Are you thinking about 2024 travel already? You’re not alone – flights are already becoming available for next summer, and in Greece, the locals are already preparing for a busy tourist season. This year, travelers are traveling for many different reasons – in this article, we walk you through Conde Nast Travel’s top travel trends expected for 2024.
Stargazing
Travelers all over the world are going places where they can see the stars. Also called “astrotourism”, travelers are being soothed by looking up at the sky, where there are no screens and they can escape from an office setting. Gazing at the stars is symbolic for traveling to see new things and to expand one’s experiences. Usually, in places where you can see the stars, there is less pollution, fewer clouds, and less traffic. Some of the best places to see the stars in Greece include the villages of the Peloponnese and of the Sporades islands in the North Aegean Sea.
Home Swapping
More than ever, travelers are staying away for longer periods of time, either for working remotely or to live abroad. Usually, this means heavy fees to live for a long time in another country. Home swapping is a great solution. In home swapping, you trade your house in your home country for a home abroad, for weeks or months at a time. There is no cost, and several companies based in Lisbon and Los Angeles are offering this service. Especially with the costs of traveling increasing, there are already several thousand people using these services.
Traveling to Cooler Destinations
For many people, the summer holidays are for the beach. However, there is an increasing number of travelers who want to stay away from the heat and book stays in milder weather. These destinations have the added benefit of being less crowded. In Greece, this would mean locations that are farther north. According to Andrea Godfrey of Regent Holidays, “we’re seeing an increase in those holidaying further north. There are some lovely beaches, and forests and lakes for both relaxation and adventure activities.” One of the best cooler places in Greece to travel to in summer are the mountain villages of the Zagorochoria, close to the town of Ioannina.
Traveling for Longevity
Longevity is a popular word nowadays and investment in longevity clinics has boosted from $27 million to $57 million between 2021 and 2022. The so-called “Blue Zones” retreats at some hotels and resorts are focused on extending life and optimizing health. Taking a more proactive approach to health is more popular since the days of the pandemic. In Thailand, it is not strange to find “Longevity Houses” with ozone therapy chambers and so-called “hyperbaric oxygen chambers” for guests. The best island to visit in Greece for longevity is Ikaria, which is one of 5 blue zones internationally where people live the longest.
Traveling Out of High Season
More travelers are traveling in the so-called “shoulder season” in Europe’s most popular destinations. Luxury travel brand Orginal Travel noticed that in 2023, there were 14 per cent more bookings in September compared to August, and they have now created special shoulder season itineraries. Pegi Amarteifio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World notes in an interview with Conde Nast that “Comparing phone reservations in 2023 to 2019, we’ve seen a 33 per cent increase for March to May and a 58 per cent increase for September to November.” Some of the ideal places in Greece to travel in the off-season are the islands of the Aegean and Crete.
Multiple Generations Traveling Together
This trend is also referred to as “skip-gen travel” and it is when grandparents travel with their grandchildren. There has been a rise of grandparents taking their grandchildren on trips, usually to a place that has special meaning to them. Some travel agencies in the UK, like Mahlatini Luxury Travel, have created so-called “skip-gen safaris” where grandparents (usually in their 70s and active) can buy safari packages. Some of the best places for retirement-age travelers in Greece include Rhodes, Crete, and Corfu.
Silent Travel
Travelers in 2024 are looking for an opportunity to rest and reset. We’re talking about the kind of holiday that doesn’t leave you needing another holiday just to recover. Silent travel opportunities include meditation retreats, quiet hotels, quiet walking tours, and silent discos. Especially nowadays, we have so much stimulation from our screens, and we want ways to disconnect. The Global Wellness Institute forecasts a 21 per cent increase in wellness tourism in the next two years. Some of the best places to find silence in Greece are the smaller Aegean islands, and the car-free islands of the Dodecanese.
Wild Feasting
Food simply tastes better outdoors. Unfortunately, many of us are used to eating food during work or while staring at a screen. But there is a movement to change the habit. Wild feasting is a trend of eating in natural environments, usually with local ingredients. Some tour operators let you do the foraging and cooking yourself, telling a story about the land through the food being prepared. In Greece, there are plenty of opportunities for wild feasting. Some of the best nature areas in Greece are near Pilion, Mount Olympus, Preveza, and Thassos.
