Here Are The Most Popular Vacation Trends Of 2021

Like everything since the beginning of the pandemic, vacationing has been different. Still, despite not being able to travel the world over, people are finding a way to make vacations — and even staycations — work. What the ongoing pandemic has taught us is to find the magic in the everyday, and also to make the most of our time. Because of this, people want to maximize their vacations, make the most memories, have as much fun as possible, and be precise with what they want to do and where they want to go (via Destination Deluxe).

This also means that vacations this year and beyond will likely be affected by pandemic life. For example, with travel still restricted in a lot of ways, people will likely be traveling domestically rather than internationally this year. This isn't bad, though. Getting to know more about your own country is basically your civic duty, and with a country as large as the U.S., there is always more to see. There is also a chance that remote work will become part of vacations. Remote work is flexible, so people may simply take their work with them on trips, rather than taking time off that they may not be getting paid for (via Destination Deluxe).

What other travel practices are trending this year? 

People are raring to travel after being inside for so long, and we can't blame them. A recent American Express survey found that 76% of  respondents are currently making travel wish lists and 87% are using future travel as motivation to get through work — and the pandemic (via Forbes). What's more, 62% of these respondents also listed that they were most looking forward to visiting places of culinary prestige. Notably, culinary travel has been on the rise for a years now, and it's overtaking simple sightseeing travel. People understand that food is the way into a culture, and people want to experience food from around the globe. 

While not a destination trend, one trend on the rise this year is travel insurance. Travel insurance policy purchases have increased this year, with 35% of these purchases including COVID-19 coverage (via Travel Pulse). People know the risk of traveling during this time and want to ensure that their money is protected, even if the unforeseen were to happen in this time of uncertainty. 

Some people are forgoing air travel altogether and taking road trips across the country to be as safe as possible. No matter your vacation style, remember to have fun and make the most of every day.