In response to the pandemic, many tourism business owners and frequent travellers are adopting a new movement – slow travel. But what exactly is ‘slow travel’?
Slow travel is essentially an approach to travel, one that emphasises a connection to the place that you are visiting, the culture, the scenery, the food, the people, and more. To travel slow is to be more sustainable, think fewer air miles, and more time enjoying the journey. Slow travel is saying no to mass tourism and yes to sustainability and giving back to the place that you are visiting and the people that live there. It’s a bit of a mindset really, with both personal and environmental benefits to be reaped.
For years now, society has become more and more obsessed with travel, and by travel, we mean seeing as many places as physically possible in an allocated time. Jumping from city to seaside and cramming as many ‘authentic’ and ‘cultural’ experiences in as you can, becoming the Instagram envy of all your family and friends. Influencers are largely to blame, as well as increasingly low airfares, budget airlines and new and quicker routes to new destinations around the globe.
Of course, all of these things aren’t necessarily bad! We’ve been spoilt rotten and now that we have experienced what it is to be officially grounded without notice, we’re all experiencing a serious case of wanderlust. As they say, don’t let the things you don’t have spoil the things you have, and here in the UK we’ve got a great deal on our doorstep to enjoy and appreciate.
You could say that glamping is synonymous with slow travel; imagine a dome in the depths of the Dartmoor forest, a stone’s throw from a surfer’s paradise in Cornwall, or nestled in a valley in the historic Peak District. When we travel in turbo mode, we often miss the minor details and the intricacies that make a place unique and remarkable. You may have ticked all the boxes on your travel to-do list, but you probably feel exhausted and certainly not replenished.
Now, as the world begins to open its eyes and shake off the dust, travellers are itching to once more discover and explore, but this time with a new perspective. Staycations, glamping, off-grid accommodation and road trips have all become popular throughout the pandemic and we believe that they are trends that are here to stay. The concept of slow travel has been amplified by the social restrictions that we have found ourselves in for sure, but it can only be a good thing!