Now arriving: new travel audiences

I was days away from flying to Austin when we started hearing guidance about COVID-19 restrictions. Like so many around the world, I canceled my trip at the last second. Suddenly my calendar went from multiple trips a month, to zero.

As we all adjusted to staying home, we dreamt about getting away again. My personal Pinterest boards show just how much wanderlust took hold: I saved Pins for everywhere from Charleston to Scotland.

A year later, there’s pent-up demand, and people can’t wait to get out again. It’s clear that when people feel ready to travel again, they’ll make it a priority. On Pinterest, travel engagement is at an all-time high—even when you look at the year before COVID.

Travel searches on Pinterest increased 60% year over year.¹ And those searches are turning all the pent-up demand into real bookings. According to GlobalWebIndex, 7 out of 10 people are planning a vacation this year.²

What’s more: the pool of travelers grew, too. It’s not just former road warriors causing the increase in demand. On Pinterest, our travel audience is up 40% from 2019—giving you more travelers to reach on Pinterest than ever before.¹

As restrictions begin to ease, traveling will certainly look different than what we were used to. But it’s not just about health screenings and hand sanitizer. People’s priorities have changed, too.

Gone are copycat itineraries and trips by obligation. Today’s travelers are looking for more meaningful experiences that cater to personal passions and help them build connections.

Coming out of COVID, you’ll also see new types of travelers emerge. Based on our data, we’ve identified eight travel personas that are growing in importance for travel marketers: Bucket Listers, Culture Chasers, Digital Nomads, Foodie Travelers, Memory Makers, Outdoor Junkies, Rural Tourists and Weekend Travelers.

Here’s a closer look at three of the personas that have grown rapidly this past year.

When you’re trying to get away from crowds, rural getaways are the way to go. Rural Tourists seek places with space to spread out, like Oregon and Vermont. They’re also on the hunt for small town gems with cozy character and quaint shopping streets.³

Staying in made people crave the outdoors. This traveler segment saw massive growth during COVID, driving interest for outdoor adventures all over the world. Think places like Montana, Lake Tahoe—and Tanzania.²

Say hello to a new kind of road warrior. Greater flexibility and fewer real-world commitments means more people are taking their working lives on the road. Digital Nomads are especially interested in places like Puerto Rico and Hawaii (can’t blame them!).

This new era brings new opportunities for the travel industry. As interest in safe, meaningful travel continues to grow, people will turn to travel brands for itinerary ideas, trip support and more.

It’s time to rethink not only how we travel, but also how we use consumer insights to shape travel products and services. Here are a few ideas to get you started: