TRAVEL TRENDS

WHILE TRAVEL IS BOOMING AGAIN, THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE LIVE AND WORK. WE EXPLORE SOME TRENDS THAT HAVE EMERGED POST-COVID.

As the world stood still, many of us turned our attention to seeking out experiences closer to home. Along with this renewed appreciation for the beauty contained within our own borders, we also became eager to spread our wings and adventure further afield. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and post-pandemic we are finally getting to embrace our love of travel once again.

The time we spent in lockdown has undoubtedly changed the way we travel, in many ways for the better. Ticking off those bucket-list experiences has taken on a new tone, with a growing focus on quality time with loved ones, genuine cultural engagement and reconnecting with the natural world.

Diving into the rich culture of a new destination is perfectly tempered by our heightened appreciation of the outdoors.

Where a walk was for a while the highlight of many days, now the chance of once-in-a-lifetime experiences amid the world’s natural wonders holds fresh allure. Having been allowed to flourish during the pandemic, dense forests, rippling streams and native wildlife are abundant. A true breath of fresh air awaits in a trip that combines the urban and the provincial, and outdoorsy is the next in thing.

This year, we’re finding ways to embrace a whole new kind of travel. Whether you have global connections to rekindle, new ones to discover or loved ones to bring along with you, the opportunities for adventure are endless.

Where you go is important, but who you go there with is what makes those special moments remain with you forever. And by combining a trip with the flexibility that remote work can bring, we can look fondly back on days spent at home on our laptops while bathing in the glow of a new adventure and a healthy work-life balance.

@anantaraspawellness

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#FRIENDTRIPS

After Covid restricted simple pleasures like meeting for dinner, and forced us to cancel long-awaited reunions, #friendtrips have become popular. Travelling with friends in a small, intimate group enables connection while enjoying experiences together.

#NATURE

Embracing the vastness of the great outdoors has never been more enticing. This trend sits harmoniously with the wish to enjoy more sustainable experiences and locations. Science has long told us of the many benefits of connecting with nature, such as lower cortisol levels, improved sleep and boosting your immunity. So whether it’s a forest hike, a safari drive, dining under the stars, or simply listening to the natural rhythms of waves gently lapping the shore, ensure you take time to connect to nature.

#BIGFAMILY

At long last, big family gettogethers are back on the agenda. Families are taking multi-room private residences, and seeking resorts with on-site luxuries and interconnecting suites and rooms, giving them time to reconnect outside the home.

#DIGITALNOMAD

While holidays give us time to step away from the stresses of work, there’s been a sharp rise in the number of digital nomads – people who are locationindependent and able to deliver their work remotely while expanding their horizons and contributing to local economies.

#GOLOCAL

Travellers are cognisant of creating positive impacts on the communities they are visiting, from eating and shopping local, to immersing themselves into local cultural activities that directly give back to those communities.

#WELLNESS

Our pursuit of holistic wellness – which comprises health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep and mindfulness – dates back thousands of years, referenced across religions that seek harmony with the mind, body and spirit, such as Buddhism and Taoism, as well as by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

Today, it’s a US$1.5tr industry and set to grow at around 5-10% per year, and omnipresent as wearables and apps that help us monitor ourselves. When coupled with a holiday, a wellness break allows individuals to step away from daily life and immerse themselves into that most precious of commodities: time for oneself.

Comprehensive wellness screenings, conducted in luxury resort-style facilities, have become highly sought after. The offering is a natural extension to the always popular day spa experience.

At the BDMS Wellness Clinic Retreat at Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, signature screening programmes are expertly tailored to the individual following a wide gamut of examinations and testing, such as hormone testing, fitness assessment, blood analysis, and a respiration check. Guests can also undertake DNA telomeres measurement and analysis, which offers key insights to help you properly plan for today and your future health, and forms a key element of the ‘prevention is better than cure’ ethos of BDMS’s health practitioners.

The credentials of BDMS (Bangkok Dusit Medical Services) speaks for itself. They are Thailand’s largest operator of private hospitals with over 50 facilities across Thailand and Cambodia, with the BDMS Wellness Clinic Asia’s premier healthcare facility.

Inside And Out

Guests can also book in for beauty and aesthetic treatments, such as Advanced Deep Skin Nourishment, Juvéderm Fillers and personalised face creams; bespoke supplements created by the in-house Royal Compounding Pharmacy; and IV Drip treatments which boost immunity, balance inflammation and strengthen cells. BDMS offers five options, including the 30-60min aptly named Detox, which promotes health benefits related to cardiovascular, neurological, and immune systems, and helps to stimulate the production of collagen for overall skin health.