Travel Trends

If it seems like most everyone you talk to is either planning a trip this year or just got back from one, well there’s a reason: Traveling is hot.According to a recent report by CNBC:

“Almost one third of travelers said that they intend to spend more on travel this year than they did in 2022, according to a recent report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and booking site Trip.com. That’s after the vast majority (86%) of respondents said last year that they were upping their 2019 travel budgets.

“We are now growing strong and getting back to — or even exceeding — 2019 levels,” said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the WTTC.

Travel Trends 

So let’s unpack 4 travel trends experts predict for 2023.

1. Environmentally sustainable travel is gaining traction.

According to Forbes Advisor: “Hand in hand with a desire to see a destination as locals do, travelers are putting more emphasis on traveling responsibly. A Virtuoso survey found that clients want to benefit local people and the economy and are willing to pay more accordingly. In the same Virtuoso survey, 70% of respondents selected that traveling sustainably enhances their experience.” 

Sustainability Magazine says these 10 destinations fit the bill: Costa Rica, Scotland, Bhutan, Rwanda, Slovenia, Finland, New Zealand, Barbados, Madagascar, and San Diego, CA.

2. Slow travel is good for the environment too.

Instead of flying from point A to B, many travelers are slowing down and opting for slower transportation, says Conde Nast Traveler. “We're smitten with slow travel operator Byway for making flight-free forays especially appealing. They plot multi-destination journeys by train, bus, and boat in a way that swerves planning and admin headaches, and gives us the most from our time in transit,” Conde Nast writes.

 By the way, reducing air travel is “the single most effective way to address climate change” according to Kendal resident Ted Wolner, who wears many environmental hats. If an airplane is you’re only travel option, as it was for Ted when he went to Spain in 2015, you can pay a carbon tax, which he did. You can easily calculate your trip’s carbon footprint, and pay for it, at myclimate.org.

3. Pandemic worries have been replaced with money concerns.

While a new AARP survey found that 81% of adults 50-plus who plan to travel in 2023 believe it’s safe to travel they are planning trips with an eye on inflation. This means that many travelers will spend less and opt for destinations in the United States that they can drive too.

“Notably altering their travel habits are those age 70 and older, who anticipate spending over 40% less on 2023 trips than they planned to for 2022. They also remain the most cautious age group concerning COVID-19,” according to AARP.

4. Milestone travel remains popular.

Whether it’s a significant birthday or special family gathering, people enjoy traveling to new destination to celebrate the occasion. And the travel industry has taken notice, with hotels designing special spaces and vacation rentals offer chef and other concierge services, according to Afar.

Vacation Ideas and Destinations 

Travel is a top interest for older adults and Frommer’s has come up with its “best vacation ideas and destinations” for this crowd.

The list probably looks familiar: Alaska cruises, Central Europe river cruises, Canadian Rockies train trip, and closer to home U.S. National Parks and Santa Fe, New Mexico and St. Augustine, Florida.

Road Scholar trips are also popular with older adults seeking educational, intergenerational or physically active adventures.

Last summer Kendal resident Tom Konkoly took a one-week Road Scholar hiking trip in the Adirondack Mountains with a couple of friends (pictured above).

“It was a fantastic week of hiking, conversation, meeting new people and seeing an incredibly beautiful Adirondack State Park,” he said. 

In the past, Molly Kavanaugh frequently wrote about Kendal at Oberlin for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she was a reporter for 16 years. Now we are happy to have her writing for the Kendal at Oberlin Community.

About Kendal at Oberlin: Kendal is a nonprofit life plan community serving older adults in northeast Ohio. Located about one mile from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and about a 40 minute drive from downtown Cleveland, Kendal offers a vibrant resident-led lifestyle with access to music, art and lifelong learning.