Ahead of 2024 take a peek at the travel trends our CEO, Anton Gillis, predicts below.
One big happy family holiday
Multi-generational family trips cropped up as a major travel trend nine years ago when boomers started bringing their families along on their post-retirement adventures. As travel took a backseat globally due to the pandemic, this style of holiday fell out of fashion, but multi-generational holidays are on the rise again.
As travel rebounds from the pandemic families are particularly eager to reconnect and make lasting memories with one another again. With this kind of trip it’s important to consider that the holiday will need to appeal to at least three generations of people. Locally one of the best multi-generational holidays families can book is a Kruger safari in the Kruger National Park as its one of the best family holiday destinations in South Africa. Parents, little ones, elders and teens should find that a chance to unwind in nature, disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and marvel at breathtaking Kruger park sightings (particularly the Big Five) is enjoyed by all.
A Kruger National Park experience also makes for an ideal multi-generational getaway destination as if you would like to skip out on a long game drive you could book yourself in for a spa experience and enjoy the park’s untouched nature from Kruger Gate Hotel’s viewing deck, and still meet up with the whole family for dinner. Our specific family rooms with two king beds, as well as interleading rooms, make for the perfect multi-generational family stay.
A taste of culture
Aside from museums, historical monuments and cultural events, travellers are increasingly feeling that trying the culinary offerings of another country is a wonderful way to get to know a new destination. Travel motivated by trying specific foods has even become its own kind of travel show, with hosts like actor Philip Rosenthal taking viewers to destinations specifically to savour local gastronomic specialities.
In 2019 the international food tourism industry was valued at $1,116.7 billion USD; this figure is projected to grow to over $1,796.5 billion by 2027. This booming interest in food tourism was recently seen on TikTok when a viral video detailing a Roman gelato food tour amassed 19.1 million views. The video, which was a food tour operator explaining expert tips on how to find the best gelato in Italy, demonstrates the interest that people have in the intricate details of a particular food – it was liked 2.8M times after all.
Find serenity in slow travel
Whirlwind, jam-packed vacations may become a thing of the past, as the slow travel trend emerges as a rising trend in tourism. Slow travel sees tourists relishing longer leisurely trips, where they become immersed in local culture, taking in the beauty of the community through authentic experiences instead of hopping from one swamped tourist hotspot to the other.Travellers are thus electing to take tranquil routes and stay in accommodation that nurtures their quest for mindfulness and serenity.
A survey conducted by Hidden Scotland found that a majority of respondents, 83% to be exact, prefer slow travel! 74% of people further noted that they actually like the idea of living like a local when they’re in a new destination; lastly 78% enjoy the journey just as much as the destination when holidaying.
South Africa is a perfect destination for slow travellers to visit. With mesmerising, slower-paced locations like the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape, the Drakensberg mountains or our very own World Wonder the Kruger National Park our international visitors, or even local holidaymakers, can experience a culturally enriched journey in an unhurried, rejuvenating manner.