Travel Is Not Going Back To Normal

October 24, 2022

Countries are continuing to relax their previously strict travel policies as Covid is perceived to be relatively under control. With most people vaccinated and fewer reports of positive cases, Covid-related mandates in the travel industry have been relaxed. Borders have opened, masks are no longer mandatory and social distancing is not as strictly enforced. While some may believe these seemingly progressive actions will simply restore the travel and tourism industry to the way it was in 2018, the concept of travel from our pre-Covid days no longer exists.

While travelers are eager to hop on the earliest plane to their dream destinations now that Covid requirements and social distancing mandates are being lifted, make no mistake—the pandemic changed the world and the travel industry forever. We can not hop in a time machine and return to the pre-pandemic world of 2018 travel and tourism. So, the question is—where are the travel trends going in 2023?

Going Back To Nature

After our “normal” ways of life were unprecedently disrupted when the pandemic hit in 2019, modern luxury and amenities are not as important to travelers as the organic experiences of getting back to nature. After the world held still in quarantine, the outdoors and activities are trending for travelers. Camping trips and even more survivalist-oriented activities are drawing tourists looking for a gritty lesson in how to survive with minimum resources.

However, “off the grid” doesn’t always mean the extreme. As this trend in tourism gets more traction, remote luxury options combine the best of both worlds. Ventana Big Sur offers a luxury resort experience with a camping twist—the trending word is “glamping.” While visitors’ accommodations may be in the style of a camping tent, you are far from your childhood sleeping bag in a cold plastic tent. The “glampsite” offers guests a bath house with showers, bathrooms and heated floors.

Going All Out

The stifling and monotonous nature of Covid quarantine has caused some travelers to swing drastically in the opposite direction. Travelers are ready for culture shock that will push them out of their quarantine suppression as well as out of their comfort zone.

Book a trip for meetings or incentives at the remote Mandarin Oriental Canouan. The small island of Canouan is a part of the Grenadines and lies south of St. Vincent but offers a much more exclusive experience. Indoor meeting spaces and dining rooms, outdoor set-ups and banquet halls that are somewhere in between inside and outside provide an exquisite off-the-grid location for meetings and incentives. Get ahead of the remote location travel trend by offering a remote location with five-star amenities.

Going Zen

In a world attempting to return to a sense of normalcy, wellness travel is set to trend in 2023. Corporate retreats and incentive trips are focused on recentering and self-care for their team members. Take your team for some meditation and mindfulness at Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. Amongst the striking red rocks of the Sedona Desert lies the getaway location offering wellness treatments, outdoor activities and a sense of peace and tranquility. For over 6,000 years, the Greater Phoenix Area and Sedona have maintained the reputation of its healing and meditative qualities—it may be the trip your team needs.

Going Virtual

A travel trend in 2023 could be one that never requires a “traveler” to leave their home! Metaverse is offering a way for travelers to experience travel completely virtually, using 3D touch technology to feel the texture of the destination landscape and haptic feedback to communicate with other users. While some are skeptical, Metaverse users claim the experience is an immersive experience that allows passengers to “travel” without risk of Covid exposure or travel complications due to overbooked airlines.

Whatever your travel methods are for the upcoming holidays and for 2023, make sure to stay safe and stay smart.