When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we bloggers were affected too. I love to travel and visit different places, and that wasn’t possible. Now with no restrictions on travel, we can once again start visiting new places.
The travel industry is rapidly expanding now. On a global scale, it is now worth $716.8 billion. Travel bloggers impact the tourism and travel industry. Various trends are shaping and changing the future of travel blogging.
One trend that truly grew post-pandemic was domestic travel. Locals in most countries were only traveling to different cities, visiting locations they’d never been to before, and investing in their country’s tourism and economy.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the trends that will be monumental for travel bloggers and will help the travel industry in the future. For more information about me, visit my website: Irina Bukatik.
Personalization and Discount Codes
One trend that we’ve seen grow a lot in the past few years is personalization. Personalization in almost all aspects of life has allowed brands to attract customers. Travel blogging is all about the blogger’s experience.
Consumers love to see a unique experience, as shown on a travel blog. It seems more personal to them, and if they can relate to the blogger, they’ll be more inclined to book a similar trip. Travel bloggers can customize their trips in a way that will attract people to particular destinations. Companies and brands can offer them discount codes for their followers.
This is a great way to earn more followers as well as bring more business to any company, from restaurants and hotels to transportation services. Consumers love rewards in the form of discount codes, especially if they’re personalized and coming from their favorite bloggers.
Promoting Local Travel
Even though the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and there is less travel anxiety, people continue to travel locally. Travel enthusiasts love local travel blogs so they can learn more about their own countries and the beautiful locations they haven’t visited yet.
More inclusivity is shaping the future of travel blogging. People don’t just want to see international must-visit destinations but also those within their reach in their country. Plus, it also promotes a country’s tourism sector, especially if it’s a developing country.
Green Tourism & Responsible Travel
We’ve all been aware of climate change and how it’s impacting everything around us. Travel bloggers and tourism have become more conscious of their impact when traveling to different countries. Responsible or sustainable travel means leaving a positive impact on the environment and people.
Most travelers want their trip to benefit the local communities of their destinations. Travel bloggers are now doing more research so they can spend accordingly and help out the local communities. 77% of them want to support the local small businesses, so the economy grows.
Sustainable travel also means that travel bloggers are becoming more aware of sustainable brands and companies. They choose to support environmentally friendly organizations. For example, a hotel is built on a sustainable property and is not damaging the area around it. Promoting green tourism is the main trend amongst travel bloggers.
Lastly, since the pandemic caused a lot of travel anxiety, safety and hygiene are huge factors and are shaping the future of travel. Everyone is planning and preparing for their future travels while keeping in mind the absolute necessity of proper hygiene.
The Era of TikTok
We’ve seen a lot of TikTokers rise to fame. Many of these are travel “influencers.” Videos are an indispensable and extremely effective marketing tool. Like most industries, video creation has also changed the game for the travel industry. We’ve seen Snapchat rise and fall, YouTube vlogs, and even Instagram reels. But no one is doing it like the influencers on TikTok.
Most travel bloggers are shifting to TikTok as it currently has over 1 billion active users. An average TikToker spends 95 minutes per day on the app. This means creators and bloggers can easily get high engagement rates and draw in different kinds of viewers. These viewers prefer engaging, entertaining, and short videos.
If you’re a travel blogger without a TikTok public profile, you need to get started on it right now. Even without a large following, you can instantly gain your desired reach on the platform and make short videos for different brands and companies who want to collaborate with travel enthusiasts.
Authentic Storytelling
Most influencers and bloggers connect with their audience. This connection is based on authenticity, and if someone is not being authentic, the audience will know. Authenticity and storytelling both impact influencer marketing.
Even when you’re not traveling but collaborating with brands, you should choose wisely. If it’s a brand, travel destination, or product that doesn’t align with you or your audience, skip it. Otherwise, they will feel like it’s something you’re forcing on them, and it won’t feel authentic.
You shouldn’t be afraid to be yourself. If you blog when you travel, do it for the love of it. If you want to earn while doing what you love, you can find brands that align with your beliefs and what your audience wants from you. It should always feel like a unique, relatable, and personal collaboration.
Don’t shy away from showing your personality in your posts, videos, and travel stories. Your followers are also traveling enthusiasts who want to learn more about the destinations you’re visiting. Don’t give them a picture-perfect travel blog. Let them know what goes on behind the scenes. This is something I truly believe in.
Micro-Influencers
Travel blogging has been around for ages. Some bloggers have millions of followers, while some are micro-influencers. The future is set for micro-influencers as we now see travel brands recognizing the potential of small or medium influencers.
So, if you think your small following means nothing, think again. All you need is an intimate and strong connection with your audience. If they’re loyal and they take your recommendations seriously, then they will certainly engage with your content, visit the destinations you’re promoting, and buy the products you are endorsing.
Smaller brands prefer micro-influencers and travel bloggers because, to them, engagement rate is the most important thing. They leverage the blogger’s authenticity and a true connection with the audience.
Wellness and Self Care
As we discussed, the pandemic life has been stressful for most travelers. Those who wanted to get away couldn’t because of so many restrictions. However, wellness tourism has been trending, and this will only continue to grow.
Travelers are planning wellness and self-care getaways which means we’ll see more and more travel bloggers either arranging or being a part of spa getaways, yoga retreats, or camping trips. Traveling is becoming a form of self-care.
So for any travel bloggers or brands out there reading this, I definitely recommend this. It is something everyone can look forward to in the future. You can even pitch it to your favorite travel groups.
Flexibility Is Going To Be Everything
Flexible booking options, different packages, rebooking, canceling without any cancellation fees, and postponing trips to reschedule them in the future will encourage travel and tourism. Flexibility will help bring more business to brands and businesses. Travel bloggers can promote businesses that allow postponements and cancellations and have flexible policies.
Meaningful Connections
The world is filled with possibilities and opportunities to make genuine connections. If you, as a travel blogger, are all about authenticity and living in the moment, you can show your audience how wonderful it is to be outdoors and connect with different people when you’re traveling.
Even if you’re traveling for a job, education, wedding, or simply relocating, the connections you make along the way will change the way you blog. You can try out different activities as you try to connect with the local communities in various destinations.
Travel bloggers can connect with tour groups or guides. They can also bring their audience with them on these refreshing nature trips. Traveling as a form of self-care is also changing the world of blogging, and most travelers can find fresh ways to connect with themselves as they visit different locations.
Irina Bukatik and Her Adventures
If you loved reading about these trends and want to gain more insight into the world of travel, you can stay updated with me on my local food blog: Irina Bukatik. You can learn more about me, my adventures, and everything I like about food and traveling.
I am all about trying something different and bringing people along with me on my adventures. Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m up to these days. You can also contact me for more information.