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Hyper-Personalized Travel Is Coming For Every Traveler’s Budget

Hyper-personalized travel is the 2023 trend
Hyper-personalized travel for 2023 [Image by Olya Adamovich from Pixabay]

After more than two years of the COVID pandemic, people have had to re-assess everything in their lives, including travel habits. While we have all been trapped under lockdown, dreaming of traveling again, ordinary, boring itineraries won’t cut it anymore. Now the future of hyper-personalized travel is here for anyone, on any budget.

What is hyper-personalized travel?

Hyper-personalized travel is the 2023 trend
Woman enjoying the view [Image by StockSnap from Pixabay]

While travel has always been about personal experience, tours have always been a set option, the same for everyone. People now want change and the travel industry is getting ready to take matters further.

In recent months the cost of living has skyrocketed, partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This also has affected the price of travel. Those that can afford to get away want their vacations to be special, not cookie-cutter experiences. In fact, what travelers want is adventures that go outside the normal box, personalized to their requirements.

Meanwhile, the travel industry will have to come up with more than a complimentary drink at a hotel, or a group discount for tours. This means everything from QR codes for a stress-free check-in, to niche activities to suit personal interests, and cuisine to suit every taste. In fact, hyper-personalized travel opportunities will be the order of the day in 2023.

Personalized travel for everyone

Personalized travel for golfers
Golf travel [Image by bedrck from Pixabay]

Up until now, personalized service had been a part of luxury travel, with companies offering the chance to build your unique trip. Meanwhile, plenty of travelers will gladly pay for the option to get everything they desire. For example, companies like Black Tomato will take you on a private yacht excursion to Antarctica at a hefty price. Others, like Golf Air, take the rich on luxury golf and safari trips in South Africa.

But what about the average Joe or Susan? Why shouldn’t travelers on every budget have the same type of personalization available? It turns out this will be a definite possibility in 2023.

Paul Easto, founder of Wilderness Scotland is a UK tour operator specializing in active and personalized tours. Talking of personalization, he said:

The number one challenge travelers are trying to solve is the equation of time versus experience, and how to combine that experience with personal interests.

However, he said from a destination standpoint, there is a “conversation of volume versus value.” Easto explained, “Many destinations struggle with the very nature of customization because it’s more time intensive and ultimately a more expensive product.”

Due to this, travel companies are faced with the challenge of creating “unique experiences that offer value, no matter the price point.”

Personalized travel trends for 2023

For many travelers, personalization isn’t a preference, but a necessity for their lifestyle. For instance, vegan travel is one niche that has already gone mainstream. In fact, the travel booking website Responsible Travel has already increased its number of vegan-friendly options, to offer vegan dining in hotels and restaurants.

The company’s CEO Justin Francis said that over the last decade, demand [for vegan travel] has quadrupled, with bookings increasing by more than 300 percent since 2012.

Meanwhile, ecotourism and sustainable and green travel are becoming a major demand in this time of climate change. Research by Expedia Group Media Solutions revealed that 65 percent of travelers prefer more environmentally friendly transportation or accommodation on their next vacation. In itself, customized travel offers a way to lower volume and more sustainable tourism.

Local tour operators and local culture

Tourism Australia is giving credit to the aboriginal people
Aboriginal in Australia [Image by Tim Lin on Pixabay]

According to Expedia’s Inclusive Travel Study, 64 percent of travelers are keen to learn more about travel options that support local communities and cultures. This allows tour operators, rooted in the local communities, to make a real impact, by offering a genuine experience to visitors. Travelers will get a true “feeling” for the local culture.

The challenge here is for tourism companies to find a way to offer these experiences. Moreover, they must offer them in a cost-effective manner, without falling back on set itineraries that people don’t want anymore.

Readers can find out more about the hyper-personalized travel trend by reading Expedia and Euronews Travel’s 2023 Trend Report here.