As we wrap the end of a record-breaking summer, we’re seeing climate change continue to directly impact the travel, hospitality and culinary industries. According to NASA, July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, with a global average temperature of 62.9 degrees Fahrenheit/17.16 degrees Celsius. From promoting travel during cooler time periods to revamping airline meals, the travel industry, including hotels, airlines and restaurants, has had to adapt to meet the needs of travelers and diners amid ongoing climate change and global warming.
The following is a summary of global travel and hospitality trends and industry shifts that our PR teams in the U.S., UK and Europe have compiled from recent media feedback, industry conferences, articles and webinars:
TRENDS IMPACTING THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
- Season Stretching: Shoulder season travel has grown in popularity throughout 2024 as more and more travelers are booking outside of peak windows, likely to avoid the growing heat and tourist crowds. Globetrender reported that British Airways Holidays has seen a spike in bookings up to October, noting that the average search for fall vacations has risen for destinations such as Malta (+77%) and Crete (+40%). The same can be seen in the U.S., as according to Deloitte’s 2024 Summer Travel Survey, there has been a consistent shift toward more post–Labor Day trips over the past three summers. This is most popular among Boomers, with 1 in 5 taking their marquee summer trip after the holiday.
- Climate Change’s Impact on Dining: Climate change is escalating a global food crisis, with mass ripples being felt across the industry. Heat waves are causing restaurant kitchen temperatures to rise to unsafe levels, chefs are pivoting their menus due to ingredient scarcity, and Korean Air announced it will no longer be serving cups of instant ramyeon (Korean spelling for ramen) due to spikes in turbulence frequency. To combat this, the James Beard Foundation has launched the “Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival” campaign, which brings together chefs from across the country to raise awareness, educate federal policymakers and galvanize action to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Clients interested in participating can sign up here.
- Astrotourism: Astrotourism is gaining momentum again. Reports show that nighttime light pollution affects nearly 80% of the world, encouraging travelers to head to specific destinations to see the stars. This has previously been a popular topic in the travel pages and is resurging as the nights start to get darker and peak Northern Lights season is just around the corner.
- Young Travelers Driving Regenerative Tourism: According to Skift’s State of Travel 2024, climate change/environmental sustainability and the impact of tourism on communities and cultural preservation are the two most important issues for Millennial and Gen Z travelers. In addition, a report conducted by TravelPerk found that companies are having to increase their business travel budgets in order to attract younger talent, as Gen Zers prioritize work-related travel as a way of exploring new places and cultures. The travel and tourism industry is leading the way on this, with 60% of companies planning to increase their travel budgets.
- Sustainable Business Meetings: Skift’s State of Travel 2024 also found that climate change is requiring the meetings and events industry to implement more sustainable practices. With growing pressure for better sustainability reporting and more responsible and transparent event planning, we’re seeing a rise in demand for smaller events, regional meetings and nontraditional spaces due to their lower environmental impact.
U.S. MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
- Travel + Leisure has hired Grace Smith as its newest content updates editor. Smith will be updating, fact-checking and editing across the site, in addition to some writing. Smith has covered travel, lifestyle and more for outlets such as Cosmopolitan, People, Town & Country, Food & Wine, Byrdie, TripSavvy, Real Simple and others.
- Joni Sweet has joined Yahoo as a travel and lifestyle contributor. She also contributes to National Geographic, Lonely Planet, TIME, Forbes and more.
- United Airlines announced that the September issue of Hemispheres will be its last. The publication will continue to produce digital content.
- “CBS Evening News” will move back to New York and get a reboot that makes it more reminiscent of the long-running Sunday newsmagazine “60 Minutes” as part of a series of sweeping changes planned for the venerable broadcast later this year.
- Sue Campbell has been appointed food and culture editor at the Star Tribune, where she has led arts, food and features content for the past nine years.
UK MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND SHIFTS
- Lauren Ho, who has returned to her role of travel director at Wallpaper* after a three-year hiatus, will continue her role as the European academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Hotels.
- OK! is shifting to a digital-first format.
- Natalie Marsh is leaving Travel Weekly and will be starting at The Telegraph, working on hotel reviews.
- Eve Simmons has been appointed health editor at Mail Online.
Lisa Joyner has been appointed deputy digital editor at Country Living and House Beautiful.
