2024's Top Travel Trend Could Be Getting a Good Night's Sleep
New data from Hilton shows that one of most travelers' top concerns is getting some rest.
Good sleep is one of the hardest things to maintain during trips—especially during the best trips. When you're trying to take in everything there is to see, taste, and experience, sleep might move down your priority list. That becomes even more true when you factor in budget flights, cheap accommodations, and weird travel schedules in order to secure the best flight times. Traditionally, sleep was something you worried about after vacation.
But something is changing in recent years. As the world becomes an increasingly exhausting place, where wages continue to remain stagnant and the world's richest become even richer, vacations have become just as much about catching some good shuteye as they are about going on a new adventure. And now, there's data to support the sleepy cultural shift.
In a new survey commissioned by Hilton of thousands of travelers across age demographics, getting good sleep emerged as a top trend for 2024 travel. No matter the age, people are dedicated to getting some good rest with their PTO.
According to the Hilton survey shared with Thrillist, 18% of travelers pack their own preferred pillows for a good night's sleep, and 10% travel with a noise machine. When it comes to noise sensitivity, a good portion of travelers are thinking about that too. Globally, 20% of travelers choose or request a room that is away from the elevator or on a top floor to avoid noise.
The inclination towards getting good vacation sleep is something the travel industry has already started to notice. Plenty of hotels offer sleep packages and special sleep offers to incentivize travelers looking to get some good shut-eye. This year, Tripadvisor even added a category for the best hotel for sleep to its annual Travelers' Choice hotel awards.
But before the hotel packages, travelers are taking their own initiative to ensure that they get a good night's (or flight's) sleep. Hilton's survey showed that there are three most common steps travelers take to get a good night's sleep.
- 33% of respondents listen to music or a podcast
- 27% of respondents stay with a trusted brand with a consistently good mattress
- 22% of respondents report using headphones or earplugs
Along generational divides, Gen Z is the most intentional about making small lifestyle changes that support better sleep. Those changes include regulating a workout route and avoiding alcohol before bedtime. That certainly is a shift from the kind of blowout party trips that were popular 15 years ago.
Overall, the increasing popularity of taking a restful vacation means that a lot of people are opting for resorts instead of cities. The Hilton survey reports that 60% of travelers prefer resort destinations compared to the 40% that prefer city locations.
No matter the demographic, the number one reason people are choosing to travel according to the Hilton survey is to rest and recharge. That means if you are dreaming of a vacation just to get some good shuteye, don't worry, you are far from alone.
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