EXPERTS have predicted the top holiday trends for 2024 – including ‘picklecore’, ‘sportcations’, ‘boomerang tourism’ and ‘relactive’ breaks.
Going away to learn a new sport – dubbed the sportcation – is predicted to boom, as are relactive getaways where you relax by being active on your travels.
While ‘boomerang tourism’ will see grown-up children rejoin their parents for multi-generational holidays.
Others include the ‘solo-moon’ with 52 per cent of travellers considering going away by themselves to do whatever they want (57 per cent) and to meet new people (28 per cent).
The trends have been forecasted by the overseas active holiday company Neilson Beach Clubs, after conducting survey research and analysing its customer holiday data from summer 2023 booking data.
This included 91 per cent (a four per cent increase) of holidaymakers participating in a combination of different activities while on holiday in 2023.
The company saw paddleboarding, fitness classes and water skiing, as the activities guests are currently enjoying most.
Followed by wakeboarding, wake surfing and mountain biking.
Furthermore, it has seen seven in 10 customers returning for another holiday the following year – creating the trend ‘repeat retreats’ where holidaymakers book their next trip to the same place.
The report comes after research of 2,000 UK adults found 36 per cent would rather go on an activity filled holiday than simply to relax.
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With yoga, paddle boarding and cycling among the top activities people like to get involved in.
David Taylor, CEO at Neilson Beach Clubs said: “We found these trends by looking closely at our customer data so we can understand what is driving booking habits.
“People are increasingly using their time away from work to not only recharge their batteries mentally but stay in shape physically. We call this “switching off by switching on”.
“For those who exercise regularly at home, the thought of going two weeks without maintaining their fitness can actually be quite stressful, which would help explain this.”
Another top trend picked out is picklecore which reflects the rise in interest for the sport Pickleball – a mix of tennis, table tennis and badminton, played with short bats over a net and using a perforated plastic ball.
Over a third would be interested in playing this on their travels and 42 per cent would like to learn a new sport on holiday, with 72 per cent feeling it would be fun.
Half believe it’s important to learn new skills, and nine per cent would do so because a celebrity had tried it.
As a result Neilson Beach Clubs will be quadrupling their courts across their overseas Beach Club resorts for 2024.
Furthermore, 35 per cent feel the need to be active on their holidays as they can’t fully relax when they are sunbathing – inspiring the ‘relative break’ trend.
It also emerged just over half (54 per cent) would go abroad with their parents in 2024 but only if they were happy to pick up the whole bill.
Others would go away with their folks to make memories for life (57 per cent) to spend quality time with them (73 per cent), according to the OnePoll figures.
Around two thirds (65 per cent), however, said it’s important to them that any holiday destination has activities that match the passions of every generation if they go on a family trip.
With the ‘fami-e-rides’ trend on the rise seeing multi-generational holidaymakers taking trips on e-bikes more and more.
And 34 per cent would be likely to book a holiday as soon as they get back from their last one – with 38 per cent of those claiming it’s because they want to banish the holiday blues.
David Taylor from Neilson Beach Clubs said: “We all know that a holiday provides that opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“For most people a holiday is not seen as a luxury; it’s a necessity for our well-being, a chance to recharge and spend time doing what we love.
“If an active holiday is your way of relaxing, taking the time to research destinations with activities everyone can enjoy is really vital, and so for us it’s important to stay on top of travel trends like ones we’ve identified, to continue offering our customers great new experiences every year.”
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Fred Sirieix, ‘Good Energy Officer’ at Neilson Beach Clubs after his return from the I’m A Celebrity… jungle, added: “As GEO, going on active holidays with my family is something I get extremely excited about.
“Health and fitness has always been a passion of mine and I’ve fully embraced the Good Energy lifestyle over the past summer when I went to Greece and can’t wait to do it all again next year.”
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