3 Types of Trips You Might Spot on Your 2018 Travel Feed

2017 was the year for me, along with my doting husband, to stretch our legs and explore the world.

We visited an atlas-full of places, witnessed a camera-full of things, and met an address book (OK, Facebook) of great people, but the scholar in me couldn't help but look for budding travel trends in what quickly became our day-to-day lives.

As a "Tourism Management" graduate, tourism trends tend to go beyond the hot destinations on Buzzfeed lists and leave me exploring what people seem to be seeking on their adventures and how they're being provided for, or not.

Since we're already a quarter of the way through 2018, here are three trends that I enjoyed last year, which I reckon will continue to grow this year.

The Digital Detox

We are all so connected to at least one device that the very thought of disconnecting can lead to panic attacks. The addiction is real and I, for one, am a full-blown addict.

While in Africa on Safari with a group of about 20 other people, we suffered a bit of FOMO caused by our inability to access the WWW. After the frustration of pokey wifi connection, slow downloads, and even slower uploads, we ceased using our phones and laptops, and the relief flooded over us. We were able to totally immerse ourselves in the group, the scenery, the food, and the animals. No snapchats, hashtags, check-ins, or status updates to worry about.

As more people realize how much they don't enjoy the endless scrolling, lol-ling, tagging, and tweeting, I suspect more and more travelers will attempt to detox, even if only for an afternoon or weekend. Give it a go and set yourself free!

The Yoga Ashram, Fat Camp, or Other Health Retreat

Health is such a huge industry because it is important to pretty much everyone. For those of us who want to try something new, or those who want to hone their practice, health retreats offer the opportunity to spend a day, weekend, week, or month focusing on their practice exclusively.

While in Nepal, we took a day out of temple wandering, mountain watching, and Dahl eating to be at one with ourselves at a Yoga Ashram. Led by a man who had given up his former lifestyle to become a yogi, we enjoyed a meditative and silent walk before a long yoga session under the gaze of the Himalayas. As well as a good stretch, our session gave us a healthy reminder to breathe deep, walk tall, and take some quiet time to contemplate life.

While life feels like it gets increasingly busy, and the demands we put on our bodies are increasingly tough, it's good to take some time out and do something for your good health. Your body will thank you for it in the long run!

The Fresh Air, Water, Mountain, Beach Break

The busier we get, the more our bodies seem to crave fresh air and quiet spaces. For some, that means heading to the desert, for other the coast, and as I learnt after two quite frankly spiritual encounters in the last year, that means trees and rocks. Whatever your jam, go there and soak up the energy required to get you through.

While in the USA, I was blown away every day for the week we spent camping in Yosemite National Park. The energy coming off those massive rocks was almost fizzy on my skin. The fresh air felt great in my lungs, and I moved my body until it hurt. Doing natural things in nature feels like perfection. It wasn't just that I was high on life in America, either. That other spiritual encounter happened in the middle of the Namib Desert standing at Spitzkoppe, breathing in the ancient energy of this big, sandy rock.

What're your travel plans looking like this year?

Do you have any of those adventures booked in? If not, I highly recommend you pick one, and give it a go—even if only for a weekend!

Get in touch and share your top travel trends for 2018 too.