The Top Travel Trends to Watch For in 2024

Every year a new generation of budding travellers is eager to shake up the travel industry. Well now 2024 is here, and we look ahead to some of the exciting travel trends on the horizon, from sustainable travel to vegan trips and even those into space.

So what can we expect in 2024?

1. Country coupling

Forget waiting years to get through your bucket list, the trend for country coupling allows travellers to combine different travel destinations into one trip. This can be easily accommodated if you go to a landlocked country surrounded by several others. Not only does it add diversity, but travelling between countries by public transport also allows you to see more places with less impact on the environment.

2. Off the beaten track

It is expected that the travel industry will see more bookings to under-visited destinations to reduce the impact of over-tourism. The new trend is known as microcationing, and travellers tend to look for destinations that are close to home.

Another similar trend, second city travel is where you avoid the hustle and bustle of the commercial centres and larger cities. You instead focus on the smaller towns that do not receive as many visitors. Expect visits to smaller villages, as well as some of the best-known destinations, as part of a varied travel itinerary.

3. Eco-awareness travel

There’s a growing focus on environmentally conscious tourism, including the use of environmentally friendly transportation systems such as train or bus travel to reduce the negative impact of flying. Carbon offsetting requires that you understand the effects of tourism on the environment and take the necessary steps to reduce them as much as possible.

To complement this trend, ecolodge travelling includes only booking accommodation only in hotels or properties that are environmentally friendly. You will find such places making use of recycling, utilising organic food, solar energy and composting food waste, among others.

4. Spartan travel

Avoiding extended trips and opting for shorter ones is becoming a trend for some, as it can mean lower upfront costs. This is ideal for those with minimalist tastes and tighter budgets. We can expect this trend to catch on quickly because it eliminates the need for having huge amounts of money set aside for holiday vacations.

5. Vacationing with your pet

Pet travel to destinations that accept animals is growing, and many hotels and accommodation centres are now offering such facilities to cater to this trend. They even have pet-friendly activities and restaurants that are all-inclusive.

6. Vegan-friendly destinations

There’s no doubt that veganism is on the rise, which means you’ll see more and more destinations which cater to the needs of vegans. Saorsa 1875 in the UK, for example, is strictly vegan, and everything in the hotel is plant-based, including bedding and every item on the menu.

7. The ‘only’ holiday

Whether it’s adults-only cruises or women-only vacations, there’s a growing trend to meet the needs of specific groups of travellers in 2024. Not just for the older traveller any more, many adult cruises include fun activities onboard such as tattoo parlours, adult entertainment, and high-end dining. Other trips for specific demographics, such as female-only holidays, may include on-hand support networks and discussions, activities and excursions, or female guides.

8. Back to the roots

Personal fulfilment is a hot topic in travel right now. Many properties are already rolling out wellness programs that focus on the mind, body, spiritual, and mental components, meaning wellness holidays are on the rise, combining therapeutic activities with luxury stays, such as yoga and meditation retreats.

If getting back in touch with yourself means exploring your past, then ancestry travel is ideal for those who would like to know more about where they originally come from. DNA lab 23 and Me, in partnership with Airbnb, is already rolling out the trend. 

9. Reconnect with nature

Rugged, untouched destinations allow you to experience nature in its true element, such as those you would find in African safaris, while walking tours allow you to explore a travel destination better than you would if you were in a vehicle. It is cheap, convenient, and allows you to discover hidden gems in the travel destinations.

Nakations are also on the rise, with itineraries that target people who love to get naked and embrace the freedom of taking a hike, swimming, doing yoga, or chilling at the beach in the nude, without fear of offending anyone.

10. 2024 and beyond: Space tourism

Companies such as Virgin Galactic are primed to take travellers for trips into space. Blue Origin Space Company is already in the process of launching a test flight in 2024 as part of its preparation for space visitors, while SpaceX is targeting Japanese billionaires for a 2023 trip around the moon. The Von Braun Rotating Space station will be the first space hotel, and can host 100 visitors per week. Book your tickets early to avoid any rush once it is complete in 2025.

What next for travel in 2024?

There are many exciting trends we can look forward to in 2024, as we have highlighted above, but as 36% of people worry about things going wrong on the first day of their holiday, the key to enjoying what is on offer is ensuring you stay safe while travelling. Don’t let common sense go out the window while you’re having fun and you’ll be all set.

Wonder how to do it? Put an end to your travel worries by crafting your holiday, your way with Pickyourtrail.