#Trending This Week - Psychedelic Retreats, Infant Frequent Flyers, Traveling More Sustainably, Solar Eclipse Results, And Amsterdam's Latest Ban
Issue 187 • April 23, 2024
Let’s get right to it this week as I know everyone is very busy. There’s some good news from all of that buzz about the recent SOLAR ECLIPSE. It was actually really positive for business in terms of boosting hotel revenue. You may have caught the Hulu show “Nine Perfect Strangers” about a PSYCHEDELIC RETREAT on the California coast run by Nicole Kidman. This is not a complete work of fiction as there are indeed a number of such retreats around the world and they are growing in popularity as people seek alternative wellness experiences and are just plain curious about these activities. There was a time when parents with newborns didn’t venture out much or if they did so, kept to auto travel. Not anymore. There’s a growing number of GLOBETROTTING INFANTS in the air — many doing so with their influencer parents. While travel for 2024 doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, at least consumers are trying to INCORPORATE MORE SUSTAINABILITY into their holidays. And one European city is putting its foot down to REDUCE OVERTOURISM, and hotels are in their crosshairs. Check it all out in our three-minute read below.
Psychedelic Retreats Are Becoming More Mainstream
If you saw the Hulu series “Nine Perfect Strangers” about people on a psychedelic retreat, you may be surprised to learn this type of getaway is becoming more mainstream and is no longer just TV fiction. It’s been considered a new element in the pursuit of wellness and since many of these products are not legal in the US, people travel to other countries to experience them. Read more in Conde Nast Traveler here.
Infants Are Racking Up Frequent Flyer Miles
Leisure travel with newborns is starting to pick up steam. More and more influencers are starting families and don’t want to give up their globetrotting because of a baby, so they are just incorporating the new family member into their lifestyle — and creating a lot of interest among their followers who are eating up suggestions, tips, and hacks for traveling with infants. And hotels are also heeding the trend by offering postnatal retreats and other specialized packages. Read more in Thrillist here.
The World Is Trying To Travel More Sustainably
Did you know Airbnb has an “Earth Homes” category dedicated to holiday rentals that let you become one with the land? This is just a part of the greater movement toward more sustainable vacation travel. While there doesn’t seem to be any indication people are giving up traveling anytime soon, more and more people are attempting to do something rather than nothing to explore more sustainably if possible. Camper van rentals are trending, electric and hybrid rental car filters are being used more, and younger travelers are trying to do flight-free travel. Read more in British Vogue here.
The Solar Eclipse Boosted US Hotel Revenue By 288%
We’ve been chatting about Astro Tourism for quite some time now and the results are in. After the April 8th solar eclipse, the industry is reporting the night before the eclipse, U.S. hotel markets in the path of totality saw a 288 percent year-over-year increase in revenue per available room. Read more in HospitalityNet here.
Amsterdam Bans New Hotels To Limit Tourism
There may be hotel developers reading this in utter shock. But yes, you read that right, Amsterdam is taking significant steps in combatting overtourism by restricting new hotel construction, capping tourist stays, and reducing river cruises. Of course there are already some 26 properties in the pipeline which will continue to be built, but nothing else will be allowed after that unless another property closes. Read more in USA Today here.