An analysis from GlobalData reveals slower travel as the next tourism trend. Amidst increasing remote employment and desire for sustainable travel, tourists are choosing longer trips. This means travelers might opt for longer travel times, choosing to take buses, trains or cars in lieu of flying, boosting local tourism.

Over 70 percent of the survey respondents decided to work remotely full- or part-time, leading to more flexible work schedules. 25 percent said that “supporting social causes” was key to their purchase decisions and 45 percent said “it was nice to have,” according to the reports. The data points to consumers more eager to support local businesses and communities.

GlobalData Travel Tourism Analyst Johanna Bonhill-Smith observes that this post-pandemic trend could mean an increased rivalry between large travel corporations and smaller, local tourism organizations.

Americans are ready to travel again, and it shows in this week’s data. According to an article from Destination Analysts, here are some trends to look out for:

• Americans’ concerns about contracting COVID-19 dropped ten percentage points last week, leaving the total perception at 43.3 percent. Now the average perception of travel as unsafe is only 25.9 percent.
• Consumers are ready for large events, especially outdoors, with 70.6 percent of American travelers reporting they are ready to attend large outdoor events like concerts and festivals.
• Travelers are showing a relationship between desired experience and destination. City travelers are seeking great food, party travelers are likely to be found on beaches and at theme parks and small town travelers are more likely to be driven by the desire to experience new places.

The National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative (BTT) partnered with the Cultural Heritage Alliance for Tourism, Inc. (CHAT) to launch the “Black Cultural Heritage Road Trip” May 30. The Black Cultural Heritage Tours (BCHT) team travels throughout the United States to develop heritage travel itineraries that “illuminate, amplify, protect and preserve” Black history and culture, according to Travel Agent Central.

“Our mission is to create inclusion and engagement of Black cultural heritage community assets in the multi-billion-dollar tourism industry, spurring economic growth and sustainability for small businesses and cultural institutions in underserved Black communities,” CHAT president and BTT founder Stephanie Jones said.

BCHT connects with DMOs and Black- and Brown-owned business and cultural institutions to cultivate the rich experiences heritage tourists seek. The BCHT team will also document their travels to illuminate the businesses, neighborhoods and communities they visit.

The impact of social media influencers in the travel industry is undeniable. The influencer marketing industry is projected to be worth $15 million by 2022, and lifestyle and travel are the top two influencer categories.

When DMOs understand the influencer landscape and have a structured program, success in this emerging industry is within reach for both parties. In this webinar, Bull Moose Marketing’s VP of Client Strategies (and former Carnival Cruise brand ambassador) Ron Mattocks talks with niche travel blogger Hannah Brenner from HannahRoseWild.com to explore how DMOs can effectively add influencers to their heritage and cultural tourism marketing efforts and dive into what DMOs should know from the influencer’s perspective before starting a campaign together.

Watch the recorded webinar on-demand to learn more about how influencers can help increase awareness about what your destination has to offer.