Travel

The travel trends of 2024

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:003531#31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:00-9Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331 02am31am-31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:009Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam2023312023Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +01003093012amSaturday=9#!31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:00Europe\/Amsterdam12#12-02-2023#!31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:003531#\/31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:00-9Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331#!31Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:30:35 +0100+01:00Europe\/Amsterdam12#

Do you already have the first trips planned for next year? I don't have anything concrete yet, but I am full of ideas. Too many ideas actually. I keep telling myself to discover new destinations and not go to the same place every time, but I often fall into the same trap and think that familiar is just the best. This year, I am really going to approach it differently. Yes, really.

I came across the predicted travel trends from Booking, and there are definitely some points that I can relate to, or that I would like to do more. And apparently, I am not the only one, because these seven trends are only getting bigger.

1. Surpriiiiise
According to research by Booking, 40 percent of Dutch travelers love going on surprise trips; that the hotel and destination are complete surprises. As a control freak, that sounds like hell to me, and how do you pack well for an unknown destination? No, this trend is too adventurous for me, I will skip it for now.

2. No one who knows me
47 percent indicated that they find it very pleasant not to encounter acquaintances while traveling and preferably not meet any Dutch people either. This way, you step a bit more out of your comfort zone, and I can completely relate to this. My travels to Oman I still find so special for that reason: you get to know a completely different culture and I haven't heard a word of Dutch around me.

3. Not too hot, please
Well... I really can't relate to this at all; I prefer it to be as warm and sunny as possible. Still, 37 percent would rather go to cooler countries to escape the rising temperatures in the Netherlands.

4. Adventurous eaters
45 percent loves to discover the local cuisine and try everything. I would love to be that person too, but I am quite a scaredy-cat when it comes to food; for example, I passed on eating iguana in Curaçao.

5. Just say yes
As Liesbeth Rasker talks about YES-mode in her Kroegpraat, that will actually become a travel trend next year. Maybe she is the instigator of this? In any case, 24 percent indicates that they want to go on a city trip next year with a date to get to know each other better.

6. Not too expensive
A destination where costs are lower than in the Netherlands; that has always been popular and will remain unchanged next year. I can totally get behind that. Of course: you pay quite a bit for a ticket to Bali, but once you are there, you eat the most divine nasi goreng and saotosoep for less than a euro. Heavenly.

7. Being environmentally conscious
More and more people prefer to choose a sustainable accommodation when booking; 36 percent indicates that they seriously take this into account. Now, Booking has had a separate tag for this for a while, so they are also very easy to find. You can filter for it, and as far as I'm concerned, that's only a positive development. Although it does feel a bit contradictory to make a big effort to stay as sustainably as possible after that not-so-sustainable flight... But hey, maybe that's the balance.