According to the World Economic Forum, in 2024 we saw the return of the travel sector to its post-pandemic levels with some areas even exceeding 2019. With all this extra holidaying, more discussion entered the mainstream about responsible travelling, conservation, and accessibility. Many made special trips for major cultural events like the Paris Olympics, UEFA Euro Cup, and concerts. Let’s look at three of the trends this year that created a buzz in the travel world.

1. Travel Protests and Over-tourism

This summer, Europe experienced a wave of protests against over-tourism. Tens of thousands of residents took to the streets in Barcelona, Mallorca, the Canary Islands and other popular holiday destinations, opening conversations about the impact of short-term rentals and the exhaustion of local resources. The mayor of Santorini warned that the 3.4 million tourists visiting the island each year put its environment at risk. Meanwhile, other destinations have put strategies in place to manage their incoming masses of tourists. Venice introduced a five-euro tourist tax and New Zealand tripled their tourist fee in an effort to deter budget travel. In light of other locations and governments considering similar taxes and regulations, discussions on who can travel, the location of travel and transport will be growing.

2. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

With the second leg of her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift brought a big boost for travel. Thanks to the sky-high prices and limited number of tickets, many Swifties found it cheaper and easier to hop on a plane and cross the Atlantic rather than see the concert near their home. Wherever she went hotels were booked up and the economy boomed. For example, Swift’s concert brought more than $370 million (£290.30 mil) to Singapore’s economy on her visit. Much like the rise of sports tourism, which has also been increasing in the last decade, many more people are travelling long distances and even to new countries to go to attend concerts. 

3. Rise of mystery trips

Looking to social media for travel inspiration is hardly new, but in 2024 more and more people hopped onto the trend of ‘mystery trips.’ This is a package where customers purchase a set-priced travel experience without knowing where they will be going until they are at the airport, or even sometimes at their destination. Companies like Journee and Brown & Hudson have been experimenting with the idea since before the pandemic. In February, Wizz Air announced its new series of ‘Mystery Trips’ and many content creators took to TikTok to share their experiences, majorly boosting its popularity. Traveling into the unknown has also become a bucket list item with a booking.com survey finding that 52% of respondents would like to go on a mystery trip.

What will 2025 have to offer travellers? Whether it be on road trips with your best friends, exciting minibreaks, or a relaxing staycation, I wish all of our readers many new wonderful adventures in the new year!

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