Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies with 28 million reported accommodation listings, just released its seven predictions for travel in 2024. Booking.com commissioned research among more than 27,000 travelers across 33 countries and territories. Not surprisingly, several of the predictions have connections to trends that I cover hear on Green Lodging News.
Says Booking.com, “Heat has officially had its vacay heyday, with scorching temperatures pushing the mercury to record-breaking levels and causing heat waves around the world. Sweltering conditions are accelerating a rise in travelers chasing cooler climes to revive and refresh themselves. The majority (51 percent) report that climate change will impact the way they plan their vacation in 2024, while over half (56 percent) say that as temperatures soar close to home, they will use their vacation to cool down elsewhere.”
Who could have imagined that trend just a decade ago?
Adds Booking.com, “This effect taps into the expected rise of water-centric travel that takes the edge off the heat, and helps people wash away their worries. Three quarters (75 percent) agree that being close to water instantly makes them feel more relaxed, with over a third (36 percent) interested in water-centric vacations in 2024. As people dive headfirst into aquatic escapes, mindful water immersion will quickly become the next mainstream version of meditation, where the wild-swimming craze meets the ice-therapy movement.”
Strong Interest in Indigenous Cuisines
Four in five survey respondents (81 percent) want to try indigenous cuisines in 2024, and heritage flavors are in the spotlight with travelers putting power in the hands of the under-represented, unlocking the secrets of cultures which may have been lost or forgotten in other parts of the world. Booking.com says to expect an increase in indigenous experiences that take travelers on trails that tell the story behind the food they serve, bringing pride and income to communities around the globe. Of course, it is up to you to provide that.
“Once upon a time, the words sustainable and stylish were not necessarily synonymous, with the words ‘eco-travel’ conjuring up visions of primitive campsites. Make way for the intersection of design and mindfulness to influence travel in 2024, opening up new and inspiring doors for travelers who have a desire to make more conscious and responsible choices, not just for a short getaway, but as a way of life,” Booking.com says.
“Gone are the days when comfort and exceptional design were solely associated with excess and extravagance, with a growing movement of hotels and other unique places to stay presenting inventive, yet aesthetically pleasing responses to significant environmental and social challenges,” the booking site adds. “These discerning travelers will hunt down jaw-dropping architecture that has environmental features at its heart, with over half (53 percent) looking for accommodation that has wow-factor sustainability innovation. Three in five (60 percent) want to see sustainability in action, while nearly two thirds (65 percent) want to see the outside brought indoors with green spaces and plants in accommodations on vacation.”
Concludes the predictions report, “In 2024, in exchange for contributing to conservation efforts, sustainable itineraries will give travelers exclusive access to the places that they are helping preserve, in the most mindful and responsible way. A large number are interested in sustainable travel apps where they can unlock rewards (60 percent), such as experiences with locals in off-the-beaten-path areas (47 percent) or visiting remote locations that tourists otherwise have limited access to (44 percent). The mindful aesthetes are a reminder that it’s possible to bring home all the vacay feels, but also that bold sense of purpose to feel more deeply connected to the environment and surrounding communities when back at home as well.”
To read the entire predictions report, click here.
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