Travel trends in 2024

What are the travel trends in 2024? The answer comes from Barceló Hotel Group.

The Spanish hotel chain has in fact conducted a survey through its social channels. More than 8,700 people from 20 countries participated in the survey.

The main findings of the research? 76% declared that they attach great importance to the gastronomic offer and 52% consider the wellness offer to be very important. For 26% of those interviewed it is essential to choose a sustainable holiday while 79% declared they do not save on personalized services.

Gastrolovers: gastronomic tourism on the rise
In recent times, gastronomic tourism has continuously grown. But during 2024 it will become a real way of understanding holidays.

In fact, 76% of those interviewed declared that they give importance to factors such as the culinary tradition of the destination, the gastronomic offer of the hotel, the authenticity and quality of its proposal.

Self-care: a journey to the center of wellness
Wellness is among the top travel trends for 2024. And more and more hotels are offering facilities, treatments and activities designed to make us feel better.

According to survey data, more than half of travelers (52%) say that rest and taking time for themselves will be the main goals of their vacations in 2024.

Therefore, the destinations and accommodation facilities that offer an excellent wellness offer will be the protagonists.

Regeneration: more conscious travel
Sustainability and environmental awareness are important themes for travel in 2024. More than half of those interviewed said they consider the environmental impact of their choices when deciding on holidays, looking for more sustainable and responsible alternatives.

The choices can fall on hotels that use green energy and respect the environment, or on places where they contribute to the local economy.

When it comes to evaluating issues related to the sustainability of the destination hotel, 26% of those interviewed declared that they prefer to be an active part of regenerative tourism through actions planned by the hotel itself (recycling clothes, collecting waste on the beach, reducing the consumption of water in the shower).

Furthermore, 25% positively evaluate the existence of efficient energy systems and savings in water consumption in hotel facilities.

Finally, for 22%, the reduction of plastic use and the zero waste plan are fundamental.

Experiences to remember
2024 will be the year of trips to remember. More than ever, travelers want to generate emotions during their holidays, live experiences far from clichés and embrace experiential tourism.

According to survey data from Barceló Hotel Group, 79% are willing to invest more in differentiated experiences during their trips.

The era of hyper-personalization
Standardized holidays are a thing of the past while hyper-personalization is gaining ground. 39% of those interviewed expect to have experiences during their holidays that adapt to their lifestyle, with options that allow them to choose between different opportunities.

Artificial intelligence will bring significant value to travel, especially in online planning, allowing consumers to enjoy tailor-made offers and services.

Although the trend in response to inflation will be to save more than in previous years, it is expected that travelers will still raise the bar on their à la carte holidays.

In fact, more than half (56%) intend to enrich their experiences with complementary offers and services.

The pleasure of traveling out of season
In recent months, travelers have shown greater interest in taking multiple short stays during the year, compared to the traditional tendency to concentrate trips in a single period, thus contributing to a progressive deseasonalization of tourism.

Almost 40% of participants in the Barceló Hotel Group survey said they prefer to travel at any time of the year rather than in a specific period.