Booking.com has released its annual Travel Predictions research, revealing that travel will be at “the core of existence” in 2024. In other words, the report says that travel will shift from being an escape from reality into a core part of life.
Booking.com’s report states that 80% of APAC-based travellers now feel more invigorated than ever during their vacations, with 73% believing that they are the best version of themselves when they are on holiday. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), travellers are turning to technology to simplify their journeys, enabling them to embrace more meaningful experiences.
Booking.com’s latest Travel Predictions research, based on insights from over 27,000 travelers across 33 countries and territories provides a glimpse of the evolving travel landscape. The survey was conducted among adults planning to travel for business or leisure within the next 12-24 months. Respondents completed the online survey in July 2023.
Here are the seven predictions that will shape travel in 2024:
Reboot Retreaters: The rise of sleep tourism
In a world that never seems to slow down, travellers are booking trips to reconnect with the lives they truly desire. The emerging trend of sleep tourism introduces sleep concierges and cutting-edge tech to cater to the 66% of APAC-based travelers who seek to prioritize uninterrupted rest during their journeys, according to Booking.com.
Surprisingly, 46% are willing to carve out time for a matchmaking holiday in the quest for new partners or lovers, while 39% consider heartbreak holidays to help them recover from breakups. For those in relationships, 24% prioritize deepening their connections with their partners through travel in 2024, says Booking.com’s research. Even parents are embracing the idea of solo getaways, with 55% planning to travel alone in 2024 to focus on their well-being, leaving behind their children and partners.
Surrender Seekers: Embracing spontaneity on the go
According to Booking.com, In 2024, travellers are eager to surrender to the element of surprise and venture into uncharted territory. Over half (55%) of APAC-based travelers are interested in booking a surprise trip where even the destination remains a mystery until arrival. These “surrender seekers” are fully embracing the art of letting go, with 56% preferring to have no set plans prior to traveling in 2024 and even considering traveling with strangers (37%).
The travel industry is responding swiftly with tech-enabled flexible services that allow travellers to cancel or change plans with the click of a button. The proliferation of AI is set to go mainstream in 2024, with over half of APAC-based travelers (54%) placing their trust in AI to plan their trips.
A La carte Affluencers: Travelling smart with AI assistance
With the cost of living crisis, travellers in 2024 will seek money-saving hacks to reduce expenses while elevating their vacations with ‘à la carte’ luxuries. The majority (62%) of APAC-based travellers will rely on AI for insights and tips during their vacations to enhance their experiences with suggested add-ons and deals.
Furthermore, over half (52%) of APAC-based travellers intend to select destinations in 2024 where the cost of living is lower than their hometowns. Many (56%) are willing to pay for day passes to access the amenities in five-star hotels without actually staying there.
Culinary Excavators: Exploring the roots of food
Booking’s 2024 Travel Predictions highlights that travellers will embark on culinary adventures to uncover the origins of food in their chosen destinations. About 67% of APAC-based travellers express more interest in learning about the roots of “must-eat” local delicacies than in the past. Additionally, more than four in five (85%) are eager to indulge in indigenous cuisines in 2024.
Food enthusiasts in 2024 will also become experientialists, with half (51%) seeking immersive ‘phygital’ food experiences enhanced by virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). Think mood-altering lighting, paired fragrances, and sensual soundscapes that elevate the dining experience.
Mindful Aesthetes: The fusion of sustainability and aesthetics
Booking.com predicts that the days when comfort and exceptional design were associated only with luxury are behind us. A growing movement of accommodation providers now offers aesthetically pleasing solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability. Discerning travellers will seek out accommodations with jaw-dropping architecture that integrates innovative sustainability features (60%), and they desire spaces that seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor environments (68%).
To contribute to conservation efforts, many are interested in sustainable travel apps offering rewards (64%), such as unique experiences with locals in off-the-beaten-path areas (50%) or visits to remote locations typically off-limits to tourists (45%).
Cool-cationers: Escaping the heat in 2024
With temperatures reaching record-breaking levels, Booking’s research points to 60% of APAC-based travellers acknowledging that climate change will impact their 2024 vacation plans, while 61% plan to use their vacations as a means to cool down elsewhere as temperatures soar close to home.
Booking.com says this has given rise to travel experiences designed to combat the heat, with about one in three (35%) showing interest in water-centric vacations in 2024.
Mindful water immersion is poised to become the next mainstream version of meditation, with activities such as floating yoga, water sound baths, snow meditation, ice therapy retreats, underwater hotels, and mermania.
(Alter) Ego Enthusiasts: Crafting new identities on the road
Based on Booking.com’s survey, in 2024, travellers will experience heightened vitality by creating alter egos during their vacations. Over 46% of APAC-based travellers are ready to craft stories about their lives to share with fellow travellers they meet on their journeys.
These “alter ego enthusiasts” revel in the thrill of embodying an enhanced version of themselves and enjoy the anonymity that travel offers. Well over half (63%) of APAC-based travellers feel like the “main character” during their trips, empowered to be the stars of their own life stories.
Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific at Booking.com, comments: “Our 2024 travel predictions reflect the idea that travel is not an escape from life, but instead a catalyst to live our best lives. From thrilling adventures in a new destination to feeling the pulse of a new culture and every experience in between, travel allows us to become the best version of ourselves. At Booking.com, it’s our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, and we believe in the power of travel to inspire, transform, and enrich lives, committed to empowering extraordinary experiences that resonate with the heartbeat of each and every traveller in 2024 and beyond.”
Image credit: Booking.com, edited by WiT
