Page 36 - February #178

RLI LEISURE INSIGHT

Top Travel Trends for 2023

From ‘Revenge’ and ‘Heritage’ travel to the rise of digital nomads, pub
lodging and cannabis tourism – Tim Hentschel, CEO of leading booking
platform HotelPlanner describes the biggest trends expected for the travel
industry in 2023.

otelPlanner, one of the world’s leading providers of individual, • Multi-Generational Travel – Travelling with three or even
group and corporate travel bookings, has announced their four generations of family members is becoming more popular
HTop 10 Travel Trends of 2023. Analysing data and customer as people realise that the older generation within the family
demand, HotelPlanner are constantly in-the-know for the current travel won’t be around forever. We’re seeing an increase in trips with
trends as well and those we can expect to see in 2023 based on booking multi-generational families all traveling together. This could be
patterns and insider industry knowledge are the following:
a large family reunion, or just inviting grandparents to join the
• Revenge Travel – Travelling the world is an absolute must for family on a weekend road trip.
some people, offering the opportunity to explore, unwind and build
lasting memories. When the pandemic struck and travel became • Heritage Travel – With the increased popularity of websites
completely off bounds or extremely limited, it built up a sense of lost like 23 & Me and Ancestry.com, people are rediscovering
time. With global restrictions predominantly eased and travel firmly family roots and tracing their lineage all the way back to their
reinstating itself on the agenda for millions around the world, the ancestors’ country of origin. This has led to an increase in
travel sector is expected to experience a seismic boom in 2023 to heritage travel, where families are travelling all over the world
further build on the rising figures throughout the past year. ‘Revenge to visit the hometown of their great-great-great grandparents.
Travel’ is the notion that we should book more trips now than ever
before to make up for that lost time. It will be a key trend this year • Sustainable Travel – Travellers are becoming more
and HotelPlanner believe the mindset of travellers in 2023 will be to environmentally conscious about the carbon footprint of their
book a long-awaited, well-deserved trip to a new city, dream resort travel and the positive or negative impact their travels may have
or a new corner of the world. on the planet. Travellers are searching more for ‘eco-friendly’
hotels and transportation options, as well as ‘environmental
• Luxury Travel – Among all the new travel trends, luxury travel impact’ or ‘sustainable travel’ trips where part of the experience
may be the biggest to emerge from the pandemic. Millions of includes local philanthropic events like growing a community
people were diligent in saving their increased disposable income garden, or cleaning up a beach, almost like a mini week-long
and now have the financial means to spend on bespoke, upscale, “Peace Corps” of sorts.
inclusive, or other luxury experiences. This may include staying at
an all-inclusive resort, going on an exotic safari, ski trip or cruise, or • Pub Lodging – Several pub companies, including major PLCs,
simply staying in more upscale hotels and eating at nicer restaurants. have in recent years built up large lodging platforms across
the UK, typically serving more regional markets and often
• Digital Nomads – These are the remote workers whose competing with the major budget-branded hotel chains. Post
employers allow them to work from wherever they want. COVID-19, pubs have been able to ride the staycation boom –
Millions of digital nomads are now taking advantage of this meaning more and more people are looking to book affordable
new freedom from the office. These are people who might visit stays in pub locations which offer a comfortable room with easy
five cities or five countries over several months and work from access to quality food and beverage options.
coffee shops, extended stay hotels and AirBnBs. This trend has
created a brand-new category of traveller: the digital nomad. • Cannabis Tourism – With many destinations across the
world offering various forms of legal marijuana - travellers will
• Bleisure Travel – This is a combination of business & leisure be going further than Amsterdam in 2023. It has created a whole
travel where a typical employee is on a business trip from Monday new market of travellers who are visiting places where cannabis
– Thursday and then extends their trip for a mini-vacation, is easier to obtain legally. Many hotels are now promoting being
sometimes with their spouse or family in tow. Given that ‘420 friendly’ to jump on this trend.
corporate travel is still down, customers should take advantage
of the ‘Saturday Night Stayover’ deal where many airlines and
hotels will offer discounts if you extend through the weekend.

• Wedding Travel – About one in four are travelling this year
for a wedding-related event. After two years of couples waiting
to make it official, there will be an unprecedented demand
for wedding event space and wedding hotel blocks in 2023.
Given the waitlist for venue space, many couples are choosing
destination weddings, such as the Caribbean or Hawaii, or in
their family’s country of origin.

36 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 2023