Neilson Beach Clubs has suggested seven top travel trends for 2024, with “sportcation” among the categories highlighted.
The trends appear in a report produced after the operator carried out a survey and analysed
customer booking data from 2023.
A sportcation is a holiday where guests take part in activities to learn a new skill, and the category is tipped to see a boom this year.
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Neilson Beach Clubs chief executive David Taylor said: “People are increasingly using their time away from work to not only recharge their batteries mentally but stay in shape physically. We call this ‘switching off by switching on’.”
The report suggests that nearly two-thirds of Brits (65%) believe it is important for a holiday to offer a range of activities so that all generations are catered for.
The research also indicated that 36% of people would rather go on an activity-filled holiday in 2024 as compared with a trip where they only relax.
The activities deemed best for a “good energy vibe” were found to be ‘water skiing, wakeboarding or wakesurfing’, which had 95% positive reviews, followed by mountain-biking at 93%, paddleboarding at 91% and fitness classes at 89%.
Taylor said: “For those who exercise regularly at home, the thought of going two weeks without maintaining their fitness can actually be quite stressful.”
The other trends featured in the report are: ‘repeat retreat’, ‘relactive personality’, ‘boomerang tourism’, ‘solo moon’, ‘picklecore’ and ‘famil-e-rides’.
Under the ‘repeat retreat’ heading, the report discussed the rise of active holidaymakers booking the following year’s trip within one week of returning home.
Booking data from Neilson Beach Clubs revealed that over a third (34%) of Brits would book a holiday as soon as they return from their last one, with 38% saying that decision is due to them wanting something to look forward to.
The relactive personality trend, which is connected to the sportcation trend, refers to a person who only finds relaxation when they are active.
Neilson Beach Clubs identified this type of holiday-goer after 91% of holidaymakers took part in a combination of different activities while on a summer trip in 2023. The statistic represented a rise of 4%.
The research found that 35% of people feel the need to be active on their holidays as they cannot fully relax when they are sunbathing.
In line with this, Neilson Beach Clubs noted an 11% rise in guests taking part in fitness classes. People aged 24-34 were found to be the most likely participants (28%).
Under the heading ‘boomerang tourism’, the report suggests that more millennial adults are re-joining their parents for holidays abroad.
The research, conducted online by OnePoll, found that over 41% Brits aged 18-34 would join their parents on holiday if offered.
Another of the major trends identified in the report is solo travel, with the research suggesting that more than half of people (52%) would consider going on a trip by themselves. For 57%, this is so they can do whatever they want.
Meanwhile, under the heading ‘picklecore’, the report highlights a rise in interest in pickleball – a sport which is a mixture of tennis, table tennis and badminton.
Over a third (38%) of Brits said they would be interested in playing pickleball on their travels.
Andy Murray’s former tennis coach Mark Petchey has become a certified pickleball instructor and will offer lessons to Neilson Beach Clubs guests.
In 2024, the operator will quadruple the number of courts it has.
Holidays involving e-bikes are also mentioned in the report, with multigenerational trips featuring the activity described as growing in popularity.
The survey received answers from 2,000 people between November 23-27, 2023.