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Instagram, initially just a place to keep track of friends and family and share life's moments, has quickly become a marketing tool.
Celebrity posts are often sponsored to advertise products, tourist destinations, and share experiences. The destinations in the photos are edited to look more appealing. This inadvertently encourages more tourists to visit, despite damaging the landscape and breaking the law to take photos for Instagram.
Instagram helps connect travel enthusiasts around the world.
Instagram now also helps connect travel enthusiasts around the world through hashtags. By following accounts, they can share their experiences with each other. Examples include accounts like @wearetravelgirls (girls who travel), @travelnoire (travelers of color), or the hashtag #solotravel (solo travelers)...
Plan your trip
Previously, planning a trip required meticulous preparation. The preparation phase was often more enjoyable than the actual journey. However, with current trends, over 60% of travelers say they are willing to travel if they can find discounted tickets on apps.
Unplanned travel will continue to be a trend in the coming years.
Searches for keywords like "places to have fun near me" and "places to eat near me" on Google Maps increased by 150% in 2018, indicating that unplanned travel will continue to be a trend in the coming years.
Apps like Pack + Go and Whisked Away help travelers solve problems related to tickets and accommodation, allowing them to enjoy a truly unplanned trip.
The new ideal destination
In the 2010s, Asia emerged as a top tourist destination worldwide. Japan projected 40 million visitors by 2020 (six times more than in 2003). Bangkok was the world's most visited city for many years.
However, unrest in Hong Kong and concerns about environmental pollution could affect the region's stable growth in the coming years. As a result, new tourist destinations will emerge.
Africa is poised for a tourism boom in the next decade.
The Middle East and Africa have recently been mentioned as emerging travel trends, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE witnessing more growth in foreign visitors than any other city in the region.
Africa is also poised for a tourism boom in 2020. Travelers have returned to Egypt. Several new flights, such as Kenya Airlines' Nairobi-New York and RwandAir's New York-Kigali, are making the continent more accessible.
Twenty African countries currently offer visa-free travel or visa-on-arrival to Americans, while South Africa is piloting an e-visa program. This opens up opportunities for many to explore and experience Africa.
From tourist overcrowding to sustainable tourism
According to the World Tourism Organization, there were 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals in 2018. Overtourism has affected many destinations over the past decade, leading to imbalances and the degradation of landmarks.
Several destinations have taken action to mitigate overcrowding. Venice, Italy, began charging day-trip visitors, and the Louvre Museum in France now operates a separate reservation system to limit crowds flocking there solely for photo opportunities. The Philippines temporarily closed Boracay Island after it suffered ecological imbalances due to its rapid tourism development.
Tourists are increasingly shifting towards sustainable tourism instead of flocking to overcrowded destinations.
Travelers are also changing their approach to planning their trips. Data from Booking.com shows that 51% of travelers would choose lesser-known destinations if it helped mitigate the impact of overcrowding.
The idea of exploring places that haven't attracted many tourists yet is also welcome. This is partly because the cost of airfare and accommodation in these places will be cheaper, and also because you can discover new places.
