TRAVEL TRENDS

It’s been the year of research at Spa Wellness HQ, so we thought we would share a little of the information we have garnered from extensive hours of online research on Travel Trends in 2019.

MILLENIALS

This group of young people are the trend-setting ones. They influence fashion, travel and lifestyle more than you can imagine – they’re also the fastest growing segment of consumers when it comes to travel. They probably want to make a difference in the world. They want to enrich their life through meaningful experiences, e.g. connecting with nature and other cultures. Female travellers seem to be the dominant ones in the millennial segment. According to Forbes, millennials—now the largest generation by population—are the driving force behind the rapid growth of the wellness market, with 78 percent of millennials choosing to spend money on experiences rather than “stuff.”

ACTIVE HOLIDAYS 

Adventure is a word on the rise in the travel industry. Not only do travellers wish to learn a new sport while traveling; many of us also wish to improve a certain skill, e.g. wind surfing, hiking or yoga practice. Being physically active is a big plus for modern-day travellers, who are bored with chilling on the beach and playing tourists all day.

AUTHENTICITY

We care more and more about the authentic travel experience than the facilities we have when arriving to a new destination. “What could enrich my life right now?” seem to be a question many travellers ask themselves these days. Modern technology connects us more than ever to the world around us, yet we’re more emotionally disconnected than ever. More people feel secluded and lonely, which is perhaps why they crave authentic travel experiences and want to engage with traditional cultures around the world.

LESS EXPLORED DESTINATIONS 

The less explored destinations such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Chile, Columbia and Jamaica as well as African and Eastern European countries are hotter than ever.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY 

A rapidly growing business is currently being built around outdoor recreational activities as shown by the booming US outdoor recreation industry, which now amounts to USD 887 billion per year (in 2016: USD 184.5 billion in products and USD 702 in trip and travel spending). This contributes to GDP growth in a “clean” and non-divisive way, without inflicting damage to any human being, the environment or anything else. It is the best personal/societal investment we can make as it costs nothing, is readily available, and improves our productivity, health and cognitive functioning.

WELL TECH TRENDS

Thanks goes to the women of Well & Good and The Global Wellness Summit as they always deliver information on cutting edge trends. As part of our Trends compilation we believe these trends have some merit.

HOME TECH 

More and more early adopters are looking to technology to empower wellness in their homes and lives. People are turning to home tech to get to the bottom of all their wellness woes. In the next few years, systems within the house will respond to requests by not just providing us with information, but acting on it. For example, if your sleep monitor identifies that unrestful sleep patterns are associated with bright lights before bed, the lighting could be automatically adjusted for warmer tones and less lumens to better mimic evening light. In the kitchen, sensors would not only track your consumption of food and automatically place it on your grocery list, but also could automatically order groceries and have them delivered to your home.

MIND MANAGEMENT 

Mind management and meditation exercises are becoming sought-after therapies to help counter a constant flow of stressors and anxiety. From unstable politics to climate change, people are seeking ways to train their minds and emotions, whether with meditation apps or breath work guides.

SLEEP SCIENCE 

2018 will be the year technology is welcomed into the bedroom to improve sleep quality. “The appetite for products designed to improve sleep is very high,” confirms tech news site UKTN, which is why both funding and sleep-tech innovation in this category are taking off.

MICROBIOME PAIRING 

What’s the best match for my microbiome? That’s the question we will be increasingly asking, as the microbiome and its bacterial makeup is an indicator of our health and future wellness. Companies like U-Biome will help us track our microbiome history and forecast its future based on foods, environments and activities that are good for our microbial profile.

HUMAN PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY

Technologies used to enhance human performance, such as brainwave-altering headsets, are gaining a foothold among athletes and the sports industry. 

WEARABLE THERAPY

The growth of biometrics — the tracking of steps, heart rates and other bio-data — will be used to diagnose mental and emotional issues. We will use wearables to treat our relationships issues and other emotional concerns in place of traditional therapies.