What is the current state of international travel? Many countries have deregulated, and 92 countries already allow travelers to enter and leave without any restrictions. Of these, 44 are in Europe, followed by 23 in the Americas. (as of Sept. 30).

With the industry beginning to show positive signs, the 42nd World Tourism Day was celebrated on September 27. This year’s theme was “Rethinking Tourism. The challenges highlighted by the pandemic have drawn attention to the need for tourism that puts the earth and its people first.

Sandra Calvin of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said, “People, especially young travelers, are becoming more aware of their environmental impact. They are spending more per trip and staying longer,” she said. The trend toward “community-based tourism,” which allows visitors to experience the activities and culture of local communities, seems to be related to this change.

In addition, the focus on safety continues to be high, and the market for domestic travel is recovering at a higher rate, according to the report. The tourism industry was severely impacted by the pandemic. How has it changed over the past few years and how has it faced up to its predicament? In the opinion pieces that follow, we will examine this issue based on domestic and international case studies.

The momentum for going out is growing today. How have our needs for travel destinations changed before and after Corona? Focusing on domestic travel, we would like to unravel the changes in our needs.

According to a survey conducted by the Japan Travel Bureau (2020.01-2022.05), the most popular region to visit is “a region I have never traveled to before. This is followed by “areas I had originally planned to visit” and “areas that are not too densely populated.

In contrast, the most popular destinations that they would not like to visit are “areas where infectious diseases are not thoroughly protected” and “areas where people tend to be crowded”. The tendency to seek “novelty” and “freedom” in travel destinations is something I am personally familiar with. Perhaps as a reaction to spending more time at home, they want to refresh themselves in places surrounded by nature rather than in crowded urban areas.

Glamping, whose market is expected to grow to 100 billion yen by 2023, is also popular because it allows people to enjoy an extraordinary experience while avoiding congestion. An interesting future that may lie ahead of this boom is the summer house culture of Scandinavia, where I studied abroad until recently. It seems to be a standard practice there to spend summer vacations in summer houses (≒vacas) in the middle of nature, and I myself spent the summer in a cottage invited by a friend.

The vacation home ownership rate in Japan is 0.7% compared to 14% in Sweden, giving the impression that vacation homes are still reserved for the wealthy. However, with the emergence of services such as SANU, which allows people to use vacation homes on a subscriber model, the democratization of the summer house may be on the horizon.

Finally, Japan has eased restrictions on entry into the country since early September, and inbound tourism seems to be showing signs of recovery. More than two and a half years after the pandemic began, the barriers to international travel are finally being lowered. For the tourism industry, which was hit too hard by the pandemic, the past two and a half years have been a time to reflect on what tourism should really be about. And now, with borders reopening, tourism is creating a new trend.

British tour operator Saddle Skedaddle has been running cycling tours throughout Europe for more than 25 years. The pandemic led to a significant increase in the demand for staycations, and the company gained popularity for its cycling tours, which are based on the concept of “pursuing and rediscovering a hobby or leisure activity. The tours, in which travel is by bicycle, are expected to promote local revitalization and reduce the carbon footprint of travel.

Sleep tourism is also growing in popularity. The pandemic has caused many people to spend more time at home, which tends to disrupt the rhythm of their lives. In this context, sleep-focused stays are attracting increasing attention at hotels and resorts around the world.

The Park Hyatt New York has introduced suites that aim to promote rapid as much as 90 square meters. Elsewhere in London, Hästens Sleep Spa Hotel opened Zedwell, a sleep hotel offering state-of-the-art soundproofed rooms. With the restrictions on travel imposed by the pandemic, the trend in tourism seems to be a focus on slowing down and enjoying the stay itself as a travel experience. When we travel, we tend to get caught up in visiting landmarks and museums, but we also want to think about how to have a good time as an overall experience.

Florence, a tourist city in Italy, understood well the problem of overtourism. In response to the challenge that 95% of tourist flows are concentrated in a 5 km2 area, the “Feel Florence” app and website emerged. It introduces tourist attractions in all 19 municipalities of Florence, with itineraries that can be explored on foot, bicycle, or e-bike. The Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio are not shown on the top page. The system is designed to maintain the 14 million annual tourists while allowing them to disperse to the city and region and discover new attractions.

Tourism New Zealand has launched the If You Seek campaign to highlight the natural and cultural wonders of the country known in Maori as Aotearoa. if You Seek uses the Maori words manaakitanga (an expression of hospitality and deep mutual understanding and connection) and kaitiakitanga (conservation and environmental stewardship). The tourism bureau offers themed travel suggestions, and “self-growth and challenge” includes activities such as climbing the cables of the world’s highest waterfall.

Wellness tourism is defined by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, as “travel designed to maintain or improve personal wellness. “According to GWI, from 2015 to 2017, the wellness tourism market grew from 563 billion dollars to $639 billion, a 6.5% annual growth rate. Enjoy a nutritious local breakfast and go mountain climbing with a seasoned guide. Enjoy a mindful moment in an extraordinary setting.