We are travel enthusiasts who do not claim to be professionals! Instead we are two Halifax, NS natives with travel blogs who somehow found one another on the internet and now, we have a podcast!!
Join us every week as we talk about our favourite destinations, travel tips, travel fails and all things travel!
We have a big passion for travelling and talking about travel so we hope you will listen and join the conversation.
We are travel enthusiasts who do not claim to be professionals! Instead we are two Halifax, NS natives with travel blogs who somehow found one another on the internet and now, we have a podcast!!
Join us every week as we talk about our favourite destinations, travel tips, travel fails and all things travel!
We have a big passion for travelling and talking about travel so we hope you will listen and join the conversation.
Hey everyone. Welcome back to the travel mug podcast. I am Jenn joined by my partner in podcasting, Meggan. How are you today, Meggan? I think when this episode comes out you will be in Iceland. I'm so excited
Meggan:
Hopefully I'll be, I mean, today was fine, but hopefully, hopefully I'll be having a really great day that day. But yeah, no, things are, things are good. The weekend's been nice. So, you know, all is well. How about you?
Jenn:
I'm pretty good. We're doing some home renovation stuff, so are, yes, we're almost at the finish line for a couple of projects, so that feels really nice. So this week we thought it would be fun to discuss some current travel trends, and then Whether or not we would be down to do them.
Meggan:
Right. That's, that's the question after each one.
Jenn:
So Meggan, kick us off with something that I've actually never heard of until we were planning this episode.
Meggan:
Yeah. And I think some of the thing we probably both learned as we were doing our research is some of these may not be brand new travel trends, but for some reason in 2024, they have definitely popped up as more popular. So if you've heard of these before, that could be why, but the first one, yeah, it's quite interesting. So it's called silent tourism. So Picture the world we live in right now. So it is full of 24 hour news cycles, cell phones with constant alerts regarding breaking news, new texts, or emails you've received. Someone's always wanting to be in touch. So, somehow, or us as individuals are guilty as well, being unable to disconnect from our devices, wanting that sort of next dopamine hit or whatever it is. well, silent tourism can take us away from it all. If we let it. So, silent tourism is essentially about serenity, and there seems to be a few different ways to attain this. So wellness retreats seem to be a big part of it, which include meditation, use of soft voices. Uh, there are also tranquil hotels, which encourage their guests to truly relax and rest. So solo travel, is on the rise with a lot of like silent walks and hiking excursions taking place. One spot we've heard about this from a past guest is the Camino de Santiago, as an example where people can journey alone through amazing scenery on long walks, connecting not only with themselves, but like the environment around them. Some people are truly seeking the tranquility of disconnecting from the digital world and sometimes other people,, find some peace and then come back in tune with themselves and the world around them really depends on what you're looking for. So the trend does go back a bit. I found an article actually from orbits. com that will link in the show notes from 2017, which actually talks about silent hotels, offering silent meals. Do not talk to me while I'm eating. silent hours, silent spas and more. So it isn't necessarily new, but I think in the world we're in today, it's definitely something that's coming back to the forefront. So I've got to ask Jenn, would you do it?
Jenn:
I don't think I could do it. Um, disconnecting.
Meggan:
I don't think it's possible.
Jenn:
I just don't think it's possible. Disconnecting sounds lovely. Um, like from the, the phone and the internet and all of that scrolling dopamine hit stuff, but I need other people to talk to. I might be able to make it through an afternoon, but I, I just, and I don't know if I would enjoy it and maybe I would get a benefit from it if I actually forced myself to do it, but I can't see myself booking a vacation to be silent.
Meggan:
Yeah, yeah, and I think that's going to be a trend for a lot of these. Would you book a vacation specifically for these things? And for me with this one, uh, honestly, if I was alone, I think I would. So this may surprise you, but I'm actually not a huge talker in my everyday life. For my job, I am, but not like my daily life. And maybe that's not my hand in my daily life cause I'm just done. Um, but if I was traveling alone, I think it sounds amazing, but also not for too long, I guess is my caveat. So I could definitely do a weekend, completely disconnect, talk in a quiet voice, eat meals in quiet. Like that sounds amazing. Now, if it's a longer trip. Maybe some quiet time or silent time, but not the whole thing. Like, I don't feel I need to disconnect that badly in my life. Um, so for a short time, yes. Longer time, maybe little drips and drizzles, I guess.
Jenn:
hmm. Yeah. All right. Our next trend is astro tourism, and despite what it sounds like, it does not mean traveling to space, which is what I thought it was when I first heard of it, um, which, traveling to space is possible if you are super, super rich, and, Maybe a little bit crazy, so, you know, not for me. Anyway, what astrotourism does mean is traveling to witness astrological phenomena like meteors showers, eclipses, even just like stargazing, and the northern lights would be on this list as well. So, Mostly you'll be traveling to like remote locations with little to no light pollution. And companies are definitely jumping on the bandwagon of this trend. And we've recently saw, saw this in Atlantic Canada, like so many people I know traveled to New Brunswick to witness the solar eclipse that we had on April the 8th and Niagara Falls in Canada actually declared the state of emergency. As over 1 million people were expected to visit this not that large town to witness the solar eclipse. So, yeah, it doesn't necessarily have to be for an eclipse. It could be for the, the Northern Lights, but, uh, I think it is getting more popular. So, Meggan, would you do it?
Meggan:
If it was convenient, yes. I don't think I would go out of my way to do it, especially not an eclipse. Um, it's such a short period of time to make such a large effort if it's not close to you. I do, of course, hope to see the Northern Lights someday. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, it would be on there. But who knows, maybe someday I could see them from here, as many people really did just recently., so I might not have to travel for that. Um, but overall for me, this is a, a, a kind of a no as of right now. Again, in 10 years, maybe eclipses will become my obsession. I don't know.
Jenn:
you never know.
Meggan:
58 year old Meggan could be different than 48 year old Meggan, so we'll see. But as of right now, no. What about you?
Jenn:
Yeah, I, I agree. You know, when we had the eclipse, I was like, eh, I don't really care about this. But then I started getting FOMO as like literally everybody I knew was like posting about it. And I was like, oh man, I wish I had those glasses. But at no point was I like, I wish I had driven six or seven hours to New Brunswick to watch this. So like there's that line So I I would probably do it but I I wouldn't like make it the entire point of my trip We did see the northern lights in iceland and it wasn't like the whole point of the trip, but it definitely was a big highlight so I would like to go to like the Northwest Territories, uh, and see, like, see the Northern Lights in Canada as well. I think that would be really cool. I do have trouble, um, getting up or staying awake that late in the night sometimes, but that's okay. When they had them here, I was like, should I set my alarm for 3 a. m. and go out and look? And then I was like, no, I don't, no, thank you. But yeah, I probably wouldn't. base my entire trip around it, but if I happen to be somewhere where something cool is happening, I'd probably take it in. So, similar to you.
Meggan:
Yeah, and I mean if there's people out there like travel like traveling for these specific reasons to like bless your hearts for finding something that you love that much, you
Jenn:
Yeah, no, it is, it's super cool. There's actually going to be an eclipse. I can't remember what the year is going to be, but it is like, basically through Disney World, like you're going to be able to be, you're in the path of totality, and I'm like, I can only imagine how crazy the parks are going to be on that day because people are going to want to view the eclipse from Disney World.
Meggan:
Yeah, no, for sure. I think there's one in Iceland too in 26.
Jenn:
Okay.
Meggan:
Yeah. Yeah. All right. So next up we have regenerative Tourism, what you say? So this is one is tricky because people often think, Oh, well, that's sustainable travel. So kind of lumps them together. But through some research, we learned that it is actually about tourism that leaves things better than they found them. So it is based in indigenous teachings and science in that we all take care of the environment around us and actually improve what we find as we pass through it, whether it is human, human made or natural. So this, along with sustainable travel is, of course, all about the care of the world around us. The idea is the same, but it seems regenerative travel, actually takes it a step further. It is about giving back more than you take. So some examples of what that could be is choosing hikes that are done in remote locations with unique flora, fauna, and animals. But none of these things are touched or disturbed. Choosing a regenerative resort where you can either donate to a local school or plant a tree while you're there. Staying in accommodations that help support the sustainable revenue streams for conservation. So the idea is to visit somewhere and do something while you're there that makes it actually even better when you leave it. So donating your time, donating money, doing something and leaving it better than you found it. So we will link an article about it so that you can read up on it yourself and dig in deeper if you wish, with some ideas actually of places to stay, or visit to help you participate in this type of tourism. So would we do it? Jenn,
Jenn:
I mean, this is super cool. And it's another one that I hadn't heard of before either, but I love the idea of it. And I mean, like, realistically, we should always be thinking like this, right? Like, not just when we travel. And I feel like it could be as simple as whenever you go on a local hike, like, take a trash bag with you or a little bag to, like, pick up some garbage. Or, like, it can be as easy as that to, like, Put this into your everyday life. So, yeah, I love this and, uh, I will be keeping this in mind.
Meggan:
same. And I hadn't heard of it, honestly, before this either. And I love the idea of it. I'm sure on our travels in the past, we've donated to things along the way. There's something that we've done, I'm sure, along the way. But the overall concept of leaving something better than you found it, you're exactly right, is how we should all be thinking in our everyday lives, including travel. So yes, this is a huge yes for me. So what's next?
Jenn:
What is next? So, Meggan, have you seen the classic movie, The Holiday?
Meggan:
I have.
Jenn:
I, I feel like everybody listening who is in our age, age ranges has definitely seen this movie. So of course we're going to be talking about home swapping. So accommodations are one of the most expensive parts of travel, so it makes sense that people are trying to find a way around that. So I feel like it can be quite scary to, like, think about opening up your home to a stranger to, like, swap with, but there are several platforms that exist. So Home Exchange and Kindred are two options. On Home Exchange, you pay a membership fee. It's 220. I assume U. S. dollars per year, and you get unlimited home exchanges. So you go stay in someone's home, someone comes and stay in your home. So, uh, on the other hand, on Kindred, you pay a cleaning fee and a service fee per stay, which is like the fra a fraction of a cost of what, like, an Airbnb or a hotel would be. And then I've also heard of trusted house sitters. I actually had someone message me about this once. it's essentially a home swap for people with pets, so you don't necessarily have to swap, but if you're traveling, someone comes and stays in your house and looks after your animals, which it's an interesting thought. So Maybe you'll homeswap and you'll find your Jude Law. Who knows?
Meggan:
Maybe, maybe so. Now, the big question is, would you do it?
Jenn:
Would I do it? I think I would. I don't know. I haven't like seriously considered it, but especially if I was planning to travel somewhere for like a longer period of time, like a month versus like a week. I don't know if I would do it for a week and it, it does seem weird to like open your home up to strangers. But then again, I use Rover, which is essentially someone, a stranger coming to stay at my house, uh,, to look after my animals. And these platforms do like vet people. You do have to submit, stuff that says you are who you say you are. So, I mean, I just, I don't Also wanted to note, though, that your personal home insurance doesn't cover, like, short term rentals. And these platforms do have some coverage that comes with it, just in case something goes wrong. But you might wanna, you know, if you're gonna be doing this a lot, I would just ask your, uh, home insurance what, extra coverage you might need. Just in case! Hopefully nothing goes wrong, but just in case.
Meggan:
That mean, I mean, I think that only makes sense. as for me, we live in an apartment, so I don't think that would be quite as applicable. If I had a house, maybe. I, I really can't say for sure. It's one of those things that like, Yeah, it would be cool, but also like, what if you leave a camera in my house? Like, I don't know. I'm so suspicious of everyone and all of their motives, and maybe they don't have any, but I think they do. So, I really, I really probably not, but I was, it's not a definite no for me.
Jenn:
Right, that's fair.
Meggan:
Yes. Now, The next one, I mean, this is a duh one, like, of course. So the next one is culinary tourism. It's exactly what you think it is, my friends, the exploration of food as the purpose of tourism. So in other words, traveling with the purpose of eating. So of course, it is about a little bit more than that, as you can imagine. So you are likely, but not always, to be seeking more unique food and drink experiences when you're traveling in this method and experiences, of course, that allow you to taste and enjoy ingredients and recipes from the local culture and area that you're visiting. So it isn't just about the actual food, but also how we eat it. Where we eat it and when we eat it, and it can teach us about local customs, history, and perspectives on food., this one I'm sure has been around for a while, but the idea of travelling to eat and experiencing travel through the food and the things you learn about it, to me, It's just like a fascinating concept and would I do it or not? It's a no brainer for me, although I cannot imagine planning a whole trip around just visiting destinations to eat there, but also why wouldn't you want to do that?
Jenn:
Right?
Meggan:
Now, Peter's not a big foodie. He loves, he enjoys eating, but he's not a huge foodie. So this would have to be something I would do with someone who also like, love, loves food and loves, loves to eat, um, and also has a lot of like stretchy pants in their wardrobe that could join me on this adventure. So I would, I mean, maybe someday, so I'm going to give this a potential yes.
Jenn:
Yeah. I mean, obviously. I mean, I have planned local trips around certain restaurants. Uh, for sure. Like, I haven't planned a plane ride trip, but I have driven a couple of hours to go eat at a specific place, so, like, I've done local culinary tourism, I guess. But I, I often go to a destination with a list of places to eat or a list of different foods to try. So, I'm kind of already doing it, I feel like, a little bit. But, yeah. I'm just thinking about, like, planning an entire trip around Italy over, like, what you're going to eat.
Meggan:
that's what I was just thinking. I'm like eating you way through Italy.
Jenn:
Oh, yes, please. I'll, uh, sign me up for that one.
Meggan:
Exactly. Exactly. Maybe we'll have to take the podcast someday.
Jenn:
Yeah.
Meggan:
All right. What's the what's the last one we're gonna talk about?
Jenn:
Okay, so the last thing we're going to talk about is wellness, tourism, and cosmetic tourism, which are two different things, but I'm rolling them into one here, so wellness tourism definitely isn't new like people have been going on wellness retreats forever technically wellness travel is defined as travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing One's personal well being so obviously this can be a lot of different things It can be a yoga retreat like forest bathing, nordic spas, boot camp retreats, hiking retreats All those type of things. Um, although it's not new, it's definitely getting more popular. And they read that before the 2020 pandemic, wellness tourism was one of the fastest growing wellness economy sectors and international wellness tourists on average spent $1, 764 per trip in 2022, which is 41 percent more than a typical international tourist. And domestic wellness tourists spent$668 per trip, which is 175 percent more than the average domestic tourists, so it is profitable. So
Meggan:
more to be well.
Jenn:
It, mm hmm, yes, it sure does. So,
Meggan:
ironic.
Jenn:
uh, yes. On the other hand, cosmetic tourism is also becoming more popular. People are traveling to places like Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, and Argentina, and other places to get cosmetic procedures for cheaper than their home country. Of course there are, when I was researching it, it was basically a lot of articles of why you shouldn't do it, and there are dangers associated with it, and the fact that plane travel increases your risk of complications like blood clots, and then the fact that like follow up care is limited, uh, yeah, they're, they're kind of not super recommending this, but obviously a lot of people are doing them. So Meggan, would you do this?
Meggan:
Um, I Would do of course the wellness Tourism. Apparently it's going to cost me more. But yes, I would do some of those things you listed. I'm not really into boot camp retreats as an example. That's not wellness that I'm looking for. I do enough of that in my regular life, so I don't want to spend a vacation doing it. But yes, cosmetic tourism, probably no. I do know a friend of a friend's brother who recently went to Turkey and got brand new, beautiful teeth. And it went off without a hitch, came home, dazzling smile. So, you know, there are, of course, I'm sure, horror stories.
Jenn:
Yes.
Meggan:
We're, we're certain of this, but also there's stories that work out, but it is the risk you take, and unless something becomes like really that I need it and it's like so much remarkably less and somehow I do research and it's super safe, then maybe so it's, it's a very distant possibility.
Jenn:
Yeah
Meggan:
what about you?
Jenn:
I would do like wellness tourism for sure probably not cosmetic I can't imagine what I would go to get done, but i've done a few like local Wellness retreats and I have loved them I would really love to go to trout point lodge here in nova scotia, which is a luxury wellness resort It looks amazing It's amazing. So it's on my, uh, it's on my list to, to do that. I feel like so many of us live in a high stress world and it's really nice to slow down and focus on ourselves and kind of going back to the first like silent tourism, uh, where you disconnect and like turn off your phone, like that does sound really nice.
Meggan:
Yeah, dear trout point lodge. If you're listening, we'd love we'd love to see you so do reach out do reach out
Jenn:
All right. Well, that is it for this week's episode. We hope we have given you some ideas. Maybe you can change up your travel reasons or destinations or how you actually travel. And as always, you can find us on social media at Travel Mug Podcast on our website, travelmugpodcast. com. You can support the show on Buy Me a Coffee. The link is in the show notes. And Yeah, if you like what we're doing here, help us keep it going. It's been four years and, uh, hopefully we have many more in us. Otherwise, you can leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. That, that popular listening
Meggan:
love spotify
Jenn:
spotify Or share the show with a travel loving until next time. Bye everyone.
