Top 5: Travel Trends for 2017

Are you in need of travel inspiration? We have you covered; here’s what you need to know about the top five travel trends for 2017.

Foodie Travels

One of the top five must-have travel experiences this year is food. Take a cooking class, peruse the markets, hunt for truffles and dine at a world-class restaurant. Or, opt for a private, in-home dining experience, savor the flavors and eat like a local wherever you journey. Our culture is obsessed with food, and restaurants are evolving to become destinations of their own, serving immersive and curated experiences. Besides, who doesn’t love an #instafood picture?

Bleisure

Mixing business with pleasure is an increasing travel trend, especially now with a number of companies adding incentive trips into employee benefit deals. More employees have freedom to extend stays for personal trips or bring family members along for business trips. Airbnb greatly helped grow the bleisure travel population.

Local Travel with Immersive Experiences

Millennials value experiences over materialistic goods, and often don’t have the funds to book elaborate vacations at world-class locations, resulting in trips within their budget. Some will take advantage of a strong dollar and travel abroad, but whether it’s within their country, state or even town, enriching experiences in local culture are highly valued. Along with immersive experiences, travelers look for interesting places to stay with all the added extras — why stay in a small, dark hotel room in Amsterdam when you could rent a houseboat on the canal? The best hosts on Airbnb and other short-term rental sites include special additions with booking, like nearby restaurant recommendations, luxury toiletries and tasty local treats.

Solo Travel

With an increase in women-only retreats and women-only travel companies, solo travel, especially among women, is growing. The emerging trend combines with travelers continuing to look for more personal, enriching experiences.

Sustainable Travel

Travel is becoming more about how to make decisions to benefit the planet and its people. Travelers are more sensitive than ever to their carbon footprint, especially when visiting remote locations. Practicing low-impact, sustainable travel is key.