2019 Travel Trend Experience Guide: How to Play This Year

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
 
As the year comes to a close, many people have already started planning their trips for 2019. Drawing from reviews and surveys of Taiwanese travelers compiled by a well-known hotel booking website, we analyze the “Top Eight Travel Trends for 2019” among Taiwanese travelers. Travel is no longer limited to sightseeing and leisure—it now also encompasses self-fulfillment and environmental protection. High-quality, in-depth mini-trips are also gaining popularity among travelers.
 

1. Learning-Based Travel & Self-Fulfillment
Travel is more than just sightseeing—it now carries deeper meaning related to self-fulfillment and personal growth, including learning new things along the way. An increasing number of Gen Z individuals are seeking hands-on experience through internships, travel, and similar activities. Most Taiwanese travelers hope to acquire new skills by participating in cultural exchange programs, and among various types of learning-based travel, volunteer tourism and work-and-travel programs are the most popular.

 

2. Tech-Driven Travel Is Key
With increasingly busy schedules, modern travelers value convenience and practicality in trip-planning tools—such as using apps to track luggage in real time or managing itineraries, transportation, and accommodations all with a few taps. In recent years, the development of cutting-edge technologies like AI, VR, and voice recognition has paved the way for new tech-driven travel planning solutions that offer greater convenience. Nearly 30% of Taiwanese travelers are eager to try voice-activated travel assistants, and explore destinations in advance through augmented reality (AR).

 

3. Space Travel & Exploration Know No Bounds
As aerospace technology advances, NASA is investing more in orbital flights and plans to build a near-moon space station next year—making space tourism perhaps more than just a movie plot. According to statistics, nearly 40% of Taiwanese travelers are very excited about the prospect of space travel.
 
Before space travel becomes a reality, thrill-seeking travelers continue to explore other hidden wonders of the Earth. Nearly 60% of Taiwanese travelers are willing to try underwater accommodations to explore the ocean’s depths. Many unique types of lodging have emerged in response to travelers’ love for novelty.

 

4. The Desire to Stand Out: Personalized Travel Is the Future
Generic travel guidebooks are being replaced by highly personalized, accurate content. Travelers hope to access information easily and quickly—often with just a few taps on their phones. According to statistics, over half of Taiwanese travelers prefer it when others recommend travel itineraries, and they want travel brands to leverage AI and similar technologies to offer suggestions based on past travel experiences. They also look forward to enjoying a more customized travel experience through new technologies such as digital guides.