Soneva was the first barefoot luxury resort of its kind, setting the blueprint for sustainable tourism in the Maldives and in some ways across the world. In collaboration with WGSN (Worth Global Style Network), a leading trend forecaster, they recently released a report on the current Macro Trends in Travel and what future travelers are likely to care about in the coming years.

Macro Trends

1. Future Shock: Concerned about what’s to come and fear of regressing to things that happened before, people are feeling overwhelmed since Covid-19 and are going to be looking for ways to reduce anxiety over the many changes in their lives. They will focus on the positives in their lives, go offline (enlightened detachment), explore safe psychedelic experiences, or seek small moments of joy and meaningful engagement with real people.

2. Call of the Wild: After being stuck indoors during Covid-19, people are appreciating the outside more. It is seen as nourishing for mental health and the outdoors is a low footprint, high reward activity that heals and propels us towards our best potential.

3. Regenerative Imperative: Customers and Investors will increasingly demand planet positive strategies that also enrich local communities. Tourists will be looking for regenerative tourism so that they can leave the places they visit better than when they arrived, improving it for future generations.

4. Wellness 2.0: Modern wellness consumers will regard travel as a natural extension of their list of self-care rituals, looking towards vacation as more than just a means to relax. This is viewed as preventative, treating potential illness at their root to avoid treating their symptoms in the future.

5. Intentional Living: A lifestyle shift for those seeking a less materialistic existence, striving to make everyday count. Consumers will think more deeply about their choices and actions, weighing up the potential impact not only on their own individual wellbeing but also on the welfare of the planet.

The Future Travelers

1. The New Romantics: Fueled by a deep need to reconnect with their emotions. They can be compared with the Romanticism movement in arts and literature but whereas Romanticism embraced utopian ideals of life, nature and community, New Romantics are more rooted in practicality and pragmatism. Both at home and on their travels, they seek transcendental authentic experiences, they want to feel Awe. Two means are through Nature and Psychedelics.

2. The Epicurean Adventures: Apply the intentional living movement to a gastronomic setting, they want every moment of every meal to matter. Looking to enjoy once in a life time dining experiences and discover new flavors in the authentic cuisines of local cultures. Drawn to experiment, they want to expand their world through food. They care about Wellness on a Plate and Natural Goodness.

3. The Global Citizens: Like digital nomads, though have possessions and in need of stability. They are affluent digital nomads with the resources to establish family life in multiple locations across the globe. The rise of International schools, in the sense of online learning platforms so kids can attend school anywhere in the world has made this much easier. To no surprise, these global citizens will ride out lockdowns in places like villas in the tropics, that are both more isolated and have less legal restrictions. Digital payments are on the rise, particularly through crypto currencies.

4. The Wisdom Seekers: Lifelong learning is the route to lasting satisfaction for these travelers. For them travel is not just about relaxation, but also the pursuit of knowledge and self improvement. They yearn to learn about the natural world, local cultures, and how they can better both themselves and their families. These travelers also care about their bodies, for as the saying goes, healthy body, healthy mind. Emotional hospitality is also important to these travelers, particularly the relieving of stress.

5. The Virtuous Voyagers: They see travel as a privilege and seek out hospitality experiences with authenticity, adventure, purpose and integrity. Sustainable luxury really matters to this group, particularly the more affluent among them, they want a luxurious time, but not at the expense of the environment and local peoples. This heightened consciousness impacts the means by which these travelers travel, what they pack and what they do while on vacation. Nature forward initiatives really matter to these travelers.

View the full Report: HERE