Self-indulgence will be a major theme for OutThere travel in 2023. We are seeing our respondents opt for lavish, resort-based holidays with hedonism and celebration high on the cards as a matter of immediate priority; as compared to previous years where transformative or values-based travel was in the highest demand from the outset.
However, once this desire for hedonism is satiated, we predict that they will start to seek out values-driven travel and experiences that push their boundaries and takes them out of their comfort zone. But even in those circumstances, self-indulgence will still be the prime motivator.
With self-indulgence key in the decision-making process, travel providers will easily persuade OutThere travellers to upgrade their experiences. This could be going up in airline class, even flying private, or improving or upgrading accommodation. This could also involve pushing the boundaries of existing experiences or adding-on higher-value experiences to itineraries. But while travellers are looking to purchase more to enhance their experiences, they are also seeking greater generosity from their travel providers.
One of the key priorities for OutThere travellers in this new world of unrestricted travel will also be to fulfil all the plans they had to postpone during the pandemic or didn’t fulfil because of ongoing uncertainty. They are highly likely therefore to ‘go bigger’ on these trips than originally planned. Celebrating a special occasion (both missed and current) is one of the top reasons why OutThere travellers travel: 71% will travel to mark a momentous occasion this year.
“It’s all about me” isn’t just about celebration travel. We have noted a significant increase in demand for wellness-based travel this year as well. Aligned with self-indulgence is also self-care, particularly for the mind, self-discovery and reconnection with the world and society around us, but also for body and soul.
“There has been a lot of talk about how, post-pandemic, this decade will be known as the Roaring Twenties. Just as the 1920s saw an explosion of conspicuous hedonism, Globetrender predicts that citizens of the 2020s will seek the sensual pleasures they have been denied during the Covid-19 crisis. Mindfulness and responsible travel will not necessarily be front of mind.”
Globetrender
Photography by David Edwards on location at Amanjena in Marrakech for OutThere’s Marvellous Marrakech Issue