To get the year off to a good start, Travel-Insight shares with you the tourism trends that will set the pace for 2023. After the difficulties of traveling around the world in recent years with Covid, 2022 saw the return of large-scale travel, to the delight of all travelers. Today, we’d like to take a look at tourism trends and what’s in store for the sector this year.

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1 – Revenge travel continues

Travelers still haven’t forgotten the trips they had to forego during the confinements. This trend, which was very strong in 2022, will continue in 2023. Revenge travel is the act of traveling and leaving as soon as the opportunity arises to make up for the two years of confinement experienced by travelers. Highly beneficial to the tourism sector, this desire to leave as often as possible will remain anchored in the coming months, making it one of the biggest tourism trends of 2023.

2 – Get close to nature

As the world becomes ever more interconnected with the Internet and social networks, the desire to get back to basics continues. Disconnecting from the digital world and everyday life to reconnect with the surrounding world and nature is what more and more travelers are looking for. This need is also reflected in the accommodation booked by travellers, with an increase in searches for ranches, farms and renovated barns, as shown by a study conducted for Hotels.com, Abritel and Expedia.fr. In France, for example, searches for rural destinations within 250km of Paris increased by over 60% between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022. This illustrates the importance of this trend in 2023.

3 – Respect for the environment, an increasingly important criterion

With ecological awareness on the rise in the wake of the Covid crisis, sustainable travel is on the rise. Environmentally-friendly labels and travel packages are on the rise, offering greater accessibility and respect for nature. This is an important criterion when travelers book accommodation on their departure.

4 – A desire for authenticity and diversity

Travelers’ desire for a change of scenery is on the rise. According to a Booking.com survey, more than 40% of all tourists want to experience a change of scenery and culture shock on their next trip. Discovering a culture, reconnecting with ancestral traditions, admiring sacred sites: this is the kind of program that interests more and more travelers. Nowadays, tourists want to discover new ways of life, learn new languages and explore lesser-known places. They want to get out of their comfort zones, push their physical and mental limits and try out niche experiences.

5 – In search of well-being

Well-being is becoming an increasingly important topic on social networks, and this is reflected in the 2023 tourism trends. Departures for wellness holidays are now more numerous: centered around personal development, meditation, nature or sports activities, 59% of French people say they are more open than before to the idea of treating themselves to a wellness holiday.

6 – Travelling through the metaverse

With a virtual reality headset, it’s now possible to escape anywhere in the world by diving into the metaverse. In the years to come, travelers will be able to enjoy virtual cultural experiences, from concerts to exhibitions. This technology also offers travelers the opportunity to try before they buy, which stimulates their desire to travel and decreases their desire to travel the world. In anticipation of this new trend, Seoul is launching its “Metaverse Seoul” platform.

7 – Bleisure continues to grow in popularity

One of the trends for 2023 is the importance of bleisure. Highly impacted in recent years by the difficulty of staging events, business travel is regaining its importance. However, the entertainment and social aspect is becoming the No. 1 importance of business travel. Employers are looking to strengthen ties and team spirit, with a combination of recreational outings and business moments.

8 – Destination inspiration comes from movies and TV shows

For a long time, travel inspirations were the result of recommendations from friends and family, whereas in recent years it’s been social networks that inspire the majority of travelers. But now, it’s film locations that are increasingly attracting travelers and making them want to discover places. The impact of documentaries, films and streaming series is increasingly important: they have become the second most important source of inspiration for travel, ahead of social networks. The United Kingdom, Iceland and New Zealand, the setting for “The Crown” and “The Hobbit”, are likely to be among the most popular destinations of 2023.

9 – Enjoy an exceptional vacation with luxury standing

For customers with the means, enjoying a unique and unforgettable stay with luxury services is increasingly sought-after. For this, they turn to agencies specializing in this segment. Customers are demanding, looking for tailor-made, unique and extravagant products.

10 – Save money

As inflation continues to rise, consumers’ vacation budgets are suffering. Faced with financial uncertainty, travelers are cutting back on their vacation spending, and this is already evident in winter sports. As a result, travelers are focusing on special offers, discount codes and budget planning to prepare their future trip.

With destinations around the world now open to tourists once again, 2023 promises to be a year of travel and discovery! The various trends emerging or continuing in the tourism industry are likely to have an impact on the business of tourism professionals. It’s important to take these trends into account and adapt your strategy to best suit your communication needs. Travel-Insight is precisely the agency that can help you achieve optimal communication. Don’t hesitate to contact us to achieve your 2023 objectives!