As 2023 rolls out, we took a look at travel trends to see where 2024 might be headed. We’ve gotten into the habit of doing this every year and it’s always fun to see what we discover.
Our hosts send out tens of thousands of trips each season and that gives us a veritable treasure chest of info to see where the travel winds are pointing.
What lies below is our breakdown of the data points we tracked this year so you won’t have FOMO on the latest and greatest travel trends coming down the pike in 2024.
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Table of Contents
–How Will People Travel in 2024?
–Water’s the Main Event
–When Should You Book 2024 Travel?
–What Will Be The Busiest Travel Dates?
–Surprise Ventures Are in Vogue
–Average Nightly Prices?
–What About Gas Prices?
–What About Inflation?
–Most Popular RV Rental Type?
–Surprising 2024 Travel Trends
How Will People Travel in 2024?
It’s no secret that RV travel surged in 2020 and 2021 because people saw it as a more flexible and freeing way to roll during the pandemic.
The past few years have seen a return to more of a ‘normal’ where folks are hopping back on planes and into hotel rooms like they used to.
But our data show that RVing will still be a primary travel mode for 2024 because of its affordability relative to other types of travel. RVing also opens the door to deeper family connections, the ability to explore the spaces in between, and the benefits of having the comforts of home with you at all times.
And the surge in RV travel that occurred in 20/21 reminded all of us of the need to restore our connection with the outside. As a result, 2024 will see travelers seek outdoor accommodations at unprecedented levels.
When not RVing, travelers in 2024 will seek out glamping options at never-before-seen levels. These outdoor stays offer hotel-like amenities in nature-focused settings.
Water’s the Main Event in 2024
The vast majority of vacationers agree that being near water makes them feel instantly more relaxed. In 2024, water will take center stage as the directional factor in trip planning.
The reasons for this are manyfold — from escaping scorching temperatures on the rise everywhere to engaging in aquatic adventures like aqua sound therapy, water is what’ll make the vacay in 2024.
We wrote up a post on the 5 Best Lake Destinations in the U.S. and 15 RV Campgrounds on the Beach to get you started.
When Should You Book Travel for 2024?
We anticipate that our peeps booking Outdoorsy trips will reserve those trips ~253 days ahead of their travel day. We’re basing this on data we have from the past few years showing that folks really do book this far out.
That said, 2024 will also continue the trend of travelers (mainly of the younger variety) who want flexible and fluid travel plans. These cats will book more last minute because they want to be able to go with the flow and change their travel plans as they discover new things.
And that’s one of the best parts about RVing — it’s a perfect form of travel for adventurers who just want to go where the road takes them. That’s also why we have our flexible cancellation policy.
What Will Be The Busiest Travel Dates in 2024?
As far as RVing and outdoor adventuring go, the range around May 22nd (Memorial Day Weekend travel), June 30th (July 4th travel), and August 29th (Labor Day travel) will be some of the busiest travel times in 2024.
We get why these are the most popular travel dates, but the better travel deals and availability in 2024 will likely be yours if you can travel the in-between times.
Surprise Ventures Are in Vogue
The younger generation tends to travel by the seat of their pants more than older generations. We see this trend growing in 2024.
2024 travelers will seek options ranging from surprise travel where the destination is fully unknown to knowing their destination but allowing the itinerary to surprise after.
What this means is travelers will want the flexibility to roll to new destinations discovered along the way with new friends. And they’ll want the reservation flexibility to match.
That’s another reason why we see RV and outdoor travel popularity growing in 2024 — because it usually has flexibility built in.
Average Trip Length in 2024?
We predict the average length for an RV trip in 2024 will be 6 days. This is based on what we’ve seen in terms of booking averages over the past several years.
That said, bear in mind that averages mean lots of people took trips shorter than this and lots of people took trips longer than this. So don’t be afraid to plan that multi-week blowout road trip you’ve always dreamt of in 2024.
On the flipside, you should also have no fear of rolling out on a short trip. We have RV rentals and glamping stays for that too.
Set-Jetting is Here to Stay
The popular Yellowstone series sent scads of travelers to Montana these past years. And we see that trend continuing to flourish more generally in 2024 as folks see beautiful places on TV shows and movies and then jet out to see them IRL.
And we also hope you’ll get to your favorite set via RV 😀
Average Nightly Prices in 2024?
RVing will continue to be one of the most inflation-resistant forms of travel in 2024. Hotel prices might be up by as much as 54% from 2022 to 2023, but our RV rental data shows nightly rates for RV rentals barely budging during that same timeframe.
The average nightly rate for an RV rental in 2021 was $236, $251 in 2022, and $253 in 2023.
This isn’t slated to change much for 2024, meaning RVs will continue to be an amenity-packed and cost-effective travel option.
But What About Gas Prices in 2024?
We have (tentative) good news for you there too. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts a decrease in gas prices next year.
The EIA predicted $3.32/gallon in 2023 versus $3.09 for 2024. While no one knows how the geopolitical landscape might ultimately impact gas prices, the current indicators show that oil demand will drop next year to drive a price decrease.
Chalk it up to all the new EVs hitting the road and fuel efficiency standards of new autos. Either way, it’s good news for RVers.
What About Inflation in 2024?
The experts are also predicting inflation will stay in check for 2024. That means the price of your vacation in 2024 shouldn’t shoot up dramatically (especially if you choose an RVing road trip).
We’re also seeing a travel trend where many folks roll to areas that feature lower costs for food and lodging than their neck of the woods (e.g. a New Yorker hits the road for the Southeast). This method will create a double bonus for you in 2024 when you combine in-check inflation with travel to a lower-cost area.
RVing Benefits Mental Health
RVing is known to combat stress, build resiliency, and fight depression (among many other positive benefits).
Specifically speaking, reconnecting with nature will reduce any anxiety you might be feeling as you soak in the outdoor air.
The sun will get you the Vitamin D you’re probably missing out on.
And outdoor adventuring even improves your sleep by getting your body back into its natural rest rhythm.
For these reasons and more, an RV trip in 2024 could be just what the doc ordered to de-stressify.
Top RVing Launchpoints for 2024
These are the top spots we see people starting off their RV vacations in 2024:
–Las Vegas, NV — Peeps aren’t renting Vegas RVs to hit The Strip, rather, they’ll rent them here in 24 because Vegas is central to a smattering of Outdoorsy attractions.
For example, this four-day Las Vegas road trip itinerary will take you on a loop through a chunk of Utah’s Mighty Five, The Grand Canyon, and Lake Powell in Arizona.
–Austin, TX — The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is one of next year’s biggest happenings that’ll literally fly right over this part of Texas.
Couple that with the plethora of nearby sites like San Antonio, Texas Hill Country, and Big Bend National Park and you have a solid recipe for a great hub to start an RV road trip.
–Phoenix, AZ — The Valley of the Sun sits at the heart of the Southwest, so it’s little surprise that RVers use it as a launching pad for road trips all over that region.
–Los Angeles, CA — SoCal is consistently one of our most popular areas because of the range of RVs you can rent and the breadth of locations you can easily travel to.
Joshua Tree National Park, The Sierras, and even Yosemite National Park are just a few of the options that can get into your path when you launch an RV trip near LA.
Most Popular RV Rental Type in 2024?
This is a bit of a loaded topic because everyone’s travel needs are different. For example, couples traveling might find campervans or Class C RVs to be their best bet whereas larger families tend to roll in Class A RVs or Fifth-Wheel RVs.
That said, here are the three most popular RV rental types we’re seeing for 2024:
–Forest River — This RV manufacturer makes a wide range of RVs, travel trailers, and pop-ups. With something for everyone, it’s little wonder that Forest River often shows up as one of our most rented brands.
–Winnebago Solis — This campervan is fast becoming one of the most popular ones out there because of its floor floorplan versatility, variety of options, and relative affordability.
Many Solis campervans also come equipped with a built-in hard-top tent for added sleeping space on top of the campervan.
–Airstream — An icon of the road since 1931, no other brand is a match for Airstream when it comes to road trip nostalgia. That’s why it’s little surprise to us that Airstreams continue to be some of our most popular rentals on the platform.
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Surprising 2024 Travel Trends
These are the quirky 2024 travel trends that left us surprised and smiling:
–Gastrotourism is in vogue (and it’ll stay that way in 2024) — Travel with a food and drink focus is here to stay. The fun part about doing it in an RV is that you can cook up local cuisine in your rig for a fun family experience (and cost savings).
–Stranger travel — Couples and solo travelers alike will trend toward traveling with people they meet along the way for at least some portion of their 2024 vacations.
RV caravanning is an especially fun way to get to know new friends you meet along the route.
–Robots might plan your trip — People are increasingly using AI to plan their vacation routes. We’ll see this trend continue to grow in 2024.
–Solo travel is spiking — More and more travelers are venturing out on solo trips. Couples and families are even plotting trips that include some healthy alone time along the way.
–Glamping is growing — Travelers seeking to restore their connection with the outdoors, while also enjoying hotel-like amenities, are gravitating to glamping as a vacation style of choice.
That’s why we see accommodations like luxury tents, yurts, tiny homes, and more growing in popularity heading into 2024.
–Flexible travel is the name of the game — More and more travelers are seeking trips where they can flow with the rhythm of the journey. That’s why we see more flexible reservations, fewer change fees, and smoother trip modification methods on the horizon for 2024.
2024 is straight ahead of us. Travel trends are a fun wave to catch ahead of time so you can get in on all the most popular stuff. We hope the insights we dug into above help you and yours as you plan to get out there next year.
And for all the rigs to get you there, click here.
