Travel Trends of 2023

If you search 2023 Travel Trends, there are countless trends from solo travel to sustainable travel.  It can be dizzying trying to make sense of it all.  After reading through several articles myself, there are definitely some “themes” that many experts agree on. Here are just a handful that rose to the top:

Travel = Self-Care

With all of the talk about inflation, you might expect that travel would be the first line-item to be struck from the budget.  But that’s not what experts are seeing.  Travel has become a form of self-care for many and often viewed as a necessity.

I recently attended a virtual event organized by Carolyn Fraser (an awesome mindset and accountability coach).  It was an event designed to help map out the year with intention. The chat was on fire when we got to the topic of self-care.  Participants shared how they’ll take a quick trip just to “get off the grid” for a few days to get centered.  So many chimed in and agreed that those quick getaways can be a game changer.

We’re seeing that people are carving out the time and space for themselves by taking mini-retreats, spa getaways, and booking trips to wellness resorts.   It’s a way to step back from the day-to-day, unplug, reset and recharge.  This might be a trend that's here to stay.

Plan Accordingly

One of the few things that will be missed from the pandemic was the ability to book trips and flights with little advance notice and snagging some amazing deals.  That is becoming a thing of the past.  People are getting back to booking trips in advance and those last-minute trips that so many took advantage of these last couple of years might not be as abundant as before. 

Travel advisors are seeing trips, particularly group trips, being booked 6+ months in advance. Do yourself a favor and don’t wait until the last minute.  Mapping out travel plans in advance just might be the way to go in 2023.

The Strong Dollar Means New Destinations

The US dollar hit a 20-year high in value last year. The stronger dollar means that traveling abroad is more budget-friendly and it’s a great time to check out new destinations that might’ve been out of the question before.  Destinations that have generally been more expensive like Japan, the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, and Canada are now more affordable than just a few years ago. 

Experts are also anticipating spikes to destinations like Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand as US travelers are finding that their dollars are stretching further.

This is a good time to expand your bucket list and add some new adventures and experiences to the list.

WFH is now WFA (Anywhere)

Between 2019 and 2021, work from home tripled from 5.7% to 17.9%, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.  As of the second quarter of 2022, Airbnb saw long-term stays (28 days or more) increase nearly 25 percent from 2021 and nearly 90 percent from 2019. With more flexibility, workers are setting up shop in different destinations while getting their work done.

Some are saying WFA is not just a trend, but a new normal.  Employers realize that happy workers are productive workers, so offering the WFH option benefits both parties. Workers are taking advantage of this freedom and are packing up their laptops, booking extended stays, and heading for the beach, warmer climates, or just more relaxed environments.  Who can blame them?

These are just a few of the travel trends in 2023.  What trend do you plan to jump on this year?  All of them?  No judgement here!