The rise of eco-friendly hotels and increasing tech influence in decision-making, among many trends, make the list for top travel trends in 2020!
2020 is the start of a new decade so it’s apt that we spot the travel trends that will influence you. Through multiple surveys done by reputable travel companies, independent researchers, and research firms, we’ve collated nine of the hottest travel trends that set the path for 2020 and the decade that follows.
1. Eco-Friendly Hotels
I’m sure if you’ve turned on the news or read articles online, you’ve come across something about climate change. The thing is, as an individual, tourism accounts for a large part of our personal carbon footprint.
It’s pretty unrealistic to tell people to stop travelling in such a hyper-connected world these days, so hotels have stepped up to offer you eco-friendly hotels to stay in.
Wanna check out some of these unique accommodations? Why, I’m glad you asked. We’ve listed 8 of the most unique and eco-friendly hotels in Southeast Asiafor you to explore!
2. Second-City Destinations
What exactly is second-city travel? Booking.com pegs it as “the exploration of lesser known destinations in a bid to reduce over-tourism and protect the environment”. Because they’re lesser-known, travelling there might be more expensive and/or time consuming.
However, they’ll most likely offer you a different and more authentic experience. Plus, you get the bragging rights when you post about it on Instagram.
If you need some ideas for your next second-city travel, we’ve found the top 3 off-the-beaten track travel destinations in 2020 that you could conquer!
3. Zero-Impact Travelling
Zero-impact travel is gaining traction today due to the looming threat of climate change, as well as travellers’ increasing awareness of their actions towards the environment.
The travel industry is also following suit, according to JWT Intelligence; a case study of Oslo City Airport in Norway showed that its government-backed green initiatives paid off by being the first energy-positive airport in the world.
What’s more, airlines around the world are also offering carbon offset programmes for you to reduce your travel carbon footprint too. In addition, you can also reduce your environmental impact by following these 8 tips to become a sustainable traveller!
4. Slow-Mo Travel
Here’s a finding from Skyscanner’s APAC Travel Trends Report for 2020: slow is the way to go! Slow travel saw more than a 20 percent increase as compared to the previous year’s report, and it’s not hard to see why.
The World Health Organisation included burnout as an occupational phenomenon into its 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). To combat this, travellers are looking to escape their fast-paced daily lives by opting for something slower, so that they can savour the joys of life.
Slow-mo is the new FOMO – and you can bet we’ve also listed the 6 best rail travel holidays in the world! Whether it’s day trips or overnighters, get ready to experience breathtaking sights on these amazing train journeys.
5. Wellness-Focused Hospitality
In line with the World Health Organisation’s inclusion of burnout as an occupational phenomenon, travellers are looking towards wellness-focused escapes. The most recent data from The Global Wellness Institute in 2017 reflects this; wellness tourism made up US$639 billion of the global wellness economy. This is set to rise to to US$919 billion by 2022, and hospitality providers are stepping up to provide wellness-focused travellers what they want.
In fact, many of them are chasing the WELL Building Certification, which is a “performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind”, according to the US Green Building Council. The first hospitality project to receive this certification is the Inn at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California.
6. Airline Food Fresh from the Ground Up
JWT Intelligence reported in their Future 100 report that fresh food for airline meals are going to increase in availability. Why? Following the wellness-focused hospitality, the health and wellness obsession will only increase; hotels and now airlines are trying to cater to the estimated US$919 billion market in 2022.
Singapore Airlines has teamed up with a hydroponic farm company called AeroFarms in 2019 to offer fresh food for their passengers flying from Newark Liberty International Airport to Changi International Airport. To do this, they used AeroFarm’s existing facility in Newark to grow arugula, baby bok choi and mixed greens.
Another airport that has been practicing this “fresh food” mentality since 2011 is Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, which has a hydroponics farm in one of its terminals. The produce grown there are used to supply cafes and restaurants in the terminal, giving freshness to pre-flight meals.
7. Expedition Travel
How does an arctic expedition sound to you? Tough? Sure. Expensive? You bet!
But what if the expedition affords you time with experts in the field? Not only do you get a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you also get invaluable knowledge which can help create a more sustainable way of travel and living.
Travel companies like Airbnb have partnered with scientists in the Antarctic to produce itineraries for the ultra-exclusive, dubbed the Antarctic Sabbatical. The best things in life usually don’t have a price tag, and this is the case – only 5 out of 140,000+ applications were selected to go on the trip.
Also, check out this tool from National Geographic Expeditions, where you can pick a near-arctic tour in Iceland with a National Geographic Adventure Guide – if you can spare at least US$8,000.
8. Locating Your Ancestor’s Origin
Heritage travelling is a thing, according to Airbnb. They surveyed over 8,000 individuals from various countries and found that these individuals “see it as an important emotional consideration when planning travel”.
As such, they’ve paired up with 23andMe, the DNA test provider where you spit into a tube and send it back for testing, for this “end-to-end” heritage trip.
9. Indispensable Apps
If you haven’t already noticed how dependent we are on apps, we’re here to remind you – apps will be even more deeply intertwined in our daily lives and travel.
According to Market Research Future, the microservices architecture market is projected to be valued at US$33 billion by 2023. What does microservice mean for you? It means that apps you use in the coming future will have more and more services tacked onto them, making them easier to access and do whatever you need to.
In addition to this list of best travel apps you must download, don’t forget to save money by utilising YouTrip for its favourable Wholesale Exchange Rates when you pay seamlessly overseas!
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