Revenge Travel and Buddymoon: A New Terminology for Travel Trends

The withdrawal of foreign travel and the easing of borders has opened up a whole horizon of possibilities for Kiwi travellers. Some are less familiar than others.

As international tourism returns to go-mode, the menu of special tours and tours appears to have evolved in our absence.

This week David Combs of Flight Center said the company was looking forward to riding the wave of a “revenge journey” in their rebuild.

Travelers are chasing their “bucket list” just like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.

Two years of MIQ and suspended air links have honed their travel plans with laser focus – they know what they want. In some cases it is very specific.

There is no shortage of weird and wonderful predictions of travel trends in 2022.

Before you head back to the familiar ‘fly and flop’ or the city break across the ditch, have you considered taking a “buddymoon”?

It’s a year of both “brokering” and a “secular spiritual retreat” – or so assorted tourism boards assure me. There are so many exotic holiday trends you’ve never encountered before.

To understand some of the weirdest trends for 2022, we’ve compiled a glossary to honor your holiday plans.

Buddymoon

Instead of expensive destination weddings, couples are opting to bring their friends along for their honeymoon.

Previously, inviting other people after your marriage was a bad sign for the longevity of the marriage. But it is a practical decision.

Spending couples know that the word ‘wedding ceremony’ immediately triples the cost of any hotel booking.
Now the couple is deciding to save on the big day, and use that money on a trip everyone can enjoy.

Mexico’s Velas Resorts pioneered the idea of ​​the Buddymoon package in 2017. Essentially this is a honeymoon that singles can enjoy, winning all over!

revenge journey

Q montage.

You have spent the last two years postponing foreign travel, making up for lost time. You’ve done exactly what you want to do and no amount of RAT or circuitous air connections are going to take you away from your goal before/after departure.

“People are searching for very specific things,” says Bruce Poon Tip of G Adventures.
“They’re saying ‘I want to climb Kilimanjaro’ or ‘I want to see Machu Picchu’, rather than ‘What do you have in West Africa or Peru?’.

Now they can, people picking up on plans canceled by the pandemic, or finally chasing that dream trip.

slow travel

It will take a while for jetlag to catch up with us, but even before the pandemic there was a growing movement that was taking away air travel.

Flygascam was an entry in the travel glossary of another year. From Swedish meaning “flight shame”, it was championed by climate activists such as Greta Thunberg, encouraging travelers to cut their jet fuel emissions.

The slow journey is the next logical stop on that journey. It’s about flying less and thinking more about our travel choices. Finding an alternative, more environmentally conscious path may be slow but it is more rewarding.

Heike Hyde, chief data officer for European rail app Trainline, has said he has already seen an increase in the number of green passengers. “An exciting future lies ahead for travelers who want to experience more of the train and discover the joy it has to offer,” he added.

why early?

work and pleasure travel

WFH is such an acronym that has become redundant to most office workers.

After Auckland’s 100-day lockdown last year, many workers are still dialing in remotely. It is felt that “Work from Home” can be applicable to any home, anywhere. Some delivery websites have already seen an increase in weekday bookings. Last year Airbnb hosted a contest on its website, offering to pay for accommodations for 12 lucky travelers on “the year of living the nomadic life.”

The birth of a ‘Blizar’ trip may sound counterintuitive, but it’s a thing. The blending of business and leisure travel has led to the launch of companies such as Remote Year and Hacker Paradise – concierge services helping digital professionals travel and network around the world.

Destinations such as Barbados, Georgia, Anguilla, Dominica and Bermuda have launched digital nomad visas for long-term stays.

With longer trips planned, it’s time to test Wi-Fi connections for time zones and some real remote work.

Maxi-brake and mini-relax

On the other side of the work-hard play-hard PowerPoint, we have the ‘maxibreak’ or mini sabbatical. Coming out of office trends such as the ‘great resignation’, some travelers are using 2022, to take a detour and explore other career opportunities.

This is your chance to find a new profession while on vacation.

Travel agency Aweventurer has launched a series of mini-sabbaticals to help connect travelers with professionals in a different field. This might include taking a design apprenticeship in Oaxaca, or connecting with tech entrepreneurs in Tel Aviv, or tasting food and wine on a viticulture crash-course in Tuscany.

babymoon

Babymoons have become a popular holiday option for first time parents. This includes going on a final blow-out holiday before the little one arrives.

There is no question of traveling long and late, but it is a fast growing trend.

Peppers Resorts Starts Offering Babymoon Packages in Australia and New Zealand

Fetal friendly ‘food in the womb’ catering service. As belly-churning as it may sound, getting a taste of the last-minute luxuries you grew up with is high on the priority list.

One last storm, before it is all crayons and car trips.

spiritual journey

Pilgrimages are having a renaissance the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the 1500s.

Researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Swansea have seen indicators that in a post-pandemic world, we are

Looking for a more meaningful trip

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“Since the pandemic began, many of us have spent more time closer to mountains, rivers, waterfalls and parks as a form of psychological recovery, spiritual recharge and meaningful travel,” said study author Jeon Cho.

The most famous example, Spain’s Camino San Sebastian, has already climbed pre-pandemic numbers of walkers.

You do not need to belong to any particular denomination to enjoy the pilgrimage.

Two long-distance medieval pilgrimage routes – the St. Eden’s Trail and the St. Patrick’s Trail – have been restored so that more people can enjoy the pilgrim’s progress.