AMSTERDAM – People around the world are overwhelmingly more optimistic about travel in 2023 compared to 2022, and despite some current global instability, nearly three-quarters (72%) say travel will always be rewarding. The mood shifts from hopeful uncertainty to courageous adaptability. If 2022 was about travel’s triumphant return, 2023 will be about creatively reinventing it amidst the chaos. Nothing will be off-limits and everything is on the menu as everyone tries to find the right balance in a world full of contradictions.
To understand how travel will be reimagined in 2023, Booking.com commissioned extensive research with more than 24,000 travelers across 32 countries and territories1 and combined it with its insights as the leading digital travel platform to unveil seven new travel predictions .
At a time of general upheaval, as war, increasing social polarization, rising inflation and urgent concerns about climate change continue to radically transform the world, people find themselves in a multi-directional tug-of-war to reconcile what is comfortable with the demands of everyday life important. Travel predictions for 2023 reflect this sentiment, showing that traveler needs are moving in many different directions to adapt to changing times.
Preppers in Paradise
Camouflaged huts, campfire kitchen and compasses; Off the grid will never be as coveted as it is in 2023. A chaotic few years of natural disasters, political unrest and a global pandemic have caused some to lose faith in the world and the frivolous must-have amenities of modern life to have. On the same subject : Is the trip worth it? More than a third of Americans suffer from travel: survey. Almost half (44%) of global travelers want their travel experiences to be more streamlined and are looking for “off-grid” style vacations to escape from reality (55%), switch off and reconnect with life experience with the essentials (44%). Travelers would also like to use travel in 2023 as an opportunity to learn survival skills (58%), including finding clean water (53%), starting a fire from scratch (42%), foraging in the wilderness ( 39%) and even preparing for an apocalypse (39%).
Expect to see more eco-friendly, down-to-earth accommodations springing up to accommodate burned-out city dwellers looking for simplicity, as well as accommodations that offer guests guidance on how to be more self-sufficient, e.g. Obtaining and preparing their own meals during their stay. A proliferation of wilderness survival schools, where travelers learn essential skills needed to survive a catastrophic event, is also expected to emerge around the world.
However, “off-grid” in 2023 doesn’t necessarily mean roughing it. There is a general perception that this means forgoing luxury (56%), but there is a strong desire to combine the two, with 48% only considering traveling ‘off the grid’ if it leads to one more enjoyable stay.
And how unplugged is off-grid really for the 2023 traveler of the year? Over half (53%) will have one non-negotiable requirement: phone and internet connectivity at destination are essential – so expect this cohort to survive the wilderness with 5G.
Virtual Voyagers
It used to be space travel that was ambitious and “otherworldly”. But now it happened, what and where next? With nearly half (43%) of global travelers saying they will turn to virtual reality to inspire their vacation decisions next year, 2023 will see travel in earnest in the ever-evolving 3D virtual space of the Metaverse enter. With over a third (35%) of travelers wanting to embark on a multi-day VR or AR travel experience, the Metaverse will be more than “try before you buy”; It will educate, entertain and inspire people and open the door to endless adventures. No longer constrained by physics, travelers can experiment with different travel experiences in a year where Metaverse worlds begin to replicate and recreate destinations. Beyond 2023, haptic feedback, the use of touch to communicate with users, will make virtual travel a truly immersive experience and provide a believable sense of 3D touch, such as: B. the feeling of soft grains of sand and the warmth of the sun.
Travelers become bolder in their real-world travel choices after first being able to visit them via their online avatars in the metaverse – especially handy for those who might be afraid to try something new, with a 46% higher likelihood of traveling to destinations that lead there travel they would not have thought of before after experiencing it virtually. To see also : Remarks at a State Department Career Event at Purdue University – United States Department of State.
While next year’s Metaverse will offer a new way to experience travel, it still won’t stop people booking a ticket to their next destination, as three in five (60%) believe a virtual experience won’t do it is fulfilling enough tick it off the bucket list.
Delight in the Discomfort Zone
Whether it’s pent-up energy, pent-up frustration, or a renewed zest for life, the world is ready to dive headfirst into other cultures and new experiences. See the article : Equitable health care requires inclusive language. Half (50%) of world travelers want to experience a complete culture shock in 2023 — whether it’s traveling to a place with completely different cultural experiences and languages (51%), or exploring lesser-known cities with hidden gems that aren’t yet on the radar (30%).
Forget the usual favourites, in 2023 travelers will be looking for unique vacations that shock, surprise and delight. With nearly three quarters (73%) looking forward to experiencing travel outside of their comfort zone that will push them to their limits, there will be an influx of niche experiences that will encourage people to take their travel escapades to the extreme. Almost half (47%) are on the hunt for the world’s most exotic delicacy, such as the spiciest chili pepper, while 38% want to use their vacation for extraterrestrial exploration on UFO or alien-spotting tours.
Not surprisingly, this “culture-shaken” traveler is also keen to throw caution to the wind, as three in ten (28%) plan to buy a one-way ticket in 2023 and follow their instincts wherever it takes them.
Glamorizing the Good ol’ Days
Amid global instability and a desire for escapism, people intend to create travel experiences that hark back to simpler times, with nostalgic getaways (88%) that offer the thrill of re-living the glory days at the top of the wish list in 2023. There’s a desire — even for Millennials and Gen-Zs who’ve never experienced it — to slip into the romance of a pre-digital era, with nearly a quarter (23%) of travelers chasing experiences that (faux) evoke emotional memories Evoke days gone by, such as visit landmarks or attractions starred in iconic retro movies, or opt for a bus as your primary mode of transportation to experience the group spirit of school field trips. Travelers are no longer forgoing play in favor of rest and relaxation, increasingly seeking an adrenaline rush at theme parks (61%) and letting their imaginations run wild with activities like escape rooms, scavenger hunts and building fortresses with giant blocks.
With millennials now parents of young children, there will be a proliferation of travel destinations that were previously popular in the 80s and 90s, such as Budva in Montenegro, a glamorous alternative to St Tropez for celebrities in the 80s, or Bolzano in Italy, popular for its retro Christmas markets – both destinations featured on the 2023 trending destinations list. Millennial travelers will be the first to book emerging-market-style accommodations that take them back to a time close to their hearts, and are likely to do so with family by their side (54%), with “family reunions” Intergenerational travel is at the top of the travel agenda in 2023.
Peace and Pleasure Pilgrimages
Travel will take the well-being of “mind, body and spirit” to the next level in 2023 – a fully immersive, no-compromise approach to achieving peace and pleasure, including less conventional ways of experiencing bliss. Meditation and mindfulness excursions that aim to re-center the mind are very popular among world travelers (44%), while two in five (40%) aim to find peace in a silent retreat and more than two in five (42%) would love to go on a health break focused on mental health, transformative health, or helping with life milestones like menopause or pregnancy. For those looking for enhanced spiritual experiences to stimulate the soul, alternative substances like cannabis or herbal psychedelics like ayahuasca or mushrooms are becoming a mainstream offering, with 36% interested in incorporating this type of experiential wellness experience as part of their Try Travel in 2023.
Increasing public conversations about sexual wellbeing, pleasure, and orientation are encouraging more people to make time for an erotic escape (36%). Polyamorous retreats, bondage camps and resorts that help people discreetly delve into specific fetishes and kinks are expected to become mainstream in 2023, offering travelers a safe space to explore their sexual desires far from home.
From Daily Grind to Great Company Escape
A marked departure from the “work from anywhere” policies that are now almost as commonplace as annual leave, employees are increasingly keen to use vacation time for a total escape. A significant number (66%) want their travel in 2023 to be strictly non-work and while almost half (49%) are not interested in working during their absence, they would consider signing up for a company outing or trip to find
Therefore, business travel will be back on the agenda in 2023. But unlike BC’s (pre-COVID) business travel, employees are looking for more opportunities to build team camaraderie in real life — and outside of the office — reflecting a growing demand to combine business travel with productive play. In fact, 44% of the global workforce look forward to their employer planning a “real life” work trip to bring people together, and just over half (51%) would like their employer to do so by shifting to remote would use money saved from work/hybrid work models spent on business trips or retreats.
In response, 2023 will see a surge in business retreats in destinations where the focus will be on strengthening relationships and business recovery rather than work. Employers will gamify the retreat experience, immersing employees in a world where teamwork is the only option. Think survivor-themed trips to luxury cabins or country farms with shared cooking and outdoor adventure activities, or criminal escapes where spy schools, detective courses, or CSI simulations serve as sightseeing scavenger hunts.
Businesses are also seeing benefits – more than half (59%) of workers around the world believe exploring new places will inspire them to be more productive at work.
Saving to Splurge
Against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, travelers in 2023 will continue to prioritize travel but be more mindful of how to make the most of their travel budget and what comes first. People will still place carefree getaways high on their agenda, with half (50%) of travelers saying investing in a vacation remains a top priority for them. But budget awareness is key, as nearly seven in ten (68%) travelers continue to spotlight travel as they seek more bang for their buck.
2023 will be financially savvy travel planning at its finest, with people tightening their travel budgets using deals, hacks and smartly timed travel (63%) and prioritizing value for money with discounts and loyalty programs (60%). More than half of travelers (53%) will try to save money by considering off-season destinations or longer distances on the trip, while the majority (61%) plan trips earlier in hopes of finding a better one to receive an offer. More than half (55%) believe the best use of their budget is to opt for one or two longer vacations rather than multiple short breaks.
In this context, many travelers are also surprisingly willing to increase their spending – and even splurge – on the components of their trip that mean the most to them. Almost half (49%) admit they plan to be more indulgent with their spending when on holiday to make up for the lack of travel in recent years, while 43% plan to spend liberally to ensure they get the most out of their trip and every experience is worth it.
Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com, comments: “If the past few years have taught us anything, it is that travel should not be taken for granted. This year’s journey prediction research reveals the undercurrent of intentional paradoxical behaviors that will make us all more comfortable in the driver’s seat amid unrelenting instability. It also shows the desire that travel is a way to seek uncompromising moments of happiness and escapism to counteract the harsh reality of our news feeds. As such, our goal at Booking.com will continue to be to make it easier for everyone to seek their unique travel happiness in a more personalized and connected way for the year ahead and beyond.”
METHODOLOGY
Travel Predictions 2023, a study commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults planning to travel for business or pleasure in the next 12 to 24 months. A total of 24,179 people from 32 countries and territories were interviewed (including 1014 from Argentina, 1006 from Australia, 505 from Austria, 504 from Belgium, 1009 from Brazil, 503 from Canada, 1009 from China, 1010 from Colombia, 505 from Croatia, 505) . from Denmark, 1010 from France, 1001 from Germany, 500 from Hong Kong, 1005 from India, 504 from Ireland, 504 from Israel, 1008 from Italy, 1003 from Japan, 504 from Mexico, 502 from the Netherlands, 1007 from New Zealand, 1009 from Portugal, 507 from Singapore, 1008 from South Korea, 1001 from Spain, 505 from Sweden, 508 from Switzerland, 500 from Taiwan, 504 from Thailand, 1006 from Great Britain, 1009 from the USA and 504 from Vietnam). Respondents took part in an online survey in August 2022.
About Booking.com
As part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com is dedicated to making it easier for everyone to experience the world, whenever it’s safe. By investing in technology that helps make travel smoother, Booking.com seamlessly connects millions of travelers with unforgettable experiences, a range of transportation options and incredible places to stay – from apartments to hotels and more. As one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces for both established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes, Booking.com enables hotels around the world to reach a global audience and grow their business. Booking.com is available in 44 languages and has a total of more than 28 million reported accommodation listings, including more than 6.4 million listings of houses, apartments and other unique places to stay. No matter where you travel or what you want to do, Booking.com makes it easy for you and backs you with 24/7 customer support.
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