New travel trends are popping up all the time – while some come and go, others are here to stay, and still others should have never been a “thing” in the first place.
The Best Travel Trends
Winter Travel. More and more Americans are traveling during the winter months rather than relegating their trips to the summer, especially when it comes to international destinations – and, not necessarily looking for better weather. According to a consumer trends travel survey conducted by Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, nearly 80% of Americans would consider taking a long-distance, international trip in the wintertime. The reasons why are diverse, from experiencing another culture’s holiday traditions or taking a break from their own. to opportunities for viewing the Northern Lights in places like Iceland, Norway or Finland. It also brings opportunities for unique activities like dog sledding and overnights in igloo-like huts with transparent ceilings for viewing the colorful, dancing lights too.
Even if you purchased a home among Atlanta real estate it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll avoid the cold altogether. The Peachtree city does get its occasional snow and ice, so you might be a traveler who prefers to head south, below the equator, to take advantage of summer in North America’s winter.
Solo Travel. Solo travel is more popular than ever, according to a Pinterest travel report, with saves for solo travel ideas up by a whopping 593 percent. Solo travel means freedom to do what you want when you want, meeting new people, being as active or as relaxed as you’d like, and even getting a big boost of confidence just knowing that you managed to do it all on your own.
Going Off-the-Grid. While most of us love our electronic gadgets, going totally off-grid once in a while will allow you to unplug from the chaos of modern life, returning relaxed and refreshed. While you can easily do a Google search to find a spot in a remote corner of the world without cell service or Wi-Fi, these days there are outfitters that plan entire trips based on putting away your smartphone (and your laptop), like Off the Grid. This organization offers tours where you’ll have to keep that phone off, though you will get a burner phone for calls only. Instead, bring an actual camera, paper maps and a travel journal.
The Worst Travel Trends
Visiting Destinations Overrun with Tourists. There are countless articles and blog posts online about must-see places like Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, Italy’s Cinque Terre region, Santorini in the Greek Islands, etc. The problem is that they’ve become overrun with tourists – it’s almost impossible to escape the crowds in these destinations and it’s endangering some, including Peru’s spectacular Mayan ruins, now on UNESCO’s endangered list. Just because it’s not on the latest trending list doesn’t mean it’s a spot that shouldn’t be visited, in fact, you’re likely to have a much more rewarding experience if it isn’t.
Over-the-Top Selfies. Selfies are everywhere across every social network, and while taking a selfie or two on your vacation is fine, endlessly capturing selfies in various poses at that iconic landmark while everyone else waits for you to get out of the way is a trend that we all need to say goodbye to. And, for those dare devils who think it’s cool to take a selfie right at the edge of a cliff, standing next to a massive buffalo, or while driving a car? It’s not so cool when you end up in a coffin, which is why over-the-top selfies need to go.