6 Trends That Will Change How You Travel This Summer

Hotels are finding ways to help. For example, Virgin Hotels is getting more of its seven properties around the world “Autism Double Checked,” an independent certification that ensures that staff members are trained to properly help guests on the spectrum.

You’ll soon see this service expand to other hotel brands; Hyatt Hotels recently announced a push in this direction.

On the tech side, Alphabet Inc’s Google has continued expanding accessibility features into Google Maps, including wheelchair accessible place listings. Also new are screen reading and voice guidance for blind or low-vision travelers, which tell users when say, they’re going the wrong way.

Accessibility is also becoming more important for airports and the aviation industry, though this summer you’re more likely to hear about what’s coming than see actual progress. In the US, legislation is in the works to amend the Air Carrier Access Act to guarantee better services for air travelers who use wheelchairs.

The comment period on proposed amendments will close on June 12, so expect related headlines over the summer. Similarly, Zurich Airport is currently getting ready to roll out autonomous electric wheelchairs, from Swiss startup DAAV, by the end of the year.

4. You’ll book at the last minute.

Last-minute bookings are on the rise, said glamping hospitality company Autocamp, which attributed the pattern to a growing share of Gen Z travelers. It’s a global trend: Some 78% of international travelers surveyed by American Express this year indicated a preference for last-minute trips and leaving room in trip itineraries for unplanned experiences.

Flexibility isn’t the only pandemic-era trend that’s back and staying strong. The desire to vacation in nature and visit national and state parks is driving outdoor hospitality companies to tap in.

Think upscale lakeside treehouses, tents, cabins and domes in locations ranging from New York’s Catskill Mountains to Wyoming’s plains and Colorado’s ranges, with limited inventories heightening demand.

It seems as if every week a new property announces an opening; right after our preview of new glamping lodges was published, we caught wind of this stunning new property thats bringing bubble domes to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.

Road trips in the U.S. — another pandemic era favorite that allowed for more flexible summer travel in one’s backyard — are predicted to hit a record over Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA. Some 38.4 million people are expected to travel by car, 1.9% more than in 2019.

5. All-inclusive resorts will push further into luxury.

Marriott Hotels International Inc, Hilton Hotels Holdings Corp. and Hyatt Hotels International Inc. have been betting large on the all-in-one vacation model, with new openings in such hotspots as Mexico’s Riviera Maya and the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana.

At these places, the standards associated with all-inclusive resorts are trending strongly upward. Expect more than lavish suites and miles of white sand beaches. Think of amenities that range from a 10,000-square-foot spa and farm-to-table chef menus to rooftop bars with panoramic sea views.

Two all-inclusive resorts we’re excited about on the horizon: Set to open in August is Almare on Isla Mujeres in Mexico, making it the first location of Marriott’s Luxury Collection brand to go all-inclusive.

The distinction here is less about endless inclusions and more about not having to worry about what you’re spending at an intimate, highly luxurious resort—it’s got just 109 rooms, and they’re all suites.

Guests will be able to tuck into their beach reads on daybeds that float along the edges of a palapa-shaded pool; just beyond the white-sand beach is one of the largest coral reefs in Mexico.

And then there’s the 30-room SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge, just opened in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula and accessible only by boat. Its luxurious bungalows dot forested trails, with secluded terraces and outdoor tubs that look out over the ocean and adjacent Corcovado National Park.

6. Hotels won’t get any more affordable.

Hotel prices were forecast to rise in most major cities this year, according to American Express Global Business Travel’s Hotel Monitor 2024 Report. At the start of the year it predicted rates would jump by 10-17% year over year in the most affected markets. That seems to be an accurate assessment.

We’re not just talking about the luxury sector, where the $1,000 entry-level room has become the norm. When looking more broadly at hotels — meaning everything from budget motels to five-star stays, globally — Hopper says Memorial Day weekend prices have hit an average of $212 per night, a 30% increase over rates during the same period in 2022.

In the most-searched cities, you’d be lucky to be able to book for $212. In both London and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Hopper says the average rate is right around $370, which represents an increase of 6%-10% year-over-year. And as Airbnb continues getting pushed out of major cities like New York and Amsterdam, the price pressure on such rooms will only continue to grow.

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