The Slow Travel Trend Is Here to Stay
Elaine Glusac
1,000 Places to See Before You Die and the 2007 movie
The Bucket List both contributed to the travel trend that has dominated this century: the manic race to visit as many places as possible. This imperative has been spurred on by the proliferation of competitive airfares, the growth of the global middle class, and, during the last decade, Instagram envy. But more recently countervailing forces have emerged, like flight-shaming and restrictions imposed by destinations suffering from over-tourism, like Iceland and Angkor Wat. Then came the reset of COVID-19. As travelers made do with cocktails on Zoom and Duolingo Italian lessons, the air in India became clear enough to see the Himalayas again and Barcelonians reclaimed the usually thronged Las Ramblas for themselves.