Travel trends 2023

Wondering what travel will look like in the year ahead? We gaze into our crystal ball to see what's hot...

GOING FLIGHT FREE

Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint by enjoying a more local getaway or you simply love slow travel, the interest in flight-free escapes is growing. After 2022's summer of airport chaos, flight cancellations and lost luggage - which made a lot of people question whether they needed to fly at all you can see why. Added to that is the reality that alternative transport may become a necessity, with France recently taking the lead in banning short-haul domestic flights.

In response to growing interest, travel companies are introducing new options all the time, with Discover the World, for instance, offering an intriguing range of European rail journeys, such as a three-week trip crossing the Arctic Circle (see page 134) and a 13-night escape to Europe's 'tiny countries'. Another good example is Byway, a travel-planning company launched in 2020 that specialises in flight-free adventures, which has gone on to form a partnership with Intrepid Travel to offer itineraries to their clients. Expect many more companies to announce flightless alternatives in the year to come. And let's face it: there's something magical about arriving at a destination by rail or water.

WALKING AS A TRANSFORMATIVE ESCAPE

We all know the benefits of walking and how good it is for both our physical and mental health. The lockdowns of recent years made us appreciate it even more and introduced many people to the pleasures of walks as a way to reconnect with nature. Meanwhile, destinations are also becoming aware of the appeal of named walking trails, with new examples being created and designated all the time. What's more, these trails are often a way to bring benefits to the communities along the route, as well as introduce visitors to the more authentic side of a place.