Outdoor Travel’s Next Phase Shifts to Slow, Immersive Experiences
Nature breaks are now mainstream items in vacation planning. It’s leading to a fresh wave of meaningful adventures that are lighter on the land and that center on local communities.
Stargazing at KOA’s Terramor Outdoor Resort in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Source: Terramor
Camping in North America is expected to continue growing fast in 2023 on the heels of a record 58 million American and Canadian households pitching tents and “glamping” (glamorous camping) in the past year, according to a December survey from Kampgrounds of America Inc (KOA). Just more than half of North Americans say spending time outdoors will be more important in 2023.
Globally, travelers continue to prioritize nature tourism as part of overall wellness interest. The travel industry is expected to bounce back furiously in 2023 as it simultaneously weighs its climate impacts and the benefits to local businesses. Fresh ways of experiencing the outdoors are emerging as a result, taking travelers deeper into nature and into host communities. These are not necessarily rustic activities, however, and are not constrained to the intrepid.