The year is nearing its end. 2019 will be over soon, and 2020 will come, marking a new decade. New decades bring new things, hopefully better than the previous ones. People often hope, but rarely do they turn their attention to the practical things around them. One of the worst things you can do is follow trends without considering the implications on your life.

In travel, that can mean a lot of things, from packing poorly and ending up being sick, to breaking a country’s law due to negligence. Looking back at the 2010s, here are the worst and best travel trends.

Best Trends

Slow Travel

Slow travel is a way of experiencing something new, but not rushing it. It is a movement which stems from the 1980s where people wanted to counter the fast food chains of McDonalds.

This also led to a change in mentality, with people starting to enjoy the local cuisine much more, sitting down for a meal, waiting for at least half an hour until it is prepared. Not only that, but people stopped rushing and started to enjoy the new culture around them, paying serious attention to what is going on, not just running around, taking shots of the local sights. Slow travel does not mean going on foot from own city to another, but rather, taking your time to actually explore your destination.

Design Hotels

Walking in one of these hotels, and you already know that you are inside one. The looks tell you everything. Your senses are turned to 11 and you do not even know where to look and what to feel first.

These hotels do not have to be expensive, mind you, but rather, unique in an unexpected way. Buildings which once served a different purpose are often the best foundations for such a hotel, like old banks from the 1920s or a forgotten train station. With the right designer, any room can be turned into a beautiful sight. But there are also outlandish hotels built by fashion giants like Armani and Versace. You can expect these to have slightly higher prices than your local AirBnB.

The Worst

Too Many Tourists

Going to a famous city or sight during tourist season which is summer most of the time will put you in a rather strange situation. You will most likely not be able to see the sight you wanted to due to large crowds. The answer is going to either less popular, local places, or to visiting these large cities and sights when the tourists are not there and when the weather might not be accommodating. Have in mind, you shouldn’t climb Everest during winter unless you are great at alpinism. 

Instagram Overload

Everyone, everywhere is taking a photo or video, to post on Instagram. It is the most popular social media for sharing photos and it is used all the time, especially by tourists. Using your phone all the time, taking photos, might get you in trouble, if you take a photo of somebody or something, which you shouldn’t. Holding a phone in your hand all the time means that you are definitely not experiencing the world around you, which is a waste of precious travel time.

These are the best and worst travel trends of the decade, trends which will hopefully be changed in the 2020s.