From FOMO to JOMO — Why Slow and Soft Travel Are the Future of Hospitality

This trend reflects a deeper cultural pivot away from the fear of missing out (FOMO) and toward the joy of missing out (JOMO). It’s not just about where you go, but how deeply you engage with it. Travelers want more than activities. They want meaning.

The data behind the shift

Our Global Travel & Hospitality 2025 Outlook highlights how slow travel has emerged as a leading global trend, with strong support from consumer research and industry shifts:

• Hilton found that 22% of travelers now seek getaways focused on self-discovery and mental health, underlining how emotional well-being is reshaping trip motivations.
• Expedia reports that 62% of travelers feel slow travel reduces stress and improves connection with loved ones.
• Condé Nast refers to slow travel as an umbrella trend encapsulating related behaviors, from longer honeymoons to family sabbaticals and digital detoxes.

Soft travel, a parallel idea, emphasizes comfort, restorative experiences and mental rejuvenation. This aligns closely with a rising interest in wellness tourism, nature immersion and purpose-driven journeys.

Market shifts: the business of slowing down

The shift isn’t just ideological. It’s influencing how companies build travel experiences.

• British Pullman’s luxury train service offers immersive journeys through countryside landscapes, including theatrical experiences like a "Murder Mystery Experience" onboard. The journey is the destination.
• Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism has leaned into authenticity with campaigns that prioritize community, natural beauty and quiet adventure — think whale watching, coastal hikes, and local storytelling.

Even high-growth itinerary platforms like Intrepid Travel are diversifying their offerings into both "Comfort" and "Adventure" tracks, always with an emphasis on regional authenticity.

Cultural drivers

This move toward slower travel is more than a trend. It’s a reflection of post-pandemic values and shifting generational priorities:

• Burnout culture: Many travelers are escaping increasingly digital, fast-paced lives. Slower travel provides the antidote to hyperproductivity.
• Sustainability: Longer stays and less rushed travel tend to be more eco-friendly. Fewer flights, deeper local engagement and less extractive tourism align with climate-conscious values.
• Generational change: Millennials and Gen Z value experiences over possessions. But the kind of experiences they’re drawn to has evolved from adrenaline highs to emotional depth.

Implications for hospitality brands

So what does this mean for travel brands, destinations and platforms?

1. Redesign the booking funnel
   Offer flexible, longer-stay options with content that encourages meaningful, immersive choices. Highlight wellness retreats, cultural exchanges and local storytelling in your UX design.
2. Curate stillness, not just stimulation
   Create itineraries or packages that prioritize restorative elements such as slower paces, digital detoxes, nature immersion or journaling opportunities. Think yoga under waterfalls, sunset cooking classes or forest walks with local historians.
3. Rethink ROI
   While these trips may not be activity-dense, they can command premium pricing based on emotional value. Travelers are willing to pay more for trips that promise reconnection with themselves, with others or with a place.
4. Partner with local communities
   Align with local guides, artists, chefs or artisans who can offer depth and intimacy. This not only supports the local economy but also delivers the authenticity that modern travelers crave.

Looking ahead: a mindful movement

Slow travel is not a rejection of adventure. It’s a redefinition of what makes a trip meaningful. And it can coexist with other trends. Consumers increasingly want it all: the thrill of adventure, the simplicity of an all-inclusive, the intentionality of post-luxury but on their own terms.

For brands in the travel and hospitality space, the opportunity is clear. This is the moment to break away from high-volume, high-speed tourism models and instead design experiences that breathe for guests and for the communities they touch.

In 2025 and beyond, success won’t just be measured in occupancy rates or itinerary clicks. It will be measured in moments remembered — the kind that happen when we finally slow down.

Read our Global Travel & Hospitality 2025 Outlook to explore where travel and hospitality go next.