Top Trending Destinations for Nature, Active and Wellness Tourism

Tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies has just released the findings of a new study that examined how consumer travel trends have evolved since pre-pandemic 2019.

Based on changing consumer values, and the increase in certain travel interests and motivators, it also singled out which worldwide destinations are poised to become the most in vogue for 2023.

To inform this investigation, Mabrian tapped into data gleaned from millions of spontaneous online interactions by TripAdvisor users and analyzed more than 700 global destinations to compile a “top 10” list of places that are best-positioned to benefit from the trajectory of rising trends.

Regions included on its top 10 list boast the best balance of multiple factors, including the mix of their tourism products related to nature, active and wellness interests; overall and recently increased air connectivity (growth in new routes); and the average price of available accommodations over the coming months.

While consumer interest remains perennially highest in such tourism products as cultural experiences, and sunshine and beach vacations, these new trends are steadily climbing their way to the top among travel motivators.

The report identified the following as the world’s ideal natural, wellness and active travel destinations for 2023:

1. Bali, Indonesia – Southeast Asia’s popular tropical paradise of Bali takes the top spot, thanks to a wide range of available tourism activities catering to nature, wellness and active pursuits; along with an expansion of air connectivity for 2023, with a 45-percent increase in new routes and a 115-percent increase in incoming seats this year. The island also has a very competitive average hotel pricing on for stays for the coming months.

2. Crete, Greece – Greece is also a favorite among European vacationers seeking sunshine, culture and extraordinary scenery, and managed to break tourism records in 2022 in spite of the absence of visitors from Russia, which is also typically one of its main source markets. While and the country’s largest island of Crete is predominantly a summer destination stocked with sunshine and beach products, 57 percent of tourists; comments center around active, natural and wellness tourism activities. It also shows 17-percent growth in terms of available airlift for both domestic and international routes compared to last year.

3. The Algarve, Portugal – Already a favorite spot for sunny summer getaways among citizens of the larger Continent, the famed Algarve region on Portugal’s southern coastline takes third place among destinations to watch in 2023. It occupies the final winner’s podium position thanks to a significant increase in extra-European air connectivity, as well as an impressive mix of tourism products and highly competitive accommodations pricing.

Other global regions rounding out the top 10 list for are:

4. Brittany, France

5. Corsica, Italy

6. Wales, United Kingdom

7. Sardinia, Italy

8. Antalya, Turkey

9. The Maldives

10. Sicily, Italy