Off-grid to Experimental Wellness: Booking.com’s Seven Predictions for Travel in 2023

Preppers in Paradise

AUCKLAND, 28 NOVEMBER 2022 – People around the world are feeling overwhelmingly more optimistic about travelling in 2023 compared to 2022, and, despite some current instability felt globally, Kiwis will be continuing to dust off their passports and take to the skies with nearly three quarters (72%) reporting that travelling will always be worth it. With borders wide open and airlines increasingly returning to our shores, the mood is shifting from one of hopeful uncertainty to bold adaptability.

Booking.com’s annual travel predictions research, which gathers insights from more than 23,000 travellers across 32 countries and territories,¹ including over 1,000 from New Zealand, reveals how the needs of travellers are moving in a lot of different directions to adapt to changing times.

1.Preppers in Paradise

 Camouflaged cabins, campfire cuisine and compasses; going off-grid will never be more sought after than in 2023. Over half of Kiwis (57%) are looking for ‘off-grid’ style vacations to escape from reality, and three in ten (32%) to switch off and experience life with only the bare necessities. Kiwis are also keen to use travel in 2023 as an opportunity to learn survival skills (56%) including how to source clean water (40%), light a fire from scratch (32%), forage for food in the wild (26%) and even prep for an apocalypse (29%).

Expect to see more eco-friendly, earthly stays springing up to accommodate burnt-out city dwellers searching for simplicity, as well as accommodations offering guidance for guests on how to be more self-sufficient.

 ‘Off-grid’ in 2023 won’t necessarily mean roughing it though. There is a common perception for Kiwis that this means giving up luxuries (60%), however there is a strong desire to combine the two with close to half (45%) only considering travelling ‘off-grid’ if it can be at a more indulgent stay.

2. Virtual Voyagers

 Travel will enter the ever-evolving 3D virtual space of the Metaverse in earnest in 2023 with one quarter (27%) of Kiwi travellers reporting they will be turning to virtual reality to inspire their vacation choices. While this heightened online experience will serve Kiwis well for trip inspiration and planning, for most this will never replace the real deal. Three quarters on Kiwi travellers (74%) say a virtual experience is not fulfilling enough to check a destination off the bucket list, well above the global average (60%).

 Kiwi travellers will become bolder in their real-life trip choices, after being able to visit them in the Metaverse first via their online avatars – especially handy for those who might feel anxious about trying somewhere new, with one third (33%) being more likely to travel to destinations that they wouldn’t have previously considered after virtually experiencing them.  

3.Delight in the Discomfort Zone

 Whether it’s bottled-up energy, pent-up frustration or a new lease on life, one third (32%) of Kiwi travellers want to experience complete culture shock in 2023, diving into other cultures and new experiences head first. For some (37%), travelling somewhere with completely different cultural experiences and languages will tick the box, while others (28%) will be looking to explore lesser-known cities with hidden gems that aren’t already on the radar.

Forget the usual favourites, in 2023 travellers will be seeking unique vacations that shock, surprise and delight. With over half of Kiwis (57%) looking forward to experiencing ‘out of comfort zone’ travel that pushes them to the limits, there will be an influx of niche experiences encouraging people to push their travel escapades to the extreme.  One third (34%) are on the hunt for the world’s most exotic delicacy such as the hottest chilli pepper, while one quarter (24%) want to use their vacation for extra-terrestrial exploration on UFO or alien spotting tours.

Taking their desire for the unknown even further, 16% of Kiwi travellers would like to completely throw caution to the wind in 2023, buying a one-way ticket and following their instinct wherever it takes them.

 4. Glamorising the Good ol’ Days

Amid global instability and the desire for escapism, people intend to carve out travel experiences that harken back to simpler times, with nostalgic getaways (86%) that provide the thrill of reliving the glory days top of the wishlist in 2023. There’s a desire – even for millennials and Gen-Zs who never lived it – to disappear into the romanticism of a pre-digital era, with over a quarter (29%) of Kiwi travellers chasing experiences that evoke (faux) emotive memories of days gone past, such as visiting landmarks or attractions featured in iconic retro films or opting for a bus as a primary mode of transport to live the group spirit of school trips.

 Millennial travellers will be first to book emerging era-themed accommodation that transport them back to a time they hold close to their hearts and will likely be doing so with family by their side (54%) with ‘family reunion’ multi-generational trips top of the travel agenda in 2023. 

 5. Peace and Pleasure Pilgrimages

 Pleasure derived during travel will move to the next level in 2023. Seeking to recentre the mind, meditation and mindfulness getaways are ever popular with one third (35%) of Kiwi travellers, while one quarter (24%) aim to find peace at a silent retreat, and 31% are keen to go on a health hiatus that focuses on mental health, transformative health or that helps with life milestones such as menopause or pregnancy. Enhancing those spiritual experiences even further, one quarter (27%) of Kiwis are keen to dabble in experimental wellness for a truly escapist getaway, with alternative substances such as cannabis or plant-based psychedelics like ayahuasca or mushrooms set to become a more mainstream offering.

6. From Daily Grind to Great Company Escape

A step change from the ‘work from anywhere’ policies that are now almost as commonplace as annual leave, employees are increasingly keen to preserve vacation time for complete escapism. Two thirds (66%) of Kiwis want their trips to be strictly work free in 2023, and while half (47%) are not interested in working while away, they would consider clocking in for a company retreat or trip.

Unlike the business trips BC (before COVID), employees are seeking more opportunities to build team camaraderie in real life with one third (31%) of the Kiwi workforce looking forward to their employer planning a ‘real life’ work trip to bring people together. The same number (31%) of Kiwis would like to see their employer use the money saved from the shift to remote/hybrid working models spent on corporate travel or retreats.

Businesses stand to see benefits, too – nearly half (48%) of Kiwis believe exploring new places will inspire them to be more productive at work.

 7. Saving to Splurge

Even against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, one third (36%) of Kiwis will continue to prioritise investing in a vacation. But being budget conscious is still key, with two thirds (67%) seeking more bang for their buck from their travels.

2023 will see financially-savvy itinerary curation at its finest, with three in five (65%) of Kiwis planning travel budgets more tightly by taking advantage of deals, hacks and smartly-timed travel and 57% prioritising value for money with discounts and loyalty programs. Half (52%) of Kiwi travellers will look to save money by considering off-season destinations or longer routes on the journey, and one in every two travellers (53%) will be planning travel further in advance in the hope of securing a better deal. Half (50%) of Kiwis believe the best use of their budget is to opt for one or two longer vacations instead of several short breaks.

On the flip side, two in five (38%)  Kiwis admit they plan to be more indulgent in their spending habits while on vacation to make up for the lack of travel during the last couple of years, and one third (30%) plan to spend lavishly to ensure they maximise their trip and every experience is worth it.

Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com comments:

“If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that travel should not be taken for granted. This year’s travel predictions research shows the undercurrent of intentional paradoxical behaviours that will put us all more comfortably in the driving seat amid relentless instability. It also demonstrates a desire for travel to be a way to seek unapologetic moments of happiness and escapism to counteract the heavy realities of our news feeds. As such, at Booking.com our aim will continue to be to make it easier for everyone to seek their unique travel bliss in a more personalised and connected way in the year ahead and beyond.”

For more information about Booking.com’s 2023 Travel Predictions please visit here. To download the Travel Predictions 2023 report, click here.

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CONTACT DETAILS

For any queries, please contact the Booking.com Aotearoa New Zealand Press Office;

krystalw@thisismango.co.nz

METHODOLOGY

¹ Travel Predictions 2023 research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12-24 months. In total 24,179 respondents across 32 countries and territories were polled (including 1,007 from New Zealand). Respondents completed an online survey in August 2022.