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 for the flight centre. says.
“In fact, a Skift survey found that 67% of travelers appreciate reliability when choosing their destination, which is a cooking class or culture that allows travelers to gain a deeper sense of place. It led to a boom in experiences such as workshops. Interestingly, it also applies to group and multigen travel, and how a “slower” more mindful approach is accepted across generations. It is shown. ”
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, you can find hot spots for tourists beginning to be creeked by their popularity weight. As long as you avoid it, 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. Avoid popular hot spots and work closely with travel experts. By designing 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 slowly snakes through beautiful scenery, staring at the sight, descending when you choose, and living along the various rivers around the world You can experience the rhythm of the
And other examples? Garrett has been a scenic train journey (many operators including cultural excursions celebrating the history and cuisine of the region), stargazing in Kalahari (with powerful storytelling), swimming, hiking in Montenegro, and A foodie holiday or the opportunity to experience the forests in Japan bathing or water saving (traditional hot springs) is her list, especially if you build in time to explore, relax, reset and reset. It is at the top of the Reconnect with people, places, and planets.
