Travel’s Moment of Clarity: Sober Tourism Is a Real Business
Photo Credit: Contiki's 2020 product is focused on providing more choice to travelers who don't want to drink. Contiki
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There have always been travelers who don't drink, but the "sober curious" lifestyle movement has created a defined market of people who are eager for trips, tours, and experiences that aren't centered around alcohol. It's surprising that the travel industry has only just started to respond.
From rooftop bars to pub crawls, pool-side happy hours to club nights, alcohol tends to play an outsized role in travel, especially for young people.
For the increasing number of travelers who either abstain from alcohol entirely or who are "sober curious" — meaning those taking a conscious break from drinking — booking standard travel experiences that don't center around alcohol can be challenging. This is especially true at a moment when solo travelers are open to joining group trips, but may not be so keen on meeting or traveling with people who are interested in pub crawls, happy hours, and partying.
It is all part of a cultural moment that is challenging the prevalent yet unexamined idea that all adults drink by default, unless they have some past that means they stopped. So it's especially curious that when it comes to travel, the industry is just starting to show signs of recognition that this is a market worth catering to.
Of course, there have always been adults a
