The new 20s: Intrepid predicts travel trends for the decade ahead

Climate change and friendships key themes

At the launch of the new Lonely Planet and Intrepid trips, the small group adventure company revealed their predictions for how travel will evolve in the new 20s - in what they describe as the decade for the planet and bringing people together.


“While the roaring 20’s of the 20th century changed the way the world operated, the decade ahead calls for a green revolution, where renewables will be the norm and debating climate-change will be a thing of the past. This will be reflected heavily in the way we travel from more overland to zero tolerance for using animals for entertainment, ” says Brett Mitchell, Chief Commercial Officer at Intrepid Travel.

“As technology develops, and we become more digitally connected than before, individuals will be increasingly prone to feeling lonely and travel will provide the antidote to this,” added Thornton on what travel will mean on an individual level.

Intrepid’s five predictions for the new decade:

Travel habits will evolve:

The ‘Greta Effect’ has permeated global consciousness so when it comes to looking forward over the next decade it is no surprise that climate action will influence how Aussies travel and how often. Overland travel will be the word, especially in tourist-heavy destinations such as Europe. Expect to see zero-carbon trips, and carbon offsetting that goes beyond neutral, into the realm of both positive and double offsetting.

Travel will become the antidote to loneliness:

According to a recent study commissioned by Intrepid Travel, 85 per cent of Australians say they experience loneliness. Meeting new people and travelling were amongst the top five ways to cure loneliness and Intrepid believe this is where small group adventures will come to the fore as an antidote to feeling alone. The research also found that younger people (18-25 year olds) are most at risk of feeling lonely with a whopping 95% saying they often or sometimes experience feeling isolated.

Tourism as a force for good - helping recover after natural disasters

From the darkness of this season’s devastating bushfires, we have been reminded about people’s generosity and willingness to help others. In the coming months and years, we’ll see people visit regional Australian towns affected by the fires as a way to help them recover and rebuild. And, Australia won’t be alone. As natural disasters become more frequent due to climate change, we’ll see travellers show their support by visiting these places and ensuring their tourist dollars make a real impact.

The rise and rise of the conscious Gen Z traveller:

Sustainability is a non-negotiable for Gen Z, and this will be cemented further in the new decade through travel choices. Issues around climate change and conservation will see younger travellers be mindful of their footprint and opt for responsible travel over voluntourism programs. This trend has already become evident with Intrepid Travel seeing a rise of 16 per cent in bookings to their 18-29’s trips in 2019 compared to 2018 globally.

Zero tolerance for using animals for entertainment:

Tourists are becoming more aware of animal welfare in the tourism sector, from no longer participating in elephant rides to avoiding locations that promote animal entertainment. Intrepid predicts that as more people become better educated, we’ll see a zero-tolerance approach to using animals in common tourism activities such as dolphin enclosures, zoos and bird shows. More education around animal rights will see increased social pressure not to share selfies with animals on social media.