PARIS, May 1 — In a tense geopolitical context, travellers are keen to think of their vacation time as an opportunity to feel alive. More than ever, they’re looking for ideas that rouse their emotions, whether through adventurous vacation activities or trips that move at a slower pace.
Whether it’s feeling free on a road trip, relishing a hike in beautiful landscapes, or spending a few nights among a remote community, while yesterday’s travellers sought to check off all the boxes of the many cultural sites to visit during a vacation, today’s travellers are increasingly looking to make memories through immersive, experienced-based vacations. In short, travellers are looking for trips that speak to the senses.
The current craze for adventure travel has been noted by the inspiration platform Pinterest. Searches for this type of vacation have risen by 45 per cent in the space of a year worldwide, according to the latest report from the visual platform.* “It’s a testament to seeking exhilaration, a reconnection with nature, and a departure from the mundane — a collective yearning for experiences that offer an adrenaline rush, immersion in nature and elevation of the spirit. Achieving goals in adventurous settings can foster a sense of accomplishment and empowerment,” Pinterest’s summer 2024 travel trends report says.
In detail, travellers’ top trending adventure travel activities include luxury safari lodges (+110 per cent), hiking trails (+94 per cent), trekking (+40 per cent) and mountaineering (+40 per cent). In terms of trending adventure travel destinations, Pinterest reports strong interest in Tanzania safaris and nature-focused trips to the Philippines (+60 per cent and +150 per cent respectively).
Taking the time to experience the emotions stirred by an encounter and/or the discovery of a landscape is what motivates many travellers today. That’s why the “slow travel” movement is of so much interest to the Pinterest community. Searches using the keywords “quiet life” have soared by 530 per cent in one year, the platform reports. In a context where daily life involves a multitude of screens, travel appears to be a way of turning away from this hyper-connection. Searches for “quiet places,” for example, have increased by 50 per cent. Trips to national parks (+250 per cent) and stays in mountain chalets (+180 per cent) are all the rage too.
In this quest for thrills and deeper experiences, the Pinterest data echoes what Booking recently reported, namely that travellers want to be surprised. In fact, 52 per cent of the people surveyed by the reservations platform said they wanted to book trips where the destination remains a mystery until they arrive. Similarly, consumers are looking for mysterious places on Pinterest. Ancient cities are particularly popular (+75 per cent), but vacationers also want to feel spooked, by visiting haunted (+155 per cent) places or exploring abandoned (+230 per cent) sites. — ETX Studio
*Pinterest internal search data, worldwide, comparing February 2023 to March 2023, to February 2024 to March 2024.
**The Travel Predictions 2024 study, commissioned by Booking.com, was conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12 to 24 months. A total of 27,730 people were surveyed in 33 countries and territories in July 2023.
