Don't lose your sense of humor

Insights gained from hiking and my four predictions for the travel industry

Author

Kelsey Reaves
August 25, 2023

I did one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done this last weekend.

It was a total of 18 miles, we summited three mountains, and the majority of it was off-trail hiking. My legs were screaming by the end.

Throughout the hike, I could witness myself going in and out of really loving the experience, and really hating it. Our group's leader often forged ahead, waiting at the next peak for the rest of us to catch up. When we’d get there, he’d say, “How you feeling? Still got your sense of humor?”

Initially, my response was consistently cheerful, a resounding "yes!"

However, this changed midway through our adventure when we became separated while ascending the second mountain.

I realized once I reached the top, I had gone way off course and ended up on a different peak. I saw some of the group about a half mile away, but an impassable canyon lay between us. So I had no other option but to backtrack for 45 minutes to meet them. Once I was reunited with the group, I was mad.

My partner gave me a hug and apologized for losing me and promised we’d stick together for the remainder of the hike. After resting for a bit, he asked, “you still have your sense of humor?”

If looks could kill.

I walked in silence trying to shake off the frustration when about an hour later I could finally squeeze out a laugh. I had no choice but to complete the hike, and I faced a decision: confront the situation with lightheartedness and fun or succumb to frustration. I opted for the lighthearted approach.

We will all encounter moments of getting lost, missing out on opportunities, or facing setbacks.

The crucial lesson is to take a step back, consider the bigger picture, and find the ability to laugh.

Echoing the words of Joe Rogan, "If you ever start taking things too seriously, just remember that we are talking monkeys on an organic spaceship flying through the universe.”

So might as well find the humor in the journey.

Hey, this is Kelsey, founder of SiteSee. I’ll send an email like this every Friday where I’ll share my musings from my travels, the latest research undertaken by our travel writers, as well as recommendations for travel products, interesting podcasts, good reads, and more.

The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates travel is on track to become a $15.5 trillion industry by 2033. That’s a 50% jump from 2019. The Council also forecasts that around 430 million individuals will be employed in this sector, accounting for 1 out of every 9 jobs on a global scale.

I’m not a numbers gal, but that’s a lot.

Here’s what I think is going to happen over the next decade for travel:

1. Remote work programs will grow

Experts predict that there will be 36.2 million Americans working remotely by 2025 (that’s a +417% increase from pre-pandemic levels).

In other words, remote work is becoming the norm. And rather than enduring Zoom calls at home in a dim office, they'll crave a change—replying to emails with their feet in the sand, sipping on a margarita in Mexico.

Remote Year was the first to cater to professionals who wanted to work abroad with likeminded individuals, offering programs that combined quality accommodations and trendy coworking spaces.

But within the last few years, many more remote work programs have appeared, such as:

  • Noma Collective: similar to Remote Year, but has a bigger focus on cultural and recreational activities.

  • Selina (which owns Remote Year): not new to the game. But they’re continuing to expand and offer guests unique accommodations with inspiring coworking centers built in.

  • Outsite: co-living spaces where you can live and work remotely with other professionals.

2. There will be more accommodations just for nomads

Long-term rentals that are optimized for remote work (fast wifi, dedicated working space, etc.) will become more important than ever.

Anyplace has caught on to this trend and specializes in finding fully-furnished accommodations that are move-in ready. I anticipate more companies like this to appear over the next decade.

3. Travel groups will continue to niche down

Given the multitude of destinations and travel companies available, I foresee a preference among travelers to align with companies sharing their values, such as a focus on sustainability or traveling alongside peers of the same age group.

Here are a few travel companies that have niched down and are owning their space:

  • Flash Pack: travel packages just for people in their 30s and 40s

  • Black Girls Travel Too: travel groups for women of color

  • Mapo Tapo: adventure travel programs focused on outdoor climbing, hiking, and biking

4. Personal growth retreats will increase

Hipster coffee shops in LA aren’t the only places where the terms “fully-embodied” and “inner child” are being said.

Personal growth retreats that have a focus on self-improvement — whether that be through meditation, yoga, or even plant medicines — are continuing to grow in popularity.

I wouldn’t be surprised if within the next decade, travelers start prioritizing 1-2 retreats per year, in addition to normal vacations.

We researched some of the most popular retreats and broke them down by category:

Last but not least, here are the links to the latest published articles:

Thanks so much for reaching and, as always, please give me your feedback by responding directly to this email. Which part of this email was your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions?

​Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Onwards,

Kelsey