In 1996, 560 million tourists ventured abroad. By 2017 this number had more than doubled to more than 1.3 billion, just under 20% of the world’s population! Travel has become an important part of modern day life. It has become much cheaper, easier and faster. Each year there are a number of different travel trends that go with the huge number of visitors abroad. Here are a few from the OBCR crew!
Slow Tourism - Quiet, calm and relaxed
Originating from Italy around 20 years ago, slow tourism can be described as a new travel philosophy, which is essentially experience-based—allowing you to experience the real side of a given destination. The movement is trying to reclaim the relaxed rhythm of life that we have lost through the evolution of our daily routines towards an accelerated lifestyle. It encourages the most basic principles, such as mindfulness and responsibility whilst venturing into local communities and discovering new cultures. We recover the basic values of tourism to achieve a real and true experience.
The NO Plastic Tactic
There has been a huge shift towards environmental awareness and environmental action in the past few years. Social media and documentaries have opened people’s eyes to what’s happening around the world. The documentary ‘Blue Planet II’ had such a huge effect on viewers that 88% of them changed their behaviour as a result of watching it!
Even travellers are looking to offset their environmental impact while away from home by clearing plastic and litter from the beaches. On course, our participants volunteer on beach clean-ups to help keep the Costa Rican beaches pristine.
Experiential Learning
In the late 1970s, philosopher David Kolb developed a theory stating experiential learning is the process of learning through experience or “learning through reflection on doing.” It follows a four-step cycle – a concrete experience, facilitated reflection, conceptualisation and active experimentation. If an experience is interactive, emotional, challenging and thought-provoking it will stimulate further learning for the individual involved in the experience.
This concept has recently been applied to travelling. Gen-Z’s and Millenials are travelling to volunteer, camp, take a class, or learn a new skill. For almost two-thirds of travellers (60%), experiences are now valued higher than material possessions!
OBCR provides outdoor experiences that help participants engage in activities, reflect, conceptualise and practice newfound skills and knowledge. Every course includes a service aspect where students can interact and work with locals on projects, such as trail maintenance, community development, environmental sustainability, creating recreational equipment for schools, language exchanges with local students, assisting biologists on sea turtle conservation efforts, and much more!
Travelling for Achievements
Individuals have always had a need for achievement (N-Ach). People high in N-Ach are characterised by a tendency to seek challenges and a high degree of independence. Their most satisfying reward is the recognition of their achievements. Achievement comes first.
People with a high N-Ach are becoming more concerned about different goals they can accomplish on a trip. They may want to learn a new language, climb the highest mountain or learn how to cook the local cuisine. The trend is what they can get out of themselves.
Time Travel
The modern, technological age takes its toll on the average Joe. Sometimes don’t you just wish for simpler times? Many modern day travellers opt for going back in time and experiencing the authenticity and traditions of the local culture. Superficial tourist activities no longer satisfy the nomadic lifestyle. Travellers are now looking for an in-depth understanding of their destinations. At OBCR, participants are without any technology for the duration of their trip. They stay with local families and experience true Costa Rican hospitality—distraction free.
Work hard, play hard
Recently, there has been a strong upward trend towards career-focused travelling. There is so much competition in the every job industry that when people decide to travel for three months, they may feel that the time has been wasted unless they are learning.
At Outward Bound Costa Rica, students get the opportunity to earn up to seven internationally recognised certifications on course and top graduates may be offered a paid internship as a Field Instructor Intern for Outward Bound Costa Rica’s summer high season—with the possibility of staying on as a year-round instructor!
Wellness Travel
There has been a growing travel trend to stay healthy whilst abroad. People that exercise 4/5 times a week may not want to have a 3-week break from their exercise regime and start all over again when they return. Wellness travel promotes your health and well-being (both mental and physical) through activities you do during your trip. People want to check out feeling healthier and better about themselves than when they checked in for the trip. Whether it be hiking, surfing, or even scuba diving, there’s a wellness holiday for everyone in Costa Rica.
Going Solo - Travel at your Own Pace
Google searches for “solo travel” and “travel alone” were the highest they’ve ever been in 2018!
Going solo halfway across the globe could be described as scary and intimidating but this is very common among your modern day traveller. The social shift could be down to how we view personal freedom. Travelling alone can be a very liberating experience, it pushes you to speak to people who you would have never spoken to otherwise. This means making friends could actually be easier alone!
With great power comes great responsibility – travelling alone means you have to make your own decisions. This is a great confidence booster and makes you become more decisive as a result.
Solo travel can influence self-discovery, you’ll know much more about yourself than you did before you started. On OBCR courses, students participate in a solo reflective experience. It will allow you to take inventory of where your life is, where you want it to be in the future, and to experience the freedom of pure solitude. This experience is adventurous, safe, rewarding, and a world away from the norm!
If you can think of any other travel trends, comment them below!