Travel trends 2019: What do people look for?

MyStay editorial staff 3 minute read

It’s the same old story. But it is essential to be reminded about it once in a while: What is a real, well-founded tourism trend, and what is just a fad? The answer will help you focus on and create new promising business efforts.

In the travel industry, it may be easier to spot both. Trends are mid- and long-term while fads last sometimes only a month or two. The sharp growth of tourism in Iceland has dropped after just one airline has defaulted. And maybe you have heard about „heritage tourism,” “slum tourism” or groups of youngsters traveling distances only to catch some Pokémons.

The value of underlying trends is that businesses can address more time to gain significantly more in-depth knowledge and experience. When you don’t have to react in days or even hours, you can add more value.

The most important trend in 2019 is experiences. Adventures are nothing new, but today whole 60% of travelers value experiences over material possessions and nearly half (47%) plans to spend more on activities this year than before. We advise you to take this chance and build a robust offering of irresistible, unforgettable and „shareworthy” experiences.

Each category of tourists is different, of course, and you may not have the capacity to run a new business. So the most natural path for growing your guests’ happiness and your revenues are partnerships. There are plenty of specialized companies running this kind of vacation experience services. Be it a hike to your country’s best scenic views for this kind of tourists, VIP roof parties for another, aquariums and interactive exhibitions for families, wine-tasting and innovative dining for couples… or anything else your city and region offers.

And don’t forget the places to be as instagrammable as possible. Instagram is about to stay in our smartphones for a while 😉

The second big trend is review-based decisions. Again, it’s so ubiquitous that you may not see it as a challenge. But knowing that 96% of people are considering reviews when researching their stay may change your mind. Ninety-six percent!

Your property’s profile must be persuasive even when anyone reaches for it elsewhere than on your website. It means to not only present the beautiful photographs and list all amenities but to truthfully, humbly and quickly respond to any questions, remarks or reviews of people who stayed with you already. Be honest and learn from their notes.

And sure, it all must look good on a smartphone. Over 60% of adults now own and use Androids and iPhones, so there is a good chance they are not coming to view your website on a computer. Did you know that we pick up our phones 150 times a day on average? They are the gates to the world nowadays.

Learn how you can take advantage of the trends with MyStay – see a demo or create your hotel’s listing for free in less than 20 minutes. The data in this article were provided by BookingSuite, with whom MyStay is a partner.