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Ready, Set, Explore:
Redefining Adventure Travel
Travel and tourism have always been about exploration, but today’s consumers are taking things to the next level. According to Hilton, a whopping 84% of Gen X travelers and more than half of Gen Z and millennial travelers planned to make new experiences a travel priority in 2024.
With Pinterest reporting a 45% year-over-year increase in searches for adventure activities, now’s the time to highlight the interesting, unique opportunities your destination has to offer. Let’s take a closer look at the key activities consumers are seeking and how your brand can leverage them to attract and engage today’s explorers.
Reaching for the Stars: Astrotourism Is Trending
Astrotourism is the practice of traveling to observe celestial events. In a country where 80% of Americans can no longer see the Milky Way due to light pollution, experiences like guided stargazing tours, astrophotography workshops and visits to celestial-themed destinations are captivating audiences.
Notable examples include Fairmont Banff Springs' "Rocky Mountains After Dark" experience in Alberta, which takes guests on a nighttime exploration of the skies above the Canadian Rockies. In the U.S., Under Canvas at Lake Powell in Utah offers stargazing tours paired with luxurious glamping accommodations, immersing travelers in one of the best dark sky regions in the Southwest.
Destination marketing tip:
Astrotourism experiences—whether through partnerships with stargazing tour operators, curated celestial-themed packages or marketing campaigns celebrating cosmic exploration—can help position your destination at the forefront of this emerging travel trend.
Gig Tripping: Music Is a Motivator for Travel
The rise of destination concert tourism, fueled by the “Taylor Swift Effect,” is transforming the travel landscape. This phenomenon refers to the spike in travel and accommodation bookings surrounding major concert events. For instance, during Swift's Eras Tour, the average hotel room price on concert nights is more than 50% higher than the equivalent night the following week.
This trend extends beyond just Taylor Swift. According to Expedia, 70% of travelers are now more likely to venture beyond their hometown for a concert, and 44% see music as a motivator to explore new destinations. Concert tours by major artists like Nicki Minaj, Bad Bunny, Green Day and Olivia Rodrigo are creating similar spikes in tourism, making live music a key driver of travel decisions.
Destination marketing tip:
By aligning your destination’s marketing with major concert tours and tailoring offers to music fans, you can tap into the expanding gig-tripping trend and attract travelers eager for both music and adventure.
Frontier Tourism: Pushing the Boundaries
For travelers who seek to push their physical and mental boundaries, frontier tourism offers the ultimate adventure. This niche form of travel focuses on rugged and remote destinations—places where travelers can test their limits in untouched, extreme environments.
Examples of frontier tourism experiences include crossing the vast, sweltering dunes of the Sahara Desert in Algeria; competing in the World Nomad Games in the remote mountains of Kazakhstan; or kayaking among towering icebergs and frigid waters in Antarctica. These activities attract travelers seeking to push beyond the typical tourist trail, yearning for authentic, adrenaline-fueled adventures in places few have explored.
Destination marketing tip:
Whether it's discovering the hidden trails of a local park, navigating urban jungles in a new city or uncovering unique cultural experiences, your brand can inspire travelers to find their own "frontier" and appeal to their sense of discovery, no matter where they are.
Feast for the Senses: Food and Beverage Experiences Meet Adventure
Wild feasting is a unique fusion of fine dining and adventure tourism. For travelers, it’s not just about the food—it’s about the entire experience of foraging, cooking and dining in nature.
On the West Coast, the Mega Low Tide Foraging Expedition in California offers an ocean-to-table experience where participants harvest fresh seafood from tidal pools and enjoy a beachside feast. Across the pond, Woodland Feasts in the English countryside features communal meals crafted from locally foraged ingredients, served in scenic woodland settings complete with open fires and rustic seating.
Destination marketing tip:
Offering curated culinary experiences in unique outdoor locations allows you to attract travelers looking to connect with nature, culture and the thrill of discovery.
From stargazing to extreme outdoor adventure, one thing is clear—the future is all about immersive, exploratory travel. As a leader in creative and digital marketing for the travel and tourism industry, Marriner is here to help you build compelling, authentic campaigns that speak directly to the hearts of adventure-seeking travelers. Let’s connect to start building marketing solutions that set your brand apart in a landscape full of opportunities.
Sources:
- 2024 Travel by Generation, Hilton
- The Pinterest 2024 Travel Report
- The Biggest Travel Trends to Expect in 2024, Condé Nast Traveller
- The Taylor Swift Effect: The Eras Tour is Causing Hotel Booking Prices to Skyrocket 50%, Gabby Epstein, Navan
- 4 Takeaways from Destinations International, Andrew van der Feltz, Expedia