Can’t wait to travel again? Read the top travel trends in 2023, analysed and proposed by travel experts to plan your next journey without regrets.
We all saw how the entire world paused for months during the pandemic. Slowly, things are easing off, millions of people are vaccinated, and the whole world feels to be in reach again — even if the travel restrictions haven’t completely lifted. Amidst these bans and regulations, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: how is travel going to look in this uncertain time.
The travel scene has undergone a complete makeover — be it the cabin crews shielded in masks or the sanitiser sprays placed at every entry gate of hotels and malls. These reliable actions have helped to stabilise the travel activities and bring back the confidence amongst the travellers.
A number of such relatable developments have emerged from both travellers’ and businesses’ sides. The genuine fear of contracting the virus has influenced people to take local vacations, adapt to remote working and choose contactless payments. Responsibility and concern are shaping our travel decisions. Expectations from hospitality services have increased, and standards of health tourism have soared.
So, if you are dreaming of beaches, mountains and spas, keep yourself in the know with these latest travel trends. Get a notepad because these trends are going to stay here for a while.
1. Conscious & Safe Travel
Covid-19 has exposed the subject of health. The entire limelight is now on hygiene and health safety to contain the virus. People are garnering all possible knowledge and information on health guidelines to remain cautious. The fabric of travelling is remade: social distancing is followed in public places, wearing a mask is compulsory, hand gels are provided at entry gates, ac filters in hotel rooms are changed between each guest staying, and cleaning is regularised. 2023 is about the revolution in travel with minimum carbon offsets in an aeroplane, promoting eco-friendly stays, and choosing destinations that cater to wellness, health and overall wellbeing. No wonder, people will be biased towards the destinations that offer wonderful rejuvenating facilities, affordable experiences and human-oriented tourism.
2. More Domestic Holidays
International institutions and tourism organisations are revamping their protocols and refining their strategies now and then. Considering the risk involved in ambiguous international travel situations, more than half of the travellers have opted for a destination that is not far from their hometown. People are booking the beachfront resorts or hill stations that lie within the domestic borders. The ever-changing rules and regulations in various countries are still hard to digest and comprehend for travellers. And with this travel trend, the local travel hubs are in high demand. The shorter distance makes people prefer car road trips to escape the public buses and trains.
3. Flexible Booking Policies
The next common query after the health protocols during early 2020 was regarding the cancellation of tickets. Raise your hand if you had a not-so-pleasant time getting the ticket refunds last year. Those were tough unpredictable times that gave us nightmares of not travelling ever again. Responding to it, the travel industry now leverages its assets to bring maximum flexibility in booking policies. Customers contact the travel agents/ companies that promise rebooking, refunding with limited days, 24/7 support and transparent procedures.
4. Weekend Getaways and Nature Escapes
Surveys have found out that the last-minute bookings have taken a surge. As people get complete vaccination, they feel this is the moment to fulfil their long-awaited travel dreams. The only thing is that week-long trips have been cut short to a couple of days. For example, we get a lot of bookings for a 2-day trip to Abu Dhabi from Dubai or a short-haul to Baku. And this might be the year that we start enjoying outdoors and natural surroundings more than crowded attractions and congested concerts. Tourists have ditched the idea of exploring the urban streets and instead have decided to head towards the national parks, safari excursions, and lesser-known places. Some of our guests’ favourite destinations in this travel trend are desert safari in Dubai and skiing in Azerbaijan’s resorts.
5. Encouraging Contactless Payments
One of the major developments in this entire scenario of post-pandemic travel is the rise in technological advancements. The reduction in touch-points, use of biometric check-in, UV sanitisation, self-bag-drop-off and on-the-spot blood tests, among other futuristic steps, have changed travel’s panorama. Similarly, the growth of apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay has taken the burden of cash and card exchange off the shoulders. Now, the customers do not need to carry debit or credit cards to pay for food, stay or shopping. Tourism companies and businesses have adopted this methodology to promote swift and seamless transactions without any physical touch.
6. Enjoying Virtual Tours
While technology takes care of safe boarding and controlling health risks, it even brings the world to your door. Virtual tours are like a blessing during these crucial times. It feels like yesterday travel was a luxury, but today it has become a necessity for home-stuck people. Surprisingly, virtual reality offers you a complete trip to your bucket-list destination from the comfort of your couch. You can either get lost in the stunning visuals that feel so real or watch the trailer to decide what trip you will take.
Conclusion
As we look towards the new normal, this guide will help you understand the ins and outs of travelling. It’s time we accept the changes, and cope up with the never-seen-before travel trends.
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