Anyone with their pulse on the modern tourism industry will be familiar with the new trends that are driving its growth and pushing in new directions year by year. Tourism is not all it used to be, and both industry insiders and tourists themselves do well to be informed about the “new tourist scene.”
Here are 5 key facts about tourism as it exists today that seem likely to have huge impacts on the future of the industry as well:
1. Adventure Tourism on the Rise
More and more of today’s travelers are Millennials, and this is, if anything, a generation that likes bold, new adventures. They are taking that attitude into their tourist excursions, and it is making waves in the industry.
Africa is a big market for this kind of travel, but amazingly, North and South America are the biggest in the field. There are numerous wild adventures awaiting US citizens in and around “their own backyard,” so adventure travel need not mean flying off to exotic, far away countries.
Wildlife safaris, rustic hiking, and cycling are the top activities in modern adventure tourism. So it’s not just for mountain climbers and bungee jumpers after all!
2. Lady’s Trips
Interestingly, some 70% of US women are taking an annual vacation solo these days. Also, these trips aren’t always the spa and resort type vacations. They’re often in the adventure category mentioned just above.
Additionally, women are making most of the travel plans and decisions for families and couples these days as well. This is clearly a trend travel agencies aren’t ignoring.
3. Foodie Adventures
Food is a huge part of culture and a huge part of why many people travel. For example, book a double-decker bus tour in New York City, and food stops will be included that capture “unique culinary traditions” of the city.
There are also trips dedicated almost entirely to food and culture and they include more than just restaurant stops. Cooking classes, farm or vineyard tours, trips to historic markets, and visits to breweries and wineries.
If you love food and it motivates you to explore new places, you are definitely trending in step with the modern tourist industry.
4. Staycations
Many are looking for a quick, affordable, and low-stress vacation and that often means touring some place local. It’s amazing how many worthwhile tourist destinations are within a 100 or even 50 mile radius of most people’s homes, and yet, they never experienced most of them.
Therefore, there are more reasons for “staycationing” than simply to fit your tour within a strict budget. It’s part of appreciating where you are instead of wandering off to see “the greener grass” on the other side of the fence.
5. Smartphone Memories
Unsurprisingly, tourists are using their smartphone cameras to snap pics of their experiences. Tour guides are even giving out lessons, sometimes, on how to take a good picture that way. When tourists post their memories on Facebook or any other social media sites, it acts like free advertising for the places visited, if not also for various tour/travel companies.
Smartphones also mean tourists can keep in constant contact with friends and family who didn’t join them. They can even post their experiences day by day and hour by hour, and interact with distant friends concerning their trip, to the point that those not even with them become integrated into their tourist experience.