In spite of current global upheaval and instability, nearly three-quarters of respondents believe traveling will always be worthwhile.
With more than 24,000 travelers in 32 countries and territories, Booking.com commissioned extensive research to reveal seven emerging travel predictions for 2023 based on their insights as a leading digital travel platform.
So, let’s see insights from the report right now!
A Brief Overview
Travelers around the globe are feeling more optimistic about 2023 than 2022, and despite some global instability, 72% of them report that traveling will always be worthwhile for them. There is a shift from a mood of hopeful uncertainty to a mood of bold adaptability.
Despite the war, social polarization, rising inflation, and urgent concerns about climate change, people are working to reconcile their values with the demands of daily life in a time of general upheaval. As travelers’ needs change, travel forecasts for 2023 reflect this sentiment.
Preppers in Paradise
Outdoor living will never be more popular than in 2023, with camouflaged cabins, campfire cuisine, and compasses. As a result of natural disasters, political turmoil, and a global pandemic, some have lost confidence in the world and modern comforts.
Nearly half of all global travelers (44%) prefer a back-to-basics vacation, escaping reality (55%) and living life with the bare necessities (44%).
In 2023, travelers are also eager to learn survival skills (58%), including how to:
- find clean water (53%),
- light a fire from scratch (42%),
- forage for food in the wild (39%)
- and even prepare for an apocalypse (39%).
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
Virtual Voyagers
More than a third (35%) of travelers are interested in multi-day virtual reality travel experiences, which will be more than just a ‘try before you buy’ experience. Travelers will be able to experiment with various travel experiences when Metaverse worlds begin replicating and reimagining destinations next year. And after virtually experiencing destinations, 46% are more likely to travel there.
In 2023, the Metaverse will offer a new way of experiencing travel, but 60% of people disagree that a virtual experience is satisfying enough to check off their bucket list.
Delight in the Discomfort Zone
In 2023, the world will dive headfirst into new cultures and new experiences, whether it’s bottled-up energy or pent-up frustration. Travelers will seek out unique vacations that shock, surprise, and delight.
50% of travelers from around the world want to experience complete culture shock, while 51% want to experience cultures and languages completely different from their own.
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
Glamorizing the Good ol’ Days
Travel enthusiasts will seek out nostalgic getaways in 2023 amid global instability and escapism, with many (88%) wanting to relive the glory days and relive the thrill of simpler times.
Most people – especially millennials and Gen-Zs who never lived it – want to disappear into the romanticism of the pre-digital age.
Peace and Pleasure Pilgrimages
Travel will take ‘mind, body, and soul’ wellness to the next level in 2023, including less conventional ways to achieve peace and pleasure.
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
From Daily Grind to Great Company Escape
In 2023, business travel will be back on the agenda. As opposed to business trips before COVID, employees now seek out real-life opportunities to build camaraderie.
In 2023, 44% of the global workforce expects their employer to organize a ‘real life’ work trip to bring people together who now mostly work remotely. Moreover, 51% of respondents wanted their employer to spend the money saved from the shift on remote/hybrid working models on corporate retreats and travel.
The result will be an increase in destination business retreats focused on strengthening relationships and corporate recreation in 2023.
Saving to Splurge
Even with global economic uncertainty, people will prioritize travel in 2023, but they will be more mindful of maximizing their travel budgets and prioritizing what is important.
Source: The creative reimagination of travel, Booking.com report
The result will be savvy itinerary curation in 2023 when people take advantage of deals, hacks, and smartly-timed travel to plan their travel budgets (63%) and prioritize value for money with discounts (60%) ).
Even so, many travelers are willing to spend more – and even splurge – on the parts of their trip that matter most to them: 49% say they plan on spending more on vacation to compensate for not being able to travel during the pandemic, while 43% plan on spending lavishly to ensure every experience is the very best.
Conclusion
This is the outlook for travelers for the current year. There are many themes raised in the report that we can observe in our own surroundings, such as the rise in interest in business travel or the split between saving money and the desire to spend money on extraordinary experiences.
How about you? Which of these groups do you fall into?
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