The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is no longer driving travel, as travellers increasingly look to less crowded destinations, though the You Only Live Once (YOLO) mentality remains.
That’s according to Global Rescue’s latest Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, which found that FOMO has been replaced by JOMO, the joy of missing out.
Some 66% of those surveyed said they are more interested in escaping crowded tourist destinations. In fact, just 15% state they are interested in holidays that feature as many activities as possible to avoid missing out. YOLO-driven travel continued to rise, shows the survey, with 68% of respondents saying they are much more or somewhat more interested in prioritising once-in-a-lifetime experiences, spontaneity and bucket-list adventures than they were a year ago. The Global Rescue company’s ceo Dan Richards, attributes the trend to travellers choosing experiences that are personally meaningful rather than simply popular. “Experienced travellers are becoming more intentional about how they spend their time abroad,” he says. “Instead of chasing crowds, they’re seeking authenticity, flexibility and memorable experiences.”
Value for money is something else being factored in, with 31% of travellers saying they are more interested in selecting destinations based on value.
“People aren’t travelling to impress others or recreate what they’ve seen online,” adds Richards. “They’re travelling to create experiences that matter to them personally.”
