Travel Megatrends 2021: Far-Flung Exploration Recovers
Nadia Sgaramella
Skift Take
Domestic trips catapulted to a whole new level after Covid, a trend that remains solid as the world exits a four-year downturn in 2025. But international travel is like a stubborn flame because bucket lists are alive and well, albeit reimagined. Demand for long-term stays emerges from the rising crop of conscious travelers.
Leisure travel as a whole in 2025 is close to surpassing historic 2019 levels. However, the global and regional patchwork responses in public health protocols and border restrictions back in Covid times means that this peak remains uneven across the world. It’s true that domestic tourism has taken on a sexier allure for the past five years, as travelers continue to invest part of their vacation time in backyard tourism. Less-stringent health requirements, such as the absence of domestic vaccine mandates or digital health passes, help push this local travel demand.
Travelers seek out coastal drive-to destinations, as well as wellness and outdoor-oriented rural areas, and bespoke cultural experiences within 100 miles of home. Domestic tourism isn’t a new concept for regions such as Europe, Asia and Australia, but it sits on a more solid pedestal there, as well.
In the United States, tourism offices have built a
