Navigating the Intersection of Travel Trends and Meaningful Experiences in 2024
Temperatures are trending up. The economic outlook is bleak. And more people are prioritizing meaningful experiences over material goods. Translation? This year is shaping up to be a transformative year for travel and tourism brands.
According to Forbes, 92% of travelers expect to travel at least as much in 2024 as they did in the prior year. Not only are bucket list road trips and girls-only getaways staying on schedule, but they’re being budgeted for and booked further in advance, too.
Regardless of the reason, travelers are making it clear: creating meaningful memories and deep human connections matters so much, they’ll put their money on it.
Here’s how to seize the opportunities awaiting your travel brand in 2024.
Top 3 Tourism Trend Opportunities for Travel Brands in 2024
True, trends should be taken with a grain of salt. But if past patterns have proven anything, it’s that even subtle shifts can surface emerging needs and interests—ones that your destination or hidden gem can make the most of. With that in mind, here are some of the travel trends we’re keeping an eye on this year.
Coolcations
It’s getting too hot in here… And that’s driving people to seek cooler locals than literal hot spots. As 2024 shapes up to be the hottest on record, more temperate destinations are predicted to rise in popularity. Not only do places farther north face less intense heat waves, they’re likely to be less crowded. Whether your location is well situated to capitalize on this trend (hello, Montréal!) or you’re in an always-blazing location (hello, Florida Keys!), any destination can capitalize on the coolcation trend.
Our ideas? Offer coordinated, guided tours of air-conditioned spots like museums and science centers if you’re in a hot destination. Or, plan outdoor programs for non-peak sun times. A sunrise hike bookended by a stargazing night sounds pretty cool, right? Which brings us to…
2. Astrotourism and Dark Sky Experiences
Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars. Ok, so space tourism isn’t quite accessible yet unless you’re a billionaire. But things are looking up—literally—as demand for astrotoursim increases. People are increasingly seeking enhanced experiences to catch a better glimpse of the cosmos.
Planetariums, national parks, and places with low light pollution, it’s your time to shine! For the rest of you, get creative with programs or marketing messaging based on upcoming meteor showers, full moons, or the solar eclipse.
3. Gig Tripping
Some destinations don’t bat an eye at hosting tourists for annual events like The Masters, Bonnaroo, or the synchronous fireflies of Smoky Mountain National Park. But 2024 is going to be a different beast. With Olympic Trials taking place all over the U.S., the general election events, and big name artists touring, people are expected to plan their travel around bucket list happenings.
Embrace the overflow and roll out the welcome mat for the sports fans, Olympic hopefuls, or front row fiends…whoever is descending on your destination. Attract the diehard fans and casual tagalongs visiting your area with discounts, fun marketing messaging, and themed programming.
In 2024, Memorable Experiences Are a Must-Make-Happen
Look at the past few years. We’ve been through a lot, right? No wonder 57% of people report they’re planning to travel the same in 2024 as they did in 2023, with 26% planning to travel more. People are putting their money where their heart is.
They want to deepen their connections with each other, themselves, and nature. They are prioritizing time away from the office and with their family. They’re doing The Big Trip, the spontaneous staycation, or the coast-to-coast friends meetup. And they’ll find a way to make it happen whether their budgets are tighter or not.
While you’re always focused on giving your visitors an outstanding experience, now’s your chance to turn it up to 11. Create transformative experiences that not only surpass their expectations, but shape such wonderfully warm, core memories that they’ll want to return again.
It sounds daunting for your marketing team—but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Here are some tips on ensuring your experience is exactly what they didn’t know they needed.
Focus marketing on the experience, not just the destination
Yeah, Disney World in Orlando is great, and everyone loves Space Mountain. But what does it feel like to walk down Main Street USA at the crack of dawn holding hands with your youngest daughter in her Minnie Mouse ears, bellies full after a breakfast of Mickey pancakes and a FastPass loaded with rides? Yes, the Blue Ridge Mountains are breathtaking. But what does it feel like to drive down a curvy road shrouded in fog, feeling more at peace the longer you go without seeing an oversized billboard or crowded interstate?
2. Use a first-person perspective
It’s one thing for your guests to connect with your customer service representative through the booking process. It’s another for them to sift through pictures taken and shared by guests themselves. They can picture themselves in the worn-out Rainbow sandals of the middle aged mom who posted a photo with her sister sipping sangria on the rooftop, wind-swept hair and all, your location tagged in the corner. They can plan for their own experience when they see user generated content that warns them to bring extra sunscreen because your destination is so wonderfully remote, the nearest grocery store is 16 miles away.
People don’t see themselves in the perfect pictures on your website—as sharp and stunning and necessary as they are. Instead, they see themselves in other imperfect humans making the most of their time away from everyday life, making memories.
3. Make emotional connections through stories
There’s a reason storytelling is a powerful marketing tool; people relate to characters, circumstances, and challenges. And in all that, they don’t feel alone. They feel part of something—or somewhere.
Storytelling shows us what’s possible. It teaches us about ourselves, our history, and each other. The narratives you weave can draw people closer to discover more about themselves, answer deeper questions about nature, or simply sweep them away to a carefree place where their OOO is on.
4. Lean on nostalgia to fulfill an essential need
Feeling nostalgic increases social bonds and deepens connections, satisfying that all-important need for love and belonging. It’s literally science. Your destination inherently harbors a lot of experiences people harken back to, even if it just opened last year. It can come in the form of tastes, smells, sounds, jokes, stories, trendy TikTok videos. It can evoke something humorous, tender, happy, reflective, melancholy, or healing.
The last time I hiked here was with my dad when he was still healthy.
The last time I saw a shooting star was summer camp 20 years ago!
The last time we were here, your mother was younger than you are.
The last time I stared at a painting this long was when I studied in Paris.
Whatever nostalgic bucket your destination can fill, weave it into a marketing campaign. Incorporate into your storytelling. Look for it in testimonials and guest reviews. Point to how your place can put people back in time.
Transformative Journeys Will Never Go Out of Style
Who knows what trends we’ll forecast in 2025. (We’re crossing our fingers that silent travel really takes off.) But one thing is certain: People will keep coming back to the places that made them feel something. And they’ll prioritize their time and budget in order to make it happen.
We can partner with you to walk through the ups and downs of reaching visitors and sparking those intangible, enduring feelings. Learn more about what we do.