Travel Trends 2021

So this year, like last year was an unprecedented year for us all. The travel industry has suffered immeasurably from the covid-19 pandemic and we are still a long way from where we were pre covid in 2020 and the year of 2019. The travel trends coming out in 2021 were certainly a huge contrast to what was published at the beginning of 2020.

As a hotel sales & marketing professional, one of my annual January tasks is reviewing the upcoming years forecasted travel trends. I research the various associations, websites and media publications to see what is being talked about. With this, I pull together the relevant trends for the properties I represent, ensuring I add them into my annual Sales & Marketing plan. This firstly helps me create strategies for the year based on the trends, whilst providing the framework for the year ahead. I also find it really helps the client to understand the bigger picture, often hotel operators can get so bogged down in the running of the property they don’t have time for this wider research of what is happening in the consumer sphere.

So, are the forecasted 2021 travel trends still relevant given the year we have had so far? What nuggets can they provide us now in July 2021, for our ongoing planning in 2021 and that into 2022? Here’s an overview of the trends that I’ve handpicked as the ones to focus energy on…

Multi Generational Trips
Also coined as ‘bubble holidays’, this term is no longer relevant to UK as the ‘bubbles’ are a thing of the past, but ‘multigen’ is ever present. did you know the hashtag #multigenerationaltravel now has more than 5,000 followers on Instagram? I truly believe this one is here to stay well into 2022 and beyond, many families and extended families still haven’t had the opportunity to meet or hang out together and the pandemic has really made people evaluate what’s important. Making memories with your nearest and dearest is going to continue to be a priority.

Buy Out’s or ‘Exclusive Use’
This one has been huge and continues to be. People wanted to get together and have a whole place to themselves and their travel party - for the various demographics you have people renting out private Islands, to small boutique hotels to camp and glamp sites or sections of a hotel or space. This will continue to be especially relevant for groups of friends or families celebrating occasions.
Sustainable Travel & Do-Good Holidays (conservation & charitably / learning something new etc) -
A greater proportion of consumers are becoming more socially and environmentally aware. This has led to an increase in shopping sustainably and locally, buying pre-loved, changing diets to more plant based foods and of course going on more mindful and sustainable holidays. The advent of the #flightfree hashtag in 2020 is growing in popularity with rail travel and travelling by bike becoming a thing. Whilst people are at the destination, their aim’s are to have an experience where they are helping the environment and community, giving back and having no or low impact sustainably.
Off the Beaten Track & Into the Wilderness
So relevant!! Camp, glamp sites & vehicle hire such as VW campervans. We’ve been self isolating for so long at home, why not do it on your holiday… Going out to the wilderness or having a social distanced glamping holiday is hugely appealing. With foreign travel off the table people want to explore uncharted territories here in their home country. Many camp/ glamp site operators have had record years in 2020, predicted even better for 2021 and this can be seen in the rise of ‘pop up camp/glamp sites’ and are very positive about the future beyond 2021.
Tried & Trusted places
Many of my properties have seen an increase in return customers. People know what they like & like what they know. Especially in times of trouble… Going for the option that is guaranteed to deliver on the core fundamental needs of the traveller. Once travel and flights continue to open up to overseas then this will prevail in destinations and hotels overseas too.
Spontaneous travel
There’s been a lot of talk in the travel press and media in general that 2021 is the year of the Staycation - it totally is. But there is also a fallacy that everything in the UK is booked up for summer - this is not the case. Don’t get me wrong, bookings are strong and if you want certain dates and certain accommodation types (such as self catering in Devon and Cornwall) you can forget it! But if you are flexible there is still plenty of options out there and therefore spontaneous travel is still very much a thing. We are often seeing two to four week lead time bookings, meaning we are filling up now for August. Always worth shouting out about availability during the summer if you have it… just to make travel agents and holiday makers aware.
No - Fee Trip amendments and cancellation policies
Whilst still relevant I do see operators changing their communications throughout the year. Certainly at the beginning of the year - Jan - Apr 2021, flexible cancellation’s were being promoted heavily, now I see that travel companies and hotels are certainly not leading with that message, that’s changed as bookings have come in and operators are feeling more confident about the business that is coming in. It will pivot as a priority marketing message as things develop and we go into Autumn Winter and the low season months for UK tourism, as well as the advent of overseas travel becoming more desirably if the pandemic continues to go in the right direction.

So there’s a quick fire round of the trends, in top line detail. Every business has had to be so dynamic over the past twelve to eighteen months, and that is here to stay. All I can say is use these trends as an anchor for what you are putting out there. If certain trends sound relevant for your hospitality business, research it, go into detail and see how you can implement that trend into your business and your communications.