is premium adventure experiences. Adventure tourism has grown in popularity in recent years, and this is especially the case in the upscale and luxury markets.

The trend of high-yielding travellers opting for adventure holidays has grown rapidly in recent years, so much so that it has caused overtourism in specific locations. For many years, overcrowding on Mount Everest has been a growing issue. Nepal faces a key dilemma as the mountain is a major source of revenue for the destination, as climbers pay vast amounts of money to reach the peak.

Four Seasons, which has made unique experiences part of its brand image, is a favourite brand for wealthy travellers. Across its locations, Four Seasons offers a range of experiences from bespoke tours of otherwise inaccessible locations to opportunities to meet and learn from local artists and artisans.

Personalisation

Personalisation is a must-have for companies involved in premiumisation. Offering travellers a tailored experience, increases the quality of customer service, which helps to exceed expectations and increase the chances of retention.

Loyalty is of the utmost importance for luxury brands, as a lifetime of loyalty from a high-net-worth individual can result in millions of dollars being spent during the customer relationship. Although loyalty schemes may not be as commonplace in the luxury travel market , many travellers may not reject this type of proposition if it is done correctly.

Big data is an important element of personalisation. However, the impact of personalised human interaction from members of staff to customers cannot be forgotten. Hospitality services require a high degree of interaction between guests and employees.

Health and wellness tourism

The nature of wellness holidays means that they have a high price tag associated with them, which means many tourism-related companies operating in this field target the luxury market and tend to be involved in the theme of premiumisation.

For example, yoga retreats in Bali, Indonesia, can cost up to $1,000 per day excluding transport and any other costs a holiday will incur. Costs such as these will be unaffordable to the average traveller when researching their next trip. According to the Knight Frank 2020 Wealth Report, 80% of high earners dedicate time, energy, and money towards their wellbeing, showing that high-net-worth individuals are focused on wellbeing and will be the most likely to incorporate this into a holiday.

Tourists travelling for wellness purposes on average spend a larger proportion on each trip than the average tourist. In 2017, the Global Wellness Institute reported that international wellness tourists spent on average 53% more than the average international tourist, whereas for domestic tourists, they spent on average 178% more on domestic wellness trips than the average domestic traveller.

Unique settings

‘Allocentric’ is a tourism-specific term and relates to a tourist who seeks new experiences and adventure in a wide range of activities. Wealthy travellers are becoming increasingly allocentric, which heightens demand for unique settings. These travellers tend to be outgoing and self-confident in behaviour. An allocentric person prefers to fly and explore new and unusual areas before others do. This type of pioneering attitude that is commonly adopted by high-yielding travellers creates a need for exclusive destinations that are ‘off the beaten path’ and lead to boast-worthy experiences. The most extreme example of this is space travel, which is set to take off in the coming years. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic completed several human suborbital spaceflight test flights in 2021 and aims to fly paying passengers in 2022.

Unique settings not only relate to natural landscapes and locations that often require three flight transfers, but they can also be in the form of novel accommodation types. Luxury travellers now require once standardised elements of a trip to be increasingly unstandardised. For example, many luxury hotel companies now aim to set up their establishments in buildings that have historic significance or are aesthetically unconventional.

Subscription models

Travel subscription services are increasing in popularity, and this is also the case in the luxury market. The membership and subscription models integrate well with the theme of premiumisation as they create exclusivity and boost personalisation. Offering travel subscription services helps a company to cultivate a close relationship with their customers and garner a wealth of information regarding customer preferences, making this type of service necessary to capitalise on the growing expectations of a personalised service with tailored recommendations.

Inspirato is leading the way in luxury travel subscription services. It is a destination club that offers a luxury vacation subscription, which includes, homes, hotels, personalised luxury services, and experiences. The company has a dedicated care team and ‘personal vacation advisors’ that tailor holidays to suit the traveller’s needs and demands.

According to a press release from Inspirato, which details the company’s Q3 2021 financial results, the luxury travel subscription company was reportedly on-track to exceed its 2021 revenue expectations. This comes despite Covid-19 continuing to disrupt domestic and international travel. Inspirato achieved quarterly revenue of $65 million, up 52% YoY and a 15% increase compared to Q3 2019. In addition, active subscriptions increased to a record 14,114, which was an increase of 12% YoY.

This is an edited extract from the Premiumization in Travel & Tourism (2022) – Thematic Research report produced by GlobalData Thematic Research.

"Premiumisation in Travel & Tourism (2022): Industry trends" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network , a GlobalData owned brand.

The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

Now boarding: Faces, places, and trends shaping tourism in 2024

After falling by 75 percent in 2020, travel is on its way to a full recovery by the end of 2024. Domestic travel is expected to grow 3 percent annually and reach 19 billion lodging nights per year by 2030. 1 Unless otherwise noted, the source for all data and projections is Oxford Economics. Over the same time frame, international travel should likewise ramp up to its historical average of nine billion nights. Spending on travel is expected to follow a similar trajectory, with an estimated $8.6 trillion in traveler outlays in 2024, representing roughly 9 percent of this year’s global GDP.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann , with Ivan Gladstone and Jasperina de Vries, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

There’s no doubt people still love to travel and will continue to seek new experiences in new places. But where will travelers come from, and where will they go? We developed a snapshot of current traveler flows, along with estimates for growth through 2030. For the purposes of this report, we have divided the world into four regions—the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.

Our analysis identifies three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider:

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Stakeholders should ensure they capture the full potential of domestic travel before shifting their focus to international travelers. And they should start with international travelers who visit nearby countries—as intraregional trips represent the largest travel segment after domestic trips.
• Source markets are shifting. Although established source markets continue to anchor global travel, Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are all becoming fast-growing sources of outbound tourism.
• The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine. Alongside enduring favorites, places that weren’t on many tourists’ maps are finding clever ways to lure international travelers and establish themselves as desirable destinations.

The bulk of travel spending is close to home

International travel might feel more glamorous, but tourism players should not forget that domestic travel still represents the bulk of the market, accounting for 75 percent of global travel spending (Exhibit 1). Domestic travel recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic faster than international travel, as is typical coming out of downturns. And although there has been a recent boom in “revenge travel,” with travelers prioritizing international trips that were delayed by the pandemic, a return to prepandemic norms, in which domestic travel represents 70 percent of spending, is expected by 2030.

The United States is the world’s largest domestic travel market at $1 trillion in annual spending. Sixty-eight percent of all trips that start in the United States remain within its borders. Domestic demand has softened slightly, as American travelers return abroad. 2 Dawit Habtemariam, “Domestic U.S. tourism growth levels off as Americans head overseas,” Skift, August 18, 2023. But tourism players with the right offerings are still thriving: five national parks broke attendance records in 2023 (including Joshua Tree National Park, which capitalized on growing interest from stargazers indulging in “dark sky” tourism 3 Scott McConkey, “5 national parks set attendance records in 2023, and the reasons may surprise you,” Wealth of Geeks, April 16, 2024. ).

China’s $744 billion domestic travel market is currently the world’s second largest. Chinese travelers spent the pandemic learning to appreciate the diversity of experiences on offer within their own country. Even as borders open back up, Chinese travelers are staying close to home. And domestic destinations are benefiting: for example, Changchun (home to the Changchun Ice and Snow Festival) realized 160 percent year-on-year growth in visitors in 2023. 4 Shi Xiaoji, “Why don’t Chinese people like to travel abroad anymore? The global tourism industry has lost 900 billion yuan. What is the situation?,” NetEase, February 12, 2024. In 2024, domestic travel during Lunar New Year exceeded prepandemic levels by 19 percent.

China’s domestic travel market is expected to grow 12 percent annually and overtake the United States’ to become the world’s largest by 2030. Hotel construction reflects this expectation: 30 percent of the global hotel construction pipeline is currently concentrated in China. The pipeline is heavily skewed toward luxury properties, with more than twice as many luxury hotels under construction in China as in the United States.

India, currently the world’s sixth-largest domestic travel market by spending, is another thriving area for domestic travel. With the subcontinent’s growing middle class powering travel spending growth of roughly 9 percent per year, India’s domestic market could overtake Japan’s and Mexico’s to become the world’s fourth largest by 2030. Domestic air passenger traffic in India is projected to double by 2030, 5 Murali Krishnan, “Can India’s airports cope with rapid passenger growth?,” Deutsche Welle, February 7, 2024. boosted in part by a state-subsidized initiative that aims to connect underserved domestic airports. 6 “India is seeing a massive aviation boom,” Economist , November 23, 2023.

When travelers do go abroad, they often stay close to home (Exhibit 2).

Europe and Asia, in particular, demonstrate strong and growing intraregional travel markets.

Recognizing this general trend, stakeholders have been funneling investment toward regional tourism destinations. An Emirati wealth fund, for instance, has announced its intent to invest roughly $35 billion into established hospitality properties and development opportunities in Egypt. 7 Michael Gunn and Mirette Magdy, “UAE’s $35 billion Egypt deal marks Gulf powers’ buying spree,” Bloomberg, April 27, 2024.

Europe has long played host to a high share of intraregional travel. Seventy percent of its travelers’ international trips stay within the region. Europe’s most popular destinations for intraregional travelers are perennial warm-weather favorites—Spain (18 percent), Italy (10 percent), and France (8 percent)—with limited change to these preferences expected between now and 2030.

Despite longer travel distances between Asian countries, Asia’s intraregional travel market is beginning to resemble Europe’s. Intraregional travel currently accounts for about 60 percent of international trips in Asia—a share expected to climb to 64 percent by 2030. As in Europe in past decades, Asian intraregional travel is benefiting from diminishing visa barriers and the development of a low-cost, regional flight network.

Thailand is projected to enjoy continued, growing popularity with Asian travelers. Thailand waived visa requirements for Chinese tourists in 2023 and plans to do the same for Indian tourists starting in 2024. It has aggressively targeted the fast-growing Indian traveler segment, launching more than 50 marketing campaigns directed at Indians over the past decade. The investment may be paying off: Bangkok recently overtook Dubai as the most popular city destination for Indian tourists. 8 “Bangkok overtakes Dubai as top destination for Indians post visa relaxation, reveals Agoda,” PR Newswire, January 18, 2024.

A McKinsey ConsumerWise survey on consumer sentiment, conducted in February 2024, suggests that Chinese travelers are also exhibiting high interest in international travel, with 36 percent of survey respondents indicating that they intend to spend more on international travel in the next three months. 9 Daniel Zipser, “ China brief: Consumers are spending again (outside of China) ,” McKinsey, April 8, 2024. Much of this interest is directed toward regional destinations such as Southeast Asia and Japan, with interest in travel to Europe down from previous years. 10 Guang Chen, Zi Chen, Steve Saxon, and Jackey Yu, “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Given travelers’ preference for proximity, how can tourism stakeholders further capitalize on domestic and intraregional travel demand? Here are a few strategies:

• Craft offerings that encourage domestic tourists to rediscover local gems. Destinations, hotels, and transportation providers can encourage domestic tourists to integrate lesser-known cultural landmarks into their trips to visit friends and relatives. In France, the upscale hotel chain Relais & Châteaux markets historic properties that lie far from classic tourist sights—such as Château Saint-Jean in rural Auvergne—as a welcome escape from the bustle of Paris. In Mexico, the Pueblos Mágicos program has successfully boosted domestic tourist visits to a set of “magical towns” that showcase Mexican heritage.
• Fold one-off domestic destinations into fuller itineraries. Route 66 in the United States is a classic road trip pathway, which spurs visits to attractions all along the highway’s length. Tourism stakeholders can collaborate to create similar types of domestic itineraries around the world. For instance, Mexico has expanded on its Pueblos Mágicos concept by branding coordinated visits to multiple villages as “magical routes.” In France, local tourism boards and vineyards have collaborated to promote bucket list “wine routes” around the country.
• Make crossing borders into neighboring countries seamless. Removing logistical barriers to travel can nudge tourists to upgrade a one-off trip to a single attraction into a bucket list journey across multiple, less-trodden destinations. In Africa, for example, Ethiopian Airlines is facilitating cross-border travel to major regional tourist sites through improved air connectivity. In Asia, Thailand has announced its intent to create a joint visa easing travel among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source markets are shifting

The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and France remain the world’s five largest sources of travelers, in that order. These countries collectively accounted for 38 percent of international travel spending in 2023 and are expected to remain the top five source markets through 2030. But interest in travel is blossoming in other parts of the world—causing a shift in the balance of outbound travel flows (Exhibit 3).

North Americans’ travel spending is projected to hold steady at roughly 3 percent annual growth. US consumers voice growing concerns about inflation, and the most cost-constrained traveler segments are reducing travel, which is affecting ultra-low-cost airlines and budget hotels. Most travelers, however, plan to continue traveling: McKinsey research suggests that American consumers rank international and domestic travel as their highest-priority areas for discretionary spending. Instead of canceling their trips, these consumers are adapting their behavior by traveling during off-peak periods or booking travel further in advance. Travel spending by Europeans paints a slightly rosier picture, with roughly 5 percent projected annual growth. Meanwhile, the projected 12 percent annual growth in Chinese travelers’ spending should anchor substantial increases in travel spending across Northeast Asia.

Alongside these enduring traveler segments, new groups of travelers are emerging. Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are still comparatively small source markets, but they are developing fast-growing pools of first-time tourists (Exhibit 4).

India’s breakneck GDP growth of 6 percent year over year is bolstering a new generation of travelers, 11 Benjamin Laker, “India will grow to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027,” Forbes , February 23, 2024. resulting in a projected annual growth in travel spending of 9 percent between now and 2030. Indian air carriers and lodging companies are making substantial investments to meet projected demand. Budget airline IndiGo placed the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history in 2023, when it pledged to buy 500 Airbus A320 planes 12 Anna Cooban, “Biggest plane deal in history: Airbus clinches massive order from India’s IndiGo,” CNN, June 19, 2023. ; that same week, Air India nearly equaled IndiGo’s order size with purchase agreements for 250 Airbus and 220 Boeing jets. IndiGo later added an order for 30 additional Airbus A350 planes, well suited to serving both domestic and international routes. 13 “Airbus confirms IndiGo's A350 aircraft order,” Economic Times , May 6, 2024. The Indian Hotels Company Limited is ramping up its hotel pipeline, aiming to open two new hotels per month in the near future. International players are not sitting on the sidelines: seven hotel chains are launching new brands in India in 2024, 14 Peden Doma Bhutia, “Indian Hotels expansion plans: 2 new brands launching, 2 hotels opening every month,” Skift, February 2, 2024. including Marriott’s first Moxy- and Tribute-branded hotels in India and entrants from Hilton’s Curio and Tapestry brands. 15 Forum Gandhi, “Check-in frenzy: International hotel giants unleash fresh brands in India’s booming hospitality landscape,” Hindu Businessline , February 13, 2024. Development focus has shifted away from major metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi and toward fast-developing, smaller cities such as Chandigarh and Hyderabad.

Southeast Asian travel spending is projected to grow at roughly 7 percent per year. Pockets of particularly high growth exist in Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. To capitalize on this blossoming source market, neighboring countries are rolling out attractive visa arrangements: for example, China has agreed to reciprocal visa waivers for short-term travelers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. 16 Julienna Law, “China launches ‘visa-free era’ with Southeast Asia. Will travel retail boom?,” Jing Daily , January 30, 2024.

Travel spending by Eastern Europeans is expected to grow at 7 percent per year until 2030—two percentage points higher than spending by Western Europeans. Areas of especially high growth include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, where middle-class travelers are increasingly venturing farther afield. Major tourism players, including the TUI Group, have tapped into these new source markets by offering charter flights to warm-weather destinations such as Egypt. 17 Hildbrandt von Klaus, “TUI develops Czech Republic as a new source market,” FVW, December 22, 2023.

Although the number of travelers from these new source markets is growing, their purchasing power remains relatively limited. Compared with Western European travelers (who average $159 per night in total travel spending), South Asians spend 20 percent less, Eastern Europeans spend 40 percent less, and Southeast Asians spend 55 percent less. Only 3 percent of the current Asian hotel construction pipeline caters to economy travelers, suggesting a potential supply gap of rooms that could appeal to budget-constrained tourists.

While acknowledging that historical source markets will continue to constitute the bulk of travel spending, tourism players can consider actions such as these to capitalize on growing travel demand from newer markets:

• Reduce obstacles to travel. Countries can look for ways to strategically invest in simplifying travel for visitors from growing source markets. In 2017, for example, Azerbaijan introduced express processing of electronic visas for Indian visitors; annual arrivals from India increased fivefold in two years. Requirements regarding passport photocopies or in-person check-ins can similarly be assessed with an eye toward reducing red tape for travelers.
• Use culturally relevant marketing channels to reach new demographics. Unique, thoughtful marketing strategies can help destinations place themselves on first-time travelers’ bucket lists. For example, after the release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara , a popular Bollywood movie shot in Spain with support from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, Indian tourism to Spain increased by 65 percent. 18 “ Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara part of syllabus in Spain colleges,” India Today , June 6, 2004.
• Give new travelers the tech they expect. Travelers from newer source markets often have access to tech-forward travel offerings. For example, Indian travelers can travel anywhere within their country without physical identification, thanks to the Digi Yatra app. The Southeast Asian rideshare app Grab has several helpful travel features that competitors lack, such as automated menu translation and currency conversion. Tourism stakeholders should consider how to adapt to the tech expectations of newer travelers, integrating relevant offerings that ease journeys.
• Create vibrant experiences tailored to different price points. Crafting lower-budget offerings for more cost-constrained travelers doesn’t need to result in giving them a subpar experience. Capsule hotels, in which guests sleep in small cubbies, began as a response to the high cost of accommodations in Japan, but they have become an attraction in their own right—appearing on many must-do lists. 19 Philip Tang, “24 of the best experiences in Japan,” Lonely Planet, March 23, 2024.

The places you’ll go: The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine

The world’s top ten destination countries (the United States, Spain, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and India, in that order) currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including for domestic travel. But some new locales are gaining traction (Exhibit 5).

A significant number of travelers are expanding their horizons, booking journeys to less visited countries that are near to old standbys. For instance, Laos and Malaysia, which both border Thailand—an established destination that is home to Bangkok, the world’s most visited city 20 Katherine LaGrave, “This is the world’s most visited city,” AFAR , January 31, 2024. —are up a respective 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in year-over-year international travel spending.

The world’s top ten destination countries currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including domestic-travel spending. But some new locales are gaining traction.

Several other countries that have crafted thoughtful tourism demand generation strategies—such as Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Vietnam—are also expected to reap benefits in the coming years. Vietnam logged a remarkable 40 percent increase in tourism spending in the five years before the pandemic. Postpandemic, it has rebounded in part by waiving visa requirements for European travelers (while indicating intent to offer similar exemptions in the future for Chinese and Indian travelers). 21 Ashvita Singh, “Vietnam looks to offer visa-free entry to Indians: India report,” Skift, November 20, 2023. The Philippines has made a concerted effort to shift its sun-and-beach branding toward a more well-rounded image, replacing its long-standing “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tourism slogan with “Love the Philippines.” Peru is highlighting less visited archeological sites while also marketing itself as a top-notch culinary destination through the promotion of Peruvian restaurants abroad. Rwanda is investing in infrastructure to become a major African transit hub, facilitated by Qatar Airways’ purchase of a 60 percent stake in the country’s major airport. 22 Dylan Cresswell, “Rwanda plots ambitious tourism recovery,” African Business , July 28, 2022. Rwanda has also successfully capitalized on sustainable tourism: by charging $1,500 per gorilla trekking permit, for instance, it has maximized revenue while reducing environmental impact.

Tourism players might consider taking some of these actions to lure tourists to less familiar destinations:

• Collaborate across the tourism ecosystem. Promotion is not solely the domain of destination marketing organizations. Accommodation, transportation, and experience providers can also play important roles. In Singapore, for instance, the luxury resort Marina Bay Sands partners extensively with Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board to offer compelling tourism offerings. Past collaborations have included flight and stay packages built around culinary festivals. 23 “Singapore Tourism Board, Marina Bay Sands & UOB partner to enliven Marina Bay precinct,” Singapore Tourism Board news release, January 25, 2024.
• Use infrastructure linkage to promote new destinations. By extending route options, transportation providers can encourage visitors to create itineraries that combine familiar destinations with new attractions. In Asia, Thailand’s tourism authority has attempted to nudge visitors away from the most heavily trafficked parts of the country, such as Bangkok and Phuket, and toward less popular destinations.
• Deploy social media to reach different demographics. Innovative social media campaigns can help put a destination on the map. Australia launched its “Ruby the kangaroo” campaign in China to coincide with the return of postpandemic air capacity between the two places. A video adapted for Chinese context (with appropriate gestures and a hashtag in Mandarin) garnered more than 20 million views in a single day on one of China’s largest social media platforms. 24 Nicole Gong, “Can Ruby the kangaroo bring Chinese tourists hopping back to Australia?,” SBS, June 5, 2023.
• Embrace unknown status. “Off the beaten path” messaging can appeal to widely traveled tourists seeking fresh experiences. Saudi Arabia’s “#WhereInTheWorld” campaign promoted the country’s tourist spots by acknowledging that they are less familiar to travelers, using a series of images that compared these spots with better-known destinations.

As tourism stakeholders look to the future, they can take steps to ensure that they continue to delight existing travelers while also embracing new ones. Domestic and intraregional tourism remain major opportunities—catering to local tourists’ preferences while building infrastructure that makes travel more seamless within a region could help capture them. Creative collaboration among tourism stakeholders can help put lesser-known destinations on the map. Travel tides are shifting. Expertly navigating these currents could yield rich rewards.

Caroline Tufft is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Margaux Constantin is a partner in the Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, Ryan Mann is a partner in the Chicago office, Ivan Gladstone is an associate partner in the Riyadh office, and Jasperina de Vries is an associate partner in the Amsterdam office.

The authors wish to thank Abdulhadi Alghamdi, Alessandra Powell, Alex Dichter, Cedric Tsai, Diane Vu, Elisa Wallwitz, Lily Miller, Maggie Coffey, Nadya Snezhkova, Nick Meronyk, Paulina Baum, Peimin Suo, Rebecca Stone, Sarah Fellay, Sarah Sahel, Steffen Fuchs, Steffen Köpke, Steve Saxon, Sophia Wang, and Urs Binggeli for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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New trends in the tourism consumer

1. Consumers are more aware of their needs

Thanks to the possibilities offered to tourism consumers by the internet, they feel more and more free to search for information . As time goes by, the traveller is becoming more and more informed, more ’empowered’, and more able to organise his or her trip independently . While there are still customers who rely on travel agencies to organise their entire holiday, customers who prefer to contact agencies once they have opted for one or more tourism products are on the rise.

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Agencies have often been forced to compete in the marketplace on price. However, this consumer is not exactly looking to analyse tourism products on price. This traveller will study the tourist options that best suit his or her needs , his or her interests. Such is the change in attitude towards decision-making that travellers will not mind paying more for the product if they are confident that this product will provide them with the value they demand .

And it is precisely consumer demand that has been the key to the evolution of tourism in recent years. After decades of tourism focused on the summer period and on the seafront, travellers are in search of authenticity . They are looking for different destinations, such as areas far from the major tourist hotspots, and products that allow them to live unique experiences, connected to the authenticity of these different places.

They are looking for a different kind of tourism .

Basically both the destination to visit , and the activities that the traveller can do there , are the two key factors in their purchase decision. That is why part of its research includes the analysis of the opinions of experts in the sector as well as those of other travellers who have shared their experience on the internet.

2. A sustainable holiday

In a world increasingly aware of sustainability issues, travellers are becoming more and more involved in looking for options that reduce the negative impact on the environment

Sustainable holidays

Europe’s major tourist hotspots, while devoting resources to keeping their cities and environments clean, are today feeling the consequences of tourist overcrowding . And this is also being felt by the travel consumer. While mass tourism is still alive and well and with a wide audience, travel agencies that want to reach a more demanding traveller must consider the impact of their products on the destination .

Travel agencies must consider the impact of their products on the destination .

This is why the more demanding tourist consumer seeks to move away from the major tourist hotspots, opting for destinations close to them that are less crowded . Alternatively, they can opt to stay in the tourist capitals, with the option of visiting local spots where there is no tourist saturation.

This means, then, that the traveller feels more responsible for their impact . They will be interested in looking for tourism products that take into account values as prominent today as sustainability, respect for the environment, safety, and even equality. The discerning traveller wants to be respectful of the destination’s environment and the local population , and to be able to enjoy their trip without feeling worried about circumstances or threats that endanger their wellbeing or that of others.

They want to be able to enjoy their trip without feeling worried about circumstances or threats that endanger their wellbeing or that of others.

This is perhaps the reason why tourism focused on rural experiences, experiences connected with nature , is booming. Not only to get to know natural environments that have not suffered urban impact, but also as a way of disconnecting from the daily routine , to enjoy a few days without stress.

3. In search of a transformation

Another trend being observed among travellers is their search for experiences that transform them, that help them in their personal growth . While one of the most prominent aspects is the need to disconnect from the daily routine, travellers now see their holidays as a way of living experiences that help them to reflect, to learn, to grow as individuals

This is why some travellers opt for tourism products that include activities that seek disconnection or relaxation. For example, practising yoga or meditation. It is true that these are very common practices around the world. But by applying these activities in a different environment, travellers consider them to be methods that help them connect with the identity of the destination they are visiting while taking care of themselves . There are other travellers who choose to take courses in the destination, or even volunteer activities.

Travellers in need of new experiences opt, for example, for destinations that are little explored by international tourists. Few corners of our planet remain undiscovered, but there are travellers who want to experience their transformation as ‘adventurers’ by engaging in activities in remote locations.

On the other hand, there are travellers who repeat visit already known destinations . The transformation is lived in search of experiences that they have not yet experienced in that place . This tends to be more common on short trips, such as weekend trips

4. Alone or in company?

Single or in company?

People who travel as a couple or in a group are essentially looking to reinforce their bonds . For example, it is more common for couples to look for tourism products where they can be more active . The feeling of adventure, fun, adrenaline, brings them not only personal entertainment, but also experiences that they share and that help them to strengthen their relationship.

On the other hand, thanks to the ’empowerment’ of the traveller to make their own decisions, more and more tourism consumers opt to travel alone . This allows greater freedom to choose destination, accommodation, dates, but above all freedom to choose the most suitable tourism product

5. ‘Millenials’ and ‘Baby boomers’

Today the favourite audience of tourism worldwide are the so-called ‘ Millennials’ , so called because they were born approximately between 1981 and 1995, when technology began to form an important part of their lives. Precisely because they were the first generation to experience the technology boom , they are the best at using the internet to plan their trips . And the ones that DMCs are so keen to attract.

The DMCs want to attract them.

Globally, 23% of international travel is undertaken by 15-29 year olds , hence ‘Millennials’. (World Tourism Organization, 2016) And this percentage continues to rise: Millennials are expected to make up 50% of international travellers by 2025 (Tourism Megatrends 10 things you need to know about the future of Tourism, 2016). This is not only due to leisure travel, but also because many Millennials are entering the business travel arena.

In the case of the ‘ Baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1965), they belong to an older age group, which means that not many share the same information-seeking tendencies as the ‘Millennials’. This group of consumers do tend to continue to rely on travel agencies to organise their entire holiday.

However, they do share certain interests with Millennials. For example, personal growth , balance , and enjoying their freedom . That is why these consumers are attracted to those tourism products that make them regain that spirit of youth, of inspiration . (Euromonitor International, 2019)

6. The relationship with technology

So far you can imagine that the latest technologies have had a big impact on the tourism sector. Especially in the pre-purchase phase . However, once it is time to pack up and leave home, there are two types of attitudes that are standing out in the travel industry.

One trend is to go on holiday, but remain connected to the world via smartphones. The phenomenon of being afraid of missing out on things happening on social media now has a name: ‘Fear of Missiong Out’ (FOMO). This is why many companies are taking advantage of this trend to continue to keep in touch with their customers through their social networks.

Fear of Mission Out’ .

At the other end of the spectrum are those who use their holidays to disconnect from the stress of the virtual world. These customers, known as ‘Joy of Missing Out’ (JOMO), disconnect from their smartphones to enjoy their free time, and above all their privacy. And due to the technological world in which we live, more and more travellers are opting for JOMO proposals. (Euromonitor International, 2019)

With the technological world in which we live, more and more travellers are opting for JOMO proposals.

This is why companies are also betting on experiences specially prepared for this digital disconnection. And these proposals include, in particular, greater interaction with the company’s staff, in order to offer a more human contact with the tourism product .

7. Interest in local culture and customs

Precisely because of travellers’ interest in connecting more with the destinations they visit, they prefer to engage in different activities. Instead of looking for experiences focused on the masses of tourists, the most demanding travellers prefer to live authentic and local experiences . From cultural visits where they can learn about the history and customs of the place, to gastronomic tours to taste local products.

8. Personalised experiences

There are DMCs that are spotting these trends among their clients, which is a great opportunity to create personalised experiences . This allows companies to define products completely tailored to customers’ needs . And above all, taking into account the latter customer preferences.

If you have detected any of these new interests among your target audience, it might be a good time to take another look at your customer typologies and re-contemplate again your marketing strategies to attract them with these new consumer trends in mind .

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Annie Spratt

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