Travel Trends 2024 (Part 3): Design Trends And Sleep Science

20.11.2023 - 17:07 / forbes.com

In this series of articles, I talk to a wide range of travel experts, insiders and luxury brands to find out more about the future of travel for next year and beyond. In Part 1, I wrote about the search for authentic travel and how technology can elevate travel experiences. For Part 2, I spoke to Black Tomato about the rise in people wanting to capture special moments through travel experiences. Today, I take a deep dive into the rise of sustainable architecture, the trend of happy hotel design and the quest for the best of sleep science.

TREND 5: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Why biophilic architecture is tapping into a new zeitgeist.

In Booking.com’s just-released, annualTravel Predictions 2024 trends report, the company spoke to more than 27,000 travellers across 33 countries and territories. The digital platform discovered that 66% of respondents thought that they were the best versions of themselves while on holiday. As a result, to explore how travel will transport people out of autopilot and into unleashing their best lives, the company came up with seven ‘prediction personas’ for travel in 2024. One of these is ‘Mindful Aesthetes’—wherein the intersection of design and mindfulness will influence travel in 2024. These are travellers who have a desire to make more conscious and responsible choices as a way of life.

“The world of travel is poised for a sustainable makeover,” says the report. “Over half (53%) of travelers are seeking accommodation that blends comfort with innovative sustainability features. They crave the serenity of nature indoors, with 65% desiring green spaces and plants in their stays. Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it's a lifestyle. Travellers are keen on eco-friendly choices and, even more so, on app rewards for making sustainable decisions (60%).”

Exclusive Collectionis a group of luxury hotels found across the UK – including Pennyhill Park in Surrey and South Lodge in Sussex. Danny Pecorelli, managing director agrees that sustainable architecture has never been so important. “While we’re continuing to better the environmental impacts of our historic country houses across the collection, we also see a great opportunity to use innovative sustainable design with any new builds,” he says. “For example, we have worked with Felce & Guy Architects on The Reeds at South Lodge, launching in 2024—eight luxury lakeside lodges using a rapid root pile system. This is a concrete-free foundation system using recycled aluminium poles, which have a lower carbon footprint and do not impact the roots of mature trees surrounding the lake.”

Hotel design company, Premier, which designed Renaissance Palm Springs comments about biophilia design. Senior design director, Abby Shehan, says: “For