If you look closely at last year's booking patterns, you will notice that the average travel duration is beginning to increase. For South African flight centres, average travel lengths increased from 14, 7 to 16 to 2 days during the 2024/2025 holiday season. And South Africa is not alone. My Australian colleague jumped from 10, 5 days to 16,1 on average holidays!
Importantly, it's not just a holiday. Travelers embrace a completely different way of experiencing their destination. Slow-paced itinerary replaces whirlwind travel as it consciously decides that more travelers will feel more, but fewer, creating a deeper connection to places and people.
These longer, more immersive trips (appropriately referred to as “quiet states”) are great for stress levels and mental health, but with additional bonuses. When travelers slow down, communities thrive.
“By spending more time in one place, visitors will naturally become more involved in local businesses, restaurants and cultural activities,” says Sue Garrett, general manager supply, pricing and marketing at the flight center.
“In fact, a Skift survey shows that 67% of travelers appreciate reliability when choosing their destination. This has led to a boom in experiences such as cooking classes and cultural workshops where travelers can get a deeper sense of place. Interestingly, it also applies to group and multigen travel, showing how a 'slower' more mindful approach is accepted across generations. ”
There are also environmental benefits. A slower pace naturally helps you make more greener choices, from hiring bikes and choosing eco-friendly accommodations to supporting community initiatives.
As Garrett explains, the beauty of a slow trip lies in its versatility. Whether you explore the hidden corners of Sardinia or hang out boots for a walking holiday in the Scottish highlands, as long as you avoid the hot spots of tourists that are beginning to become creeks with their popularity weight, the opportunities are endless.
What are her tips for making the most of slow travel? “You can choose fewer destinations and spend more time in one place, so you can relax and explore,” Garrett says. “Looking for local recommendations, engaging with the local community, and most importantly, enabling unplanned days and voluntary discoveries!”
For South African travelers, slow travel can also be budget-friendly. “We know that South Africans are still spending their money on travel, and that remains a priority for them,” Garrett says. “However, they spend more carefully, looking for real value and transparency, prioritizing quality over quantity. By avoiding popular hotspots and working closely with travel experts to design customized itineraries at unusual destinations, slow travel can provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
As the slow travel movement becomes more entrenched, travelers are throwing away their checklists and returning to their basic travel purpose. Grow it through authentic experiences and meaningful connections that discover, learn and grow.
“One of the most exciting niches at the moment is river cruising,” Garrett said. “And river cruising means both luxurious cruising in the Rhine, the Danube, the Mekong and Chobe.
For travelers looking for a more relaxed, peaceful pace, river cruising can slowly meander through beautiful scenery, stare at the sight, descend whenever they choose, and experience the rhythm of life along the various rivers around the world.
And other examples? Garrett is a scenic train journey (where there are many operators including cultural excursions celebrating the history and cuisine of the region), star viewing in Kalahari (with powerful storytelling), swimming, hiking, or foodie holidays in Montenegro, or a forest bathing or a normal person during the day, opportunities to have a comfortable birthday on the field (reconnect with people, places, and planets).
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