This year more folks are prioritizing travel and newfangled experiences. We’re inspired by beloved television shows à la Emily in Paris to reexamine cities we’ve previously visited. Scoring tickets to see our favorite musical artists, like Taylor Swift, fortuitously opens up the prospect of flying to a different country. A rising wellness and longevity movement encourages travelers to seek alcohol-free vacations. Slower and more intentional travel—quality over quantity—is important and sustainability and eco-minded experiences are at the forefront.
From Menopause Retreats to Destination Dupes to Astro Tourism, here are the hottest travel trends for 2024, some of which will surely surprise you and motivate you to engage in a new adventure this year.
Traveling as a Digital Nomad
It’s going to be a banner year for the travel industry as more people are not only taking advantage of vacation days and time off from work, but also, delving deep into digital nomad status. If you can work from anywhere that has a great internet connection, why not do your job, and check off some bucket list adventures while you’re at it? Digital nomadism is an opportunity to build experience equity, especially if you’re living and working in a country that has a lower cost of living.
Where to Go: From Tokyo to Kyoto to Osaka to Sapporo to Hakone, Japan has plenty of locales worthy of a visit. Japan’s Immigration Services Agency is set to issue a digital nomad visa, which will be available for nationals in 49 countries, including the United States. This new visa allows visitors to stay in the country, living and working remotely, for up to six months—doubling the amount of time you can stay from the previous visa. Of course, eligibility requirements apply—you’ll have to have proof of substantial income and health insurance, for example.
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Gig Tripping
If you’re a Taylor Swift fan, then you’re well aware of this new travel trend that has ignited the travel industry. Since tickets to The Eras Tour in the United States were particularly difficult to get, music lovers decided to go abroad to see their favorite artist perform, creating the Gig Tripping trend.
Where to Go: Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Canada—it’s a choose your own adventure type of experience that you can plan a whole vacation around.
Astro Tourism
Seeing the night sky, full of star clusters, planets, and the moon, is one of top travel experiences you can enjoy if you’re a nature lover. You won’t regret travel to a remote location without light pollution, where on a clear night you can see a stellar sparkling display, made sharper with the aid of binoculars or a telescope.
Where to Go: Swedish Lapland in northernmost Sweden is one of the best places on the planet to watch the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. Visit Abisko National Park, centered in the Aurora Oval, where you’ll be treated to an incredible natural sky show, especially during the thick of the winter season. Is it cold? Of course. But, afterward, you can enjoy an indoor “Fika”, a coffee and cake break enjoyed with friends and family.
Destination Dupes
Traveling internationally comes at a cost. There’s airfare, lodging, transportation, dining, and activities that need to be factored in when considering a budget. A Destination Dupe is when you are afforded the opportunity of visiting a locale with a similar vibe to a well-loved destination, but it’s not as cost prohibitive. The cherry on top is that these vacation spots are often less crowded with tourists than their more popular counterparts. Instead of a national park, for example, visit a state park or public lands.
Where to Go: Rather than visiting Madrid, why not consider its sister city? Lima, the capital and largest city of Peru, is full of grand explorations and cultural experiences like Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological site with a mud-brick pyramid and a museum; Parque Kennedy, a central park that is home to dozens of cats; Barranco, the Bohemian district; and Museo Larco, where you’ll find pre-Columbian art.
Stroll the coastal cliffside Miraflores district, where you can test your mettle on a paragliding adventure that will surely make you feel incredibly alive. See the skyline from the sky! You’ll travel over the Pacific Ocean, along the Costa Verde, either on a paramotor trike flight with an attached paraglider or via the traditional paragliding set up. Either way, you’ll have photos worthy of your Instagram grid.
Frontier Tourism
Frontier Tourism beckons the intrepid traveler to experience meaningful holidays that have an element of excitement. Rather than choosing a vacation that is completely on the tourist track, Frontier Tourism highlights destinations that are raw and natural, full of challenging adventures.
If you love to travel more than your partner does, or if you don’t have friends that are able to go with you, you can still enjoy off-the-beaten-path fun and see the world without having to go entirely by yourself. Enlist the services of Flash Pack, experts in planning everything from point A to point B. You’ll join a group of likeminded strangers, between the ages of 30—49, on a journey of a lifetime. An expert guide will lead the way, handling all of the travel details, so that you can focus on nurturing new connections with other travelers while learning about the country you’re exploring.
Where to Go: To experience Buenos Aires, the “Paris of South America”; Patagonia, mecca for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts; and Mendoza, home of the most delicious Malbec wine, travel to Argentina on an adventure that usurps all others: Ultimate Argentina.
In Buenos Aires, you’ll go on a private bike tour; see marble mausoleums at Recoleta Cemetery, where more than 90 vaults have been declared National Historic Monuments; and watch a dynamic tango show while eating dinner. In Patagonia, you’ll visit El Chalten, the country’s trekking capital; hike at the base of Mount Fitz Roy; kayak in a fast-moving river; and spend the night in the loveliest riverside retreat where you can soak in a wood-burning hot tub and do a cold plunge in the river. With new friends and crampons affixed to your boots, you’ll scramble on the Perito Merino Glacier, testing your resolve. And, after 10 days, you’ll end the group escape in Mendoza, where you’ll sip red wine made from inky dark grapes and explore the city’s cultural highlights and unique allure.
Skip-gen Travel
When grandparents travel with their grandkids, skipping a generation, it’s called Skip-gen Travel. As meaningful experiences are prioritized, older generations are traveling with their younger family members in order to bond and create indelible memories. Grandparents, who are often retired, are living longer and modern families often only have one or two children, making it easy for older generations to travel with younger ones. Plus, the added benefit, the gift really, is that parents are afforded a much-needed break, a vacation of their own without their offspring in tow. It’s a win-win-win.
Where to Go: Offering something for everyone, Hotel Xcaret Mexico, an All-Fun Inclusive in Playa del Carmen, is the ideal place to stay for Skip-gen Travelers. Spacious suites, all near either a swimming pool or lagoon, feature locally made arts and crafts and stunning nature outlooks. Guests enjoy access to unlimited food and beverage options at 11 different restaurants as well as limitless admission and transportation to all of Grupo Xcaret’s parks: Xaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor Fuego, Xavage, Xoximilco, Xenses, and Xenotes.
Menopause Retreats
Let’s be honest, perimenopause, the natural transition of a woman’s body before menopause; and menopause, which marks the end of the reproductive years, are causes for rest and relaxation. This time of renewal begins at different ages, sometimes as early as the mid 30’s, and is usually accompanied by a heap of symptoms like hot flashes, sleep irregularity, and mood changes. Menopause Retreats, a recent wellness trend, are purposely designed to support women in this transition. The name of the game is self-care.
Where to Go: If the need arises, you can also combine another travel trend with this one to suit your needs: Silent Travel. Disconnect from all of the noise and chaos, unplug from your devices, and experience the beauty and serenity of nature through travel in a country where you don’t speak the native language. Aim to rediscover yourself and treat yourself to indulgent experiences like spa treatments, fine dining, or waking up without an alarm to bring the brightness and color back to your skin.
A picturesque destination that offers not only respite and leisure, but also, enriching experiences and warm weather is Bali, Indonesia. From the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary to Tegalalang Rice Terrace to Tanah Lot Temple to beautiful beaches to lush gardens to cultural immersion experiernces with Niskala Tours to a stay at Viceroy Bali Luxury Resort in Ubud, there’s plenty to do, or not do. You won’t regret taking care of yourself during this stage.
