Travel Expert Mark Ellwood Reveals 2023 Travel Trends

January 13, 2023 Vacationer Staff

Decorated journalist and LGBT travel expert Mark Ellwood recently appeared on The Today Show to discuss travel trends for 2023. The following is a brief recap of what was discussed with valuable information for any Vacationer on the move this year.

Solo Female Travel

Surveys show that in 2023 women will look to travel alone more often than usual. This is not to say that it will exclusively be a single woman’s travel market, quite the contrary. Increasingly more women in relationships are looking to get some “me time” or have a trip with friends, as opposed to spouses, in order to blow off some steam. One recommended place to stay for a single woman or a group of friends to stay, according to Ellwood, is LoLo Pass in Portland, Oregon. The property is described as an upscale hostel with designated female-only zones and is located near some of the best skiing and snow tubing opportunities in Oregon.

Retro Travel

According to Booking.com, people are looking for nostalgic trips away to some of their favorite movie locations, otherwise known as “Setjetting”, or locations that remind them of their childhood. For this Ellwood recommends a classic Olympic location at Eastwind, a retro motor lodge located in Lake Placid, which hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Glamping

During the pandemic, many of us experienced a “return to nature” since our options for outdoor activities were extremely limited. That is a trend that has continued into 2023 and Huttopia can help facilitate that for you. Providing higher-end tents in an ecologically friendly way, meaning no trees are cut down to make room for your campsite, Huttopia provides the creature comforts that enable travelers to enjoy more of a glamping experience, as opposed to the hardcore ‘sleeping bags on the dirt floor’ experience of traditional camping. With locations already in operation in New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Southern California, in addition to a few international locations, this company has plans to keep expanding with this particular travel trend.

Destination Family Reunions

The pandemic also taught us the importance of family as many of us were isolated from our loved ones for nearly two years. Now that traveling is an option again, people are choosing to meet up with family in exotic or touristy destinations. For this Ellwood recommends Salt Lake City, Utah as a meetup point because not only is it a great location for wintertime sports; but it’s also a Delta hub, meaning there are hundreds of direct flights there.

Cruising

While gay cruising has always been a preferred vacation option for us, 2023 will see a boom in the cruising industry at large due to the ease in COVID testing restrictions and the all-inclusive value per ticket provided by most cruise companies. Ellwood recommends Holland America for its price point and diversity of locations.