What will tourism and travel be like after 2020? How has the Covid-19 pandemic changed our travel habits and what are travellers looking for in post-pandemic travel? There is a good chance that 2021 will be a year of continuing to live, and indeed travel, with the virus. Safety will clearly be at the top of all tourists lists. What have we learned from the Covid-19 pandemic and how will tourism adapt to the new challenges?

There are clearly many points that the travel industry has learned from 2020. And adopting these into the 2021 travel scene will be a condition. Airlines, travel agencies and in fact any organisation involved in tourism at any level must adopt. And to help you on your way we’ve picked a few, select Dubrovnik experiences.

“Travel after 2020 - what will tourism look like in our new reality?” is the name of a travel trend report compiled by euronews. This very report includes “six trends shaping travel after 2020,” and there is much for travel agents and accommodation providers to learn.

#1 Getting away from the crowds and back to nature

And the top of the list in the trends for 2021 is wilderness travel. Tourists crammed into buses or towel to towel around the hotel pool is, at least for now, a thing of the past as travellers look to get away from the crowds and back to nature. “After months of cabin fever, there is a universal hunger for wide-open spaces.

In the US, for example, state and national parks have experienced huge influxes of visitors post-lockdown, and the trend is set to continue in 2021 and beyond as time spent in the wilderness is felt to be an antidote to modern urban life.” Yes, there is going to be a lot of travellers wanting to find space and privacy for a few years yet, and who could blame them.

#2 Keeping in balance with nature – eco-tourism or cultivations

Not only are travellers looking to escape the large urban centres but they are also willing to pitch in and do their bit in growing a greener future. At number two on the euronews list is eco-tourism. And as part of this wide section cultivations is highlighted. “In the age of Covid-19, there has been a clear shift towards learning how to grow, connect with the earth and make things by hand (just look at how gardening and bread making took off during lockdown),” writes euronews.

What better way to explore the city than in a completely green vehicle? Our Dubrovnik tip for keeping Dubrovnik eco-friendly is a tour in an electric tuk-tuk – check out this link for more info

#3 Wandering where the wind takes you – nomadic tourism

Freedom, freedom and yet more freedom. Sardine-style package holidays or excursions are a thing of the past as travellers look to travel where they want, when they want and how they want. Flexibility is the key word. At number three on the travel trends list is nomadic tourism. “The point-to-point holiday, whereby travellers fly to a single location and then return home, will be rivalled by an emerging trend for trips that take in multiple domestic locations, occur at a slower pace, and are as much about the journey as the ultimate destination,” writes euronews.

#4 Take a deep breath and refresh your soul – wellness tourism

Putting yourself, and indeed your wellbeing, in the first position. From yoga retreats, to spa days and boot camp weekends, the future will see travellers looking to relax their minds and bodies, and after a year in lockdown they probably deserve it. The fourth position on the list goes to Wellness Tourism. “In 2021 and beyond, we can expect beachgoers to be swapping sun and pina coladas for shade and coconut water. Even if visitors aren’t specifically travelling for a detox or boot camp experience, they will want to book trips that leave them feeling better than before when they return home. Some will also be willing to go to extremes for radical physical overhauls,” writes the report.

Our Dubrovnik tip for immersing yourself in…well yourself… is a yoga retreat in Molunat. Check out more info here

#5 Avoiding the tourist traps and keeping it real – give me authenticity

The days of knock-off souvenirs, tourist menus in restaurants and generic tours are history, travellers in the future are after the real deal, not a plastic copy. Travellers in the future are looking for the real, authentic experience. Digging under the skin of a destination to find what really makes it tick. “Engaging with local communities in a safe and respectful way will be an important aspect, with tourists keen to learn and form human connections. When it comes to authentic tourism, travellers also want to leave a positive footprint – to give something back – whether that is paying direct or volunteering,” writes euronews. And number five on the travel list is authentic tourism.

Keep it real in the wider Dubrovnik area with a wine tour (along with your own on hand connoisseur) with Insider Holidays – check out this link for more info

#6 Stop filling your Instagram with countless destinations – less is more

Keep it simple and keep your carbon footprint as small as possible. In sixth place on the travel trends 2021 list is mindful travel. “Mindful tourism is about forging deeper connections with the places people visit and travelling with an attitude of “less is more”, eschewing itineraries packed with “the highlights”. Having a bucket list has been a way of building social prestige, but as travel as a consumerist act falls out of favour, more humble trips to less glamorous destinations will be what the Conscious Traveller seeks,” writes the report.

Our Dubrovnik tip for the mindful traveller is one of the leading tour guides in Dubrovnik – Ivan Vukovic (Vuka to his friends) who’ll show you the hidden gems of the city – check out this link for more info