If 2020 was the year that travellers had to put their wanderlust on hold, 2021 is the year of new, safe, and exciting travel destinations and activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic left many avid travellers missing the excitement of discovering a new place, but at the same time created new travel opportunities and shifted the expectations for the tourism industry. Just as consumers favoured online shopping, small private gatherings, and even home work-out, the focus on tourism also changed from hot crowded, tourist spots and party cruisers to isolated, deep-in-nature destinations and small, private experiences.

Getting to know these trends early and adapting your region and business to the post-pandemic traveller can help you attract more visitors – and encourage locals too!

That’s why we gathered the top 6 travel trends for 2021 especially for you. Are you aware of them all?

1. Rural and nature destinations will thrive.

Urban tourism is so 2019! Rural tourism, also known as community-based tourism, is here to stay. Small communities as the main destination, activities that let people emerge into the lifestyle of the region, such as being a dairy farmer for a day or getting to know up close a wool mill, and disconnecting from the city life will become popular travel options this year.

Nature destinations are also on the list of many travellers that aren’t really professional adventurers. Climbing a mountain might not be exactly what some travellers are looking for, but offering an immersive experience into a calm camp side, exploring beginner trails, and sleeping under the stars, with little human contact, traffic, or nuisance is a priority for these visitors!

2. People will seek medical and wellness destinations and activities.

If 2020 taught us something, is that we need to pay more attention to our health. Medical and wellness tourism was already a trend that the pandemic only accelerated. 2021 will certainly see an increase in the number of travellers looking for holistic, stress-free experiences.

The wellness and medical tourism potential of your region should be explored! Thermal springs, spa resorts, yoga retreats, esthetic procedures, plastic surgeries, and holistic trips will be popular in the new year, always focusing on safe practices and guidelines.

3. Travellers will focus on family gatherings and reunions.

4. Tourists will seek private and contact-less experiences.

That’s the definition of bubble travel: imagine renting accommodation and a car (or even combine both and rent an RV for an amazing road trip) without bursting your intimate circle and keeping you and your travel companions safe? Technology makes it all possible, and the pandemic only showed is that this is perfectly doable.

Contact-free technology will also be crucial whenever possible, such as online check-in, phones as room keys, disposable menus, and contactless payments. From host communication, renting a car, ordering local food, or paying for your stay, everything can be done remotely and contact-less. Nothing is more private than this!

5. Remote work and school-cations – no need to wait until vacations to travel!.

Undeniably, working from home is here to stay. But people are taking this to the next level. Have you heard of “Always OOO” – always out-of-office? Yes, working remotely with your feet under the sand overlooking the sea is a great opportunity for a lot of travellers in 2021. These visitors will seek a calm, but an exciting destination – with great internet connectivity, of course!

And what about school-cations? Have you heard of them? It seems natural that, as parents will be able to work from anywhere, children won’t be stuck in school as well. Homeschooling was a popular option in 2020, and remote learning also became a thing. What best than sitting through a biology class while standing in the middle of nature and not limited by a four-wall classroom? 

This trend also means that the need to take a trip only during vacation months will not exist either. Maybe what we see as tourist season might happen all year!

6. Tourists will need more connection & communication than ever.

With so many guidelines and restrictions changing every day and sometimes so specific to a region, travellers will choose destinations and operators that keep them informed in a timely manner, or that at least makes the information always accessible.

Alerting your visitors through email or text about mask rules, curfews, safety guidelines, or even a new lockdown in place will assure them that everything is under control during their trip, and allow them to make decisions without compromising the peace of their visit.

What will really happen in the new year is still unknown, but these trends are here to stay– and it’s always great to be prepared! We hope some of these 2021 trends may help you get prepared to rebuild your region and attract tourists while still providing a safe and incredible experience. With the Experience Specialist Program, you can help your region thrive! The program will guide you step by step through creating and marketing workshops for locals and front line workers to ensure they are selling your region to its full potential. Make every visit and every dollar count!

Want more tips on how the post-pandemic tourism industry can keep to the expectations of travellers? Read our article on how the pandemic will change (and has already changed) local tourism!

Get to know more about the Experience Specialist Program and request your free marketing information package!