5 of the Biggest Travel Trends in 2018

Travel continues to evolve every year, and it’s always important to stay on top of the biggest travel trends when it comes to getting travel inspiration to decide on your next getaway! I’m an avid Pinterest user when it comes to all things travel and wanderlust inspiration (if you’re not already following my boards, shoot me a follow here!!), and I’m always discovering new destinations and travel guides on there, so I was super excited to read about Pinterest’s recent research behind the biggest trends in travel for 2018.  Check out my take on their findings on what’s trending in travel and what people are searching for the most – it’s guaranteed to make you want to pack your bags ASAP.

1. Wine trips are seriously trending

Searches for wine trips are up 119% this year. Travelers are looking to explore more wine countries all over the world, and are designing entire trips around wine tours and vineyards. (I’m guilty of this pretty much everywhere I go… most recently going out of my way on highway one to check out the incredible wine country of Paso Robles, California).

So if you’ve been looking to finally get to Napa Valley, or rosé-taste your way through the south of France, wine not now?

2. Solo travel is the future

Solo travel re-pins have increased by 593% year over year.  Today’s travelers are independent, unafraid, and looking to explore new and authentic destinations their own way. Why wait for your friends to be available for a trip-of-a-lifetime? Sure it can be a ton of fun traveling with a companion or a group of friends, but it can also be hard work. Clashing views on where to go, stay, eat, what excursions you want to do, who you want to hang out with – can come with so many compromises. When you travel solo, every decision is yours and yours alone – bringing with it a whole new level of spontaneity and opportunity that you wouldn’t have if you had to count on another person or a group.

Singapure

3. Trains and boats are seeing a ton of increased interest

Train travel (fueled by insta-famous train rides from the Canadian mountains to Sri Lanka) is trending worldwide. So is cruising and general boating adventures. Travelers are looking to make the journey their destination – and they’re doing this by finding unique and fun ways to travel the world.  Both trains and cruising are convenient, and make for a unique trip trading in big cities for endless landscapes, coastlines, and views.

Photo by @jackson.groves

4. We don’t need a two-week vacation to travel the world

Pinterest’s stats show that long-weekend getaways expanded by 167 percent, and short-but-sweet stopover trips grew by 90 percent. In other words, travelers aren’t letting their wanderlust sit idly; they’re seizing the day.  Whereas we used to hate long layovers, these days, we actively seek them out, as long as they allow us to see a new place! If we have a stopover in Singapore on the way to Bali, you can bet we’re going to make the most of it, grabbing some world-famous Chili Crab, and hopping over to Sentosa island for a beach day.

5. Small towns are a big trend

People are looking beyond the big cities and discovering small town destinations (+94%) and secret spots (+83%) off the beaten path. Off the beaten path small towns are ideal for soaking up the local culture and creating unique, individualized travel experiences. And with the rise of things like Instagram and AirBnB, people are seeking out and find unique accommodations everywhere in the world, relishing in secret spots and small towns over discovered cities and tourist-traps.

For more Pinterest travel inspo, check out my profile on Pinterest! Xo

PREV

5 Ways to Stay Safe While Traveling Abroad

NEXT

Sydney, Australia

WRITTEN BY:

Christina is a leading luxury lifestyle and travel blogger with over 2 million readers. Follow her on instagram @jetsetchristina.

LEAVE A COMMENT