Contemporary and future tourism, what are travellers' favorite trends?

30 January 2025
Innovation Center, Future trends, Publications, Research reports, Focus On

From flexibility in travel choices to personal growth: the reasons behind the boom in solo travel according to the new consumer trends report

Back view of a person wearing a large backpack and sun hat, standing on a path surrounded by tropical vegetation and palm trees, with a river or stream visible below Back view of a person wearing a large backpack and sun hat, standing on a path surrounded by tropical vegetation and palm trees, with a river or stream visible below

The tourism sector constantly evolves in a dynamic and innovative way, reflecting the needs and choices of modern travelers which allow us to capture particularly interesting new trends. In the interconnected world, travelers are increasingly looking for people with whom they can be authentically themselves in the places they want to visit, thus highlighting a fundamental value: personal freedom.

Furthermore, traveling remains a priority that cannot be easily given up, and in this sense there is the rise of solo travel. Evidence that also emerges from social media, with the hashtag #solotravel that appears in approximately 9.9 million posts on Instagram and over 1 million on TikTok. Data also shows how the female solo travel segment leads this trend at 71%, with women choosing to travel alone to follow personal passions, as well as "cultivate" freedom and independence.

 

Experience and Sustainability as a travel driver

The travelers more interested in gastronomic experiences belong to the Baby Boomers and X generations, while Millennials and Generation Z prefer adventures. Furthermore, among Millennials there is great attention for cultural activities: approximately one in three individuals is in fact interested in enjoying cultural events during their trip

Data that are showing how tourism is evolving towards an experiential model, in which immersivity and personalization - together with authenticity and involvement - are crucial elements for success.

Attention to sustainability is present and also affects new travel habits. In fact, there is a constant increase in travelers - especially young ones - who prefer experiences capable of supporting local economies, respecting host cultures and preserving natural environments. Among the factors that determine personal choices, eco-friendly structures and experiences in contact with nature are increasingly establishing themselves, together with the propensity to travel to dedicate holidays to volunteering.

Two people relaxing in camping chairs next to a white van in a mountainous setting. Solar panels are set up on the ground connected to a portable power station, with snow-capped mountains in the background Two people relaxing in camping chairs next to a white van in a mountainous setting. Solar panels are set up on the ground connected to a portable power station, with snow-capped mountains in the background

Holiday or work? Growing attention to quality of life

With the spread of remote working, many people can carry out their professional activities wherever there is the possibility of connecting to the Internet. This has led to the increase in workations: support places in which it is possible to work while simultaneously optimizing free time, which allow you to alternate and combine work activity with the "discovery" of little-frequented tourist destinations.

At the same time, the concept of bleisure (merging business and leisure) is transforming traditional business travels. In fact, professionals and employees integrate moments of leisure and pleasure into their work trips, extending their stays in the places where they go to take part in cultural activities or, more simply, to relax and disconnect from the daily routine.

A particularly interesting phenomenon is deseasonalisation, which sees more and more people choosing periods of the year traditionally dedicated to work and lesser-known destinations for travel. Furthermore, special offers are emerging such as tourist packages dedicated to improving the quality of sleep, a sign of growing attention to physical and mental well-being and, more generally, the quality of life.

Bar chart showing preferred measures to support work-life balance for business travelers. The chart shows percentages from 0-60% with 'Allow bleisure' leading at 54% and 'Wellness activities added to meetings' at the bottom with 14%. Bar chart showing preferred measures to support work-life balance for business travelers. The chart shows percentages from 0-60% with 'Allow bleisure' leading at 54% and 'Wellness activities added to meetings' at the bottom with 14%.

Beyond Borders: The Tourism of Tomorrow

Looking to the future, in recent years tourism has moved beyond traditional travel experiences to embrace new frontiers. As a result, the first offers that accommodate this change have already emerged. For example, the first space tourism proposals are already making travelers and investors dream, with attention captured by suborbital flights. Furthermore, although not widespread on a large scale, there is currently an increase in interest on the market in explorations in places which due to their nature are not very accessible, for example with diving trips or cruises to "extreme" destinations such as Antarctica or Greenland.

Looking ahead, progress in transport technologies will play an increasingly important role in the tourism sector, as it will further facilitate long-distance travel. In particular, hyperfast transport technologies will emerge, which will reduce the duration of intercontinental flights from the current 10-12 hours to less than half that time.

The changes on the horizon will not only affect the physical means of travel and new places to visit, as immersive technologies will allow us to "travel" from our home. Virtual tourism, in fact, allows people to visit destinations that are difficult to physically reach thanks to increasingly interactive environments that eliminate barriers and obstacles such as time, costs and logistics.

Another frontier yet to be explored is represented by oneiric tourism, born from the convergence with neuroscience. A novelty that exploits the phenomenon of lucid dreams to induce conscious oneiric states in virtual tourists, allowing them to travel even beyond the boundaries of the imagination.

In conclusion, we are witnessing a constant evolution in tourism, and new trends will lead to changes in the way of traveling that will combine technological innovation, economic flexibility and new destinations that were previously unthinkable. The accommodation facilities and operators in the sector who will be the first to grasp these changes by offering innovative and personalized travel solutions will therefore be able to capture the interest of travellers, achieving or consolidating their respective success in both the short and long term.

Which trend inspires you the most?

To access all the data and detailed case studies, explore the report

curated by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center - Innovation Intelligence