2019 travel trends to watch out for
With 2018’s selfie-driven push towards off-the-beaten-track destinations floating into the past, we look forward to the top 2019 travel trends. There’s a penchant for hot-off-the-press technology and ethical outings, not to mention new ways to work as you shorten the bucket list a little.
Green travel takes center stage
While ethical and environmentally friendly travel certainly isn’t anything new, 2019 could be the year it finally hits the mainstream. With consciousness about carbon emissions, plastic use and the impact of mass tourism numbers soaring across the board, people are now looking for guilt-free trips more than ever before. From the green cloud forest reserves of Costa Rica to the swaying grass plains of South Africa, there are oodles of eco hotels and conservation-based trips to take all over the globe. And it doesn’t end there, because folk are also looking to swap out fuel-guzzling flights to long-haul destinations with less-polluting forms of transport. That means we might see a return of the golden age of train travel, or a sudden increase in cycling and hiking trips.
Wellness tourism is up
Recent boosts to the wellness tourism industry (the sector’s going to be worth an estimated $919 billion by 2022 if current trends stand) put up there with some of the fastest growing types of travel of all. It’s all about combining adventure with feel-good vibes and self-improvement. We’re talking holistic meditation retreats in the Himalayan foothills. We’re talking surf holidays to Morocco’s wave-based Atlantic shores. We’re talking hiking expeditions through the Italian Alps. The point is to infuse that getaway with something altogether rejuvenating, swapping lazy days on the sunbed with muscle-pushing treks or thought-provoking mindfulness workshops.
The rise of the “workcation”
Whoever said that business trip had to be all work and no play? One of the top 2019 travel trends means that week-long convention outing or days of meetings are no longer just about getting stuff done. In fact, some surveys show that nearly 90% of people heading off for work look to drop in a little exploration of their own. And why not? Any veteran TEFL teacher knows the wonders that a weekend on the sparkling Thai beaches or up in the misty Vietnamese mountains can work. So, if it’s helping you check off all the tasks and topping up the tan, what’s not to like?
Digital nomad travel
How about traveling forever, nonstop? How about making travel your life? That’s what the new breed of professional known as the digital nomad is putting into action. The idea is to swap out the traditional nine-to-five in an office and work solely remote, using the internet to communicate with clients and colleagues. It’s been going for some years, with towns like Chiang Mai in Thailand and Canggu in Bali becoming buzzing hubs of folk tapping away on their laptops in stylish cafes. Things are only set to get busier in the world of the DN (digital nomad), too, especially as new job opportunities join the mix. Take TEFL teaching online, which you can do while on the go, hopping from the surf towns of South America to the shimmering beaches of the Caribbean to the soy-scented food courts of Asia – wherever you want to go.
Tech-heavy travel
Remember how much roaming internet changed the game back in the day? Well it looks as though that was nothing compared to what’s coming our way in 2019 and beyond. All new-fangled gadgets and tech are set to change the game again. Apps like Instagram are already governing where’s hot and where’s not in the travel sector. There are private GPS trackers for bags, and real-time language translation services to get the conversation flowing wherever you are around the globe. Throw in innovations in AI and user-based information streams, and you could be looking at having whole trips curated and put together to suit your particular likes and dislikes.
Any more ideas about what 2019 travel trends are waiting around the corner? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below. Or, if you’re keen to get exploring the globe in the next 365 days, consider checking out our array of TEFL courses.