Travel Trends: How Can Travel Agents Embrace 'JOMO' Travel?

With the rise of experiential and slow travel, a new trend has emerged: JOMO, or the “ joy of missing out.” Travellers are increasingly choosing trips that allow them to relax, disconnect, or do more intentional activities.

What does this mean for travel agents? In this article, we’ll explore why 'JOMO' travel is a key trend to take advantage of, and how you can start accommodating this travel trend with our expansive portfolio of travel products, such as travel experiences, hotels, car hire and transfers, for a seamless, enjoyable booking experience for your clients.

Travel trends explained: what is JOMO travel?

Think of JOMO (joy of missing out) as the anti-FOMO (fear of missing out).

Instead of stressing over everything they could be doing, JOMO travellers focus on what they really need or want from their trip, tailored and personalised by their unique interests, needs, budget and circumstances. JOMO travel often means they “miss out on” other activities the destination has to offer, but instead of fearing it, they embrace it with joy.

Gone are the days of 'checklist sightseeing' for this kind of traveller - it's all about immersion, in the destination, the culture, or the company they're with, even (and sometimes especially) if they're travelling solo!

Various stats show us why JOMO is one of this year’s travel and tourism trends:

1 in 5 travellers said they were planning leisure trips focused on self-discovery or mental health, according to Hilton’s Travel Trends 2025 Report.
41% of Gen Z travellers choose all-inclusive options to avoid stress, 39% for the convenience of easy booking, and 38% because they enjoy the sense of luxury, as suggested by Expledia’s Unpack 2025 report.
62% of travellers said JOMO travel helps reduce stress, and almost half of the respondents said it allows them to reconnect with their loved ones.

Why is JOMO travel an opportunity for travel agents?

According to recent booking data, travellers are increasingly interested in beach and mountain destinations. Maybe it’s the joy of missing out on crowded cities and reconnecting with nature?

For travel agents, this is a great opportunity to begin curating offers and travel opportunities that accommodate this demand for slower-paced, more meaningful travel experiences, to capture the attention of this audience! Especially when travellers are placing more importance on personalised service, and are relying on the experience and expertise of travel agents.

Let’s dive deeper with an example, and say you have a client who wants a relaxing family holiday by the beach. You can use the Booking Engine to assist your perfect getaway curation by:

Understanding their unique needs - find out what they don't want as well as what they do! Any OTA can suggest family-friendly beach towns around the world, but it takes an agent's unique human approach to understand what else travellers are looking for.
Browsing a wide collection of family-friendly hotels in our Booking Engine, and easily compare options using our Hotel Comparison Tool for refined searching. Use our helpful filters to narrow down their options even further.
Enriching their time with meaningful experiences - don't settle for a 'one-size-fits-all' activity recommendations, find out their unique tastes, and balance local activities with downtime, for a truly 'JOMO' approach.
Ask if they’d be interested in special add-ons, such as kid-friendly tours or transfers for a stress-free time away, for example.

When travellers are looking to do less, choosing the right accommodation, activities, and destination becomes even more important. If you want to save time on research, choose a B2B travel booking platform like our Booking Engine! You’ll find thousands of JOMO-friendly, personalised travel solutions all in one place.

The significance of JOMO travel for the future of travel demand

JOMO is all about being intentional with travel choices, in line with other travel trends shaping the future. Here are some examples:

The rise of emerging destinations

According to the recent WTM Global Travel Report, today’s travellers are looking for “the next best thing.” And if they’re JOMO travellers, this “next best thing” likely involves detour destinations and less crowded alternatives to popular tourist hotspots. These places are often a better fit for JOMO travellers because they offer space, calm, and a sense of discovery. Search data also backs this up, with a surge in searches for ‘hidden gem holiday destinations’ of 150%, confirming that alternatives represent the future of many travel experiences!

For example, instead of the Bahamas you might send travellers to Kaua’i; Reims instead of Paris; Fukuoka instead of Tokyo or Osaka; Cozumel in place of Cancun; Waikato for travellers wanting Auckland; or Abu Dhabi instead of Dubai.

Growing interest in sustainable travel experiences

JOMO travellers tend to choose fewer, higher-quality experiences over fast-paced trips. That could mean staying longer in one place, booking unique eco-conscious accommodations, or supporting local businesses. All in all, it’s more sustainable: for the planet, for the destination, and for the travellers.

Overtourism is also playing a part in this interest in more sustainable travel - in the sense of travel that is sustainable for the host destinations! Travellers are aware of the impact of overtourism on their experience, the environment and local communities. As a result, a growing number of travellers are opting for ‘detour destinations’ for that genuine connection and authentic experience.

Intersection of travel with wellness and mindfulness

'Soft' travel is one of this year’s trends, as over 1 in 5 travellers said their trips centred around self-discovery or mental health. These are the travellers who want rest and spontaneity, whether that’s through quiet retreats, a day at the spa, or simply a lounge chair by the beach.

There is an increasing intersection here between slow travel and wellness, as well as destination hotels which are offering advanced wellness programmes - wellness travellers are increasingly prioritising preventative care, and heading on specific trips all centered around body and mind wellness.

And when it comes to data, traveller behaviour doesn't lie! Here are some interesting figures that suggest a strong overlap between slow(er) travel and wellness tourism:

78% of travellers want the freedom to be spontaneous on their holidays.
60% are happy to spend their days relaxing by the pool or beach.
71% want to feel pampered during the holiday.

What travel experiences can you suggest to JOMO travellers?

Start by asking: What do your clients want more of on their holiday? Maybe it’s wellness, hiking, or time in nature. And what would they rather miss out on? It could be social media, crowded spots, or noise. Here are some ideas you can recommend:

Wellness travel activities or retreats

Wellness is at the heart of JOMO travel. After all, travellers are choosing to miss out on certain activities for the sake of their mental or physical well-being. That said, wellness is a broad category: it could mean spa retreats and thermal springs for some, and personalised longevity programmes for others.

Destination recommendations:

Rishikesh, India - for yoga lovers and holistic wellness experiences.
Switzerland - for high-tech wellness and longevity centres, as well as the stunning natural landscape of the Swiss Alps.
Japan - for forest-bathing and onsens, such as in Kanto, which is not far from Tokyo; Hokkaido (Noboribetsu is Hokkaido's most celebrated hot spring); Kansai for a step away from Kyoto; and Chubu for outdoor baths in the Japanese Alps.

Slow-paced city breaks

If your clients want a touch of city life, whether that’s for restaurants, cafés, or museums, recommend smaller cities rather than busy capitals. Without the pressure to see it all, they’ll enjoy the culture, food, and atmosphere at a more relaxed pace.

Destination recommendations:

Ljubljana, Slovenia - for a mix of European city life, green spaces, and an exciting food scene.
Luxury eco-tourism via The Luxurist: Why not suggest luxury eco-lodges and resorts, so your clients can indulge in some well-earned peace while also embracing a stay with deep commitments to sustainability? Search for 'Luxury hotels' in the Booking Engine today!
The Azores, Portugal - an EarthCheck-certified sustainable archipelago.
Guangzhou, China - the stunningly remote farmland and tea plantations in Guangdong Province are surprisingly close to the megacity, for travellers in need of a breath of fresh air but want a brilliant, vibrant hub to come back to.

Nature escapes

An Expedia survey revealed that 61% of travellers are interested in witnessing the Northern Lights as a natural phenomenon. From a JOMO perspective, nature travel involves slowing down instead of rushing from city to city and focusing on one single activity.

Destination recommendation:

Chantaburi, Thailand - surrounded by the famous Soi-Dao and Kitcha-Kood mountains, travellers can immerse themselves in transformative Vipassana meditation. Plus, its the perfect stop off between Bangkok and Koh Chang.
Lapland, Finland - encourage travellers to chase the Aurora Borealis with a stay in the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, or stay in an igloo in Aito and enjoy Lapland’s awe-inspiring landscape.
Iceland - what about experiencing the awe-inspiring waterfalls and natural beauty of Iceland's northern regions? Or gazing at the majesty of the humpback whales of Eyjafjord?

Digital detoxes

Accenture’s Life Trends 2025 report highlights JOMO as a lifestyle trend for those looking to disconnect from technology. 37.9% of its survey respondents said they enjoy missing out on technology, while nearly half of them said the most enjoyable experience they had in the week before was a physical one. If your clients feel similarly, they may be interested in learning about digital detox retreats.

Destination recommendation:

Tuscany, Italy - for retreats in rural villages featuring fresh food, green hills, and physical activities.
The UK - silent cabin retreats help ‘always on’ people switch off by offering secure and tech-free locations to digitally detox, accessible from major cities like London and Manchester.

Planning ‘JOMO’ trips for today’s traveller

Your clients could be looking for all-inclusive resorts, secluded retreats, or simply an off-the-beaten-path city break, as just a few examples of the travel style that sits within the concept of 'JOMO', and getting away from it all.

It all depends on what your travellers want to 'miss out on', and what they’d like to do more of! The part where they’ll need travel agent support will be with customisable trips, whether that’s about finding the best hotel with a view, a fun local activity, or the most hassle-free transfer option.

You’ll find all sorts of hotels, experiences, and activities through our global, expansive portfolio, and you can easily boost your revenue with cross-selling by adding activities and mobility solutions like car hire and transfers into your basket at the time of booking!

Simply head to the Booking Engine and start browsing offers from 170+ countries. Another tool you’ll love is Insights, which will help you stay ahead of the competition. With Insights, you can see personalised travel recommendations based on market activity, seasonality and real-time booking data, to maximise every opportunity that arises in your market.

Register your travel agency today for free, or log in to your account to find hotels, experiences, and transfers for JOMO travellers. You’ll also get regular updates on travel trends and promotional offers, so you’ll stay ahead of the market and offer the best deals to your clients.

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