Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts

New Vacation Trends

Slow Travel: The Growing Desire to Travel Like a Local

As life accelerates, Slow Travel—immersing oneself into a destination for an extended time as a local to fully experience the culture—is gaining popularity. Driven by a desire to build connections with others and their surroundings during their stay, Slow Travel encourages a leisurely approach, and many are elevating their exploration of this trend:

While Slow Travel encourages a leisurely approach, many are elevating their exploration of this trend.

74%

of travelers want recommendations from locals when traveling.

73%

of global travelers often seek out authentic, local experiences when traveling with children.

65%

of parents often prioritize learning about their culture or family background through their travels with their kids.

Outdoor seating with a coastal view, lounge chairs, ocean
Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia, Curio Collection by Hilton

With Slow Travel on the rise, more travelers are exploring secondary cities and destinations instead of the overcrowded tourist hotspots. For instance, Sardinia, a longtime getaway for Italians, is now seeing an uptick of travelers. Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia has seen a 90% year-over-year increase in U.S. travelers and 15% increase in Irish travelers, from 2023 to 2024. Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia, Curio Collection by Hilton, has seen a 150% increase in U.S. travelers and 45% year-over-year increase in both UK and Czech Republic-based travelers, from 2023 to 2024.

In addition, Bodrum, Türkiye, a popular getaway for those coming from Great Britain, Germany, Spain and other areas, is seeing an increase in travelers in the post-summer season. For example, Hilton hotels in Bodrum have seen an increase in website traffic of more than 52% in 2023 vs 2022 for September – November trips, indicating an increase interest in the previously less-popular months to extend their summer season.

As many continue along this Slow Travel path, consumers are also craving immersive experiences with a conscience. In fact, 62% consider communications about a hotel’s sustainability programming to be important, and 73% agree it’s important to minimize their environmental impact while traveling.