THE YEAR OF ADVENTURE
BUCKET LIST TRIPS , HIDDEN GEMS AND CULTURAL LOCALES ARE AT THE TOP OF THE TREND LIST IN 2023 .
WORDS / ERIN ZILIS
Demand for travel doesn ’ t seem to be slowing down in 2023 — travelers worldwide are still making up for lost time following COVID-19 . This year , several noticeable trends are taking the industry by storm across numerous traveler types , budgets and destinations .
Topline : Travelers have an interest in locations seen in TV shows or movies , an increased demand for wellness trips and hidden-gem locations and a desire to visit the culture capitals of the world , according to a recent survey by Expedia *. Here ’ s how some of the year ’ s biggest travel themes are playing out , along with emerging themes we ’ re seeing across type of trip , popular destinations and type of traveler .
1 . SET-JETTING Destinations featured in TV shows and movies are providing inspiration to travelers , with 39 % having booked trips to locations they ’ ve seen on shows such as “ The White Lotus ,” “ Game of Thrones ,” “ Yellowstone ” and “ Emily in Paris .” Gauge your client ’ s interest in pop-culture hot spots to recommend a new and exciting location . Top spots include Hawaii , Croatia , Montana , Italy , Paris , New Zealand and Great Britain .
“ Within the U . S ., Hawaii continues to be one of the most popular destinations , including the Four Seasons Maui , featured in season one of ‘ The White Lotus ,’ which is on everyone ’ s radar ,” said Lauren Grubbs of Lauren Grubbs Travel Co . “ I ’ m also excited about the new 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay opening this year , which will be Kauai ’ s first true , luxury five-star property . On the Big Island , the newly redone Mauna Lani is another to put on your radar — don ’ t miss sunset mai tais and dinner at their signature restaurant , CanoeHouse . Other spots in the U . S . our clients are loving these days include Santa Barbara , California ; Big Sky , Montana ( thanks to TV shows ‘ Big Sky ’ and ‘ Yellowstone ’); Charleston , South Carolina ; New York ; and Aspen , Colorado .”
2 . BUCKET LIST SPLURGES Spending is soaring as people make up for lost time . An Amex Trendex survey revealed that 70 % of respondents want to travel to wish-list destinations this year , and 73 % agreed they are willing to spend more to do it . This might be the year to urge clients to reach for their travel dreams .
“ We are seeing record high numbers for 2023 ,” said Lauren Doyle , president of the Travel Mechanic . “ People are ready to get out there and go farther distances in Europe , Iceland , Bali , etc . For the past few years , many have stayed close to home with lots of domestic trips , and at most , ventured out to all-inclusive vacations in the Caribbean . For 2023 , we ’ re seeing more bucket list-type of vacations come back .”
3 . WELLNESS TRIPS According to the Expedia study , 46 % of globetrotters are more open to wellness travel than ever before , but they ’ re interested in far more than meditation and cooking classes . Puppy yoga , laughter therapy and chakra sessions are a few of the alternative getaways attracting attention by travelers looking for outside-the-box experiences . For clients wanting a cross between wellness and adventure , recommending a fruit harvesting experience is a unique way to immerse
Silversea guests watch a leopard seal underwater in Foyn Harbour , Antarctica .
30 / THE COMPASS / SPRING 2023 vaxvacationaccess . com / thecompass