“Jack be nimble, Jack be quick…” Since 2020, destination marketers have had plenty of practice with skills like pivoting and flexibility. Watching consumer travel trends to stay ahead of the curve is essential for a nimble organization.

Smart digital marketers are keeping an eye on the following trends, adapting content, product, and messaging accordingly:

Rest, relax, retreat, unplug, and detox. It’s more than just the lure of a spa treatment, yoga mat, or a mud bath. As global strife and politics loom large, travelers are taking trips to get away, recharge their batteries, and spend quality time with loved ones. The Global Wellness Institute predicts wellness tourism will grow 21% by 2025, becoming the leading growth sector within the wellness category.

Mother Nature for the win. Finding ways to stay active and safe during the pandemic prompted a newfound interest in getting out into the fresh air. The trend continues to appeal to travelers that embrace hiking, biking, skiing, surfing, boating and any number of outdoor adventures in national, state, and regional parks. Astrotourism gets a boost this year when the path of the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 makes a swathe across North America.

A desire to broaden authentic in-destination experiences is driving an increase in culinary-related travel. Hyper-local, slow travel, and personalization are three adjoining trends that fit hand-in-glove with tailor-made, customized foodie tours. After all, everybody likes to eat. And if you are what you eat, gastronomy tourism is a brilliant way to experience local culture and custom.

Shifting consumer priorities have put a spotlight on ecotourism that’s here to stay. From carbon offsetting to wildlife conservation, and from green transportation to community-based voluntourism initiatives, it’s personally compelling for travelers to look after the local environment in the places they go.

Tourism destinations, products, and services that can be enjoyed by all is a social responsibility that’s gaining more attention every day. Currently estimated to be one in four Americans (27%) having some kind of a disability, the percentage of people potentially traveling with a special need increases as the population ages.

Shoulder season and off-season gain new appeal as antidotes to overtourism, and it’s all good. Nobody ever liked standing in line, right? Crowds ease up, fares and rates drop, temperature extremes level off. Perhaps as a benefit from the increase in remote workers, there’s now greater choice about when to travel.