Forget Revenge, Travel To Reconnect And Revitalize

Drop revenge from your travel vocabulary and add reconnection and revitalization travel to your travel descriptors.

While the term ‘revenge travel’ – the urge to travel to make up for lost time in lockdown – gained popularity over the course of the pandemic, a recent survey suggests Canadian travellers are now prioritizing ‘reconnection travel’ – reconnecting with the planet and its people – when they take their next adventure travel tour.

And with an overwhelming 94% of travellers saying travel is important to their wellbeing and mental health, Canadians are also looking to take their next holiday in a way that not only helps them reconnect, but optimizes travel as a means of revitalization, too.

When it comes to reconnecting with people, 55% of respondents want to take time out from their devices and social media, and a further 23% say socializing and meeting new people is their top wellbeing priority when booking their next holiday.

In the most recent G Adventures’ survey of more than 1,500 Canadian travellers, reconnection travel was the top reason for travelling at 41%, with revitalization travel – a desire for their next holiday to be about personal wellbeing – next at 18%, and revenge travel – booking a trip to make up for lost time in lockdown – coming in third at just nine per cent.

Additionally, 66%  of travellers polled said their physical and mental wellbeing is a top consideration when booking a holiday, with 50% citing that they need a holiday to help alleviate pandemic-related stress or burnout from work.

Apparently, balance is essential, with 71% of Canadians wanting to be physically active on their next holiday, and 40% also prioritizing rest and relaxation.

Bruce Poon Tip, founder, G Adventures, says the company’s most recent research proves travellers are being more purposeful than ever when making their holiday decisions.

Said Poon Tip: “What this new survey demonstrates is that travellers are being much more intentional with how they select their holidays – it’s clear people want to reconnect with each other, and with the planet, when they travel again, and to ensure personal wellness is a focus as they do so.”

He continued: “The term ‘revenge travel’ conjures up a negative sentiment which is maybe why it didn’t land as it was intended to. I don’t disagree with the concept of people fighting to reclaim something they have lost, I just think there is so much opportunity for tourism to be a positive force for change in the world, and it seems travellers agree.”

Trips available for travellers to reconnect and revitalize this coming winter, with 10% off when booked before Aug. 31, 2021 (for travel between Nov. 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022) include:

• Costa Rica Quest – This action-packed tour of Costa Rica’s highlights is perfect for the adventurer with limited time who wants to explore the region’s diversity. Get adrenaline pumping, follow a trail to the base of a waterfall, melt away in thermal springs, or relax on a beach. Was priced from $1,399 pp, now priced from $1,259 pp for a nine-day trip from San José return.
• Best of Southern Spain – This tour covers the major highlights of Andalucia (southern Spain): the ornate palace of Alhambra in Granada, Córdoba (an architectural mainstay of Islamic culture), and the Andalucian capital of Seville, home of flamenco dancing. Was priced from $1,999 pp, now priced from $1,799  pp for an eight-day trip from Madrid to Barcelona.
• Classic Peru – This compact tour of the archaeological highlights and cultural treasures of the Andean highlands has it all. Cruise Lake Titicaca and immerse in rural life with a homestay in a small village. Wander the cobblestoned streets of Cusco before breaking a sweat hiking mountain passes along the Inca Trail on the way to Machu Picchu. Was priced from $2,699 pp, now priced from $2,429 pp for a 12-day trip from Lima to Cusco.

For more, go to www.gadventures.com .