In the rush of day-to-day life, we don’t always have the opportunity to slow down and move at our own pace. Even on vacation, there’s an urge to visit, do and taste as many things as possible in a new destination or multiple destinations.
“I’ve heard countless times how exhausted people are when they come back from their vacation and feel like they ‘need a vacation from their vacation,’ and that’s because many times we pack so much into a very short amount of time,” said travel blogger Esther Susag. “We want to see everything, do everything, and not waste a minute.”
There is, however, another approach to globetrotting that many seasoned tourists recommend: slow travel. But what exactly is slow travel, and how do you take full advantage of this kind of trip? Below, travel experts break it down.
What exactly is slow travel?
“Slow travel is about quality over quantity,” said Phil Dengler, a co-founder of travel information site The Vacationer. “It is also about immersing yourself in the local culture. Traditional vacations often involve seeing as many things as possible in a short time. While there is nothing wrong with that, it can feel very superficial. It can also feel overwhelming and not like the ideal relaxing vacation.”
As the name suggests, slow travel generally entails slowing down and savoring each moment, rather than rushing to check off bucket list items.
“Slow travel may mean different things to different travelers, but I define it as staying in one place for longer and going deeper into the local culture,” said Paul Jacobs, general manager and vice president of Kayak North America. “It’s taking the time to make real connections with locals versus jam-packing a schedule full of tours. It’s staying in Kyoto at a Ryokan instead of city hopping throughout Asia.”
He believes slow travel is becoming increasingly popular and pointed to data that shows the length of hotel stays is already up 10% in 2023 compared to last year. Still, slow travel doesn’t necessarily require long stays in one place.
“For me, slow traveling isn’t necessarily about the number of days you are spending in a place,” said travel blogger Sean Lau. “You can slow travel with just a few days or with a few months ― it all depends on the level of connection you would like with your destination, allowing you to gain a deeper appreciation of the culture and understand the local environment better.”
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