Four Made-Up Words That Luxury Travel Advisors Need to Know Right Now
By Lybbi Hebel, Creative Marketing Strategist
At the risk of exposing myself as a big dork, I confess that I've always been fascinated by words. Ever since way back when I was in elementary school, winning trophies for reading the most and the hardest books (not to brag), I've always loved learning new vocabulary and understanding how words and phrases connect and evolve through time and across different languages. In my professional day-to-day, this comes up fairly often when I hear made-up Frankenwords (well, technically Frankenword's Monsters) that are created to assign a name to real trends in the travel space.
Whether you are the type to be charmed by wordplay or more likely to roll your eyes at these portmanteaus, the following words were all created to describe real trends happening in travel and are worth consideration.
Hushpitality
The reality behind being a high-net-worth client is often high burnout, which means that silence is just as much of a luxury amenity as the spa and the pillow menu. Travelers are exhausted by being reachable everywhere, at any time, and are therefore willing to pay a premium for rest rather than trying to squeeze it in around everything else. Think soundproofed suites, sleep-focused turndown rituals, and staff trained to take the do-not-disturb sign on the door as gospel rather than a suggestion. Many luxury properties are taking note of this, but also know that quiet doesn't automatically equal restorative for every guest, so they can tailor the experience to meet your client's specific needs.
Gig-Tripping
If you or anyone in your life wanted to attend a Taylor Swift concert in the past few years, you may already be familiar with this concept. A Gig-Tripper is a client who will book an entire international itinerary around a two-hour concert. We all know how crazy ticket prices have gotten in the US, and how complicated it can be to even acquire said tickets in the first place, so many travelers are opting to spend their money on cheaper tickets overseas. It's a similar principle to medical tourism — I could spend thousands of dollars on a root canal here, or I could spend thousands of dollars on a European vacation and get a much cheaper root canal somewhere along the way. But in this case, the root canal is a stop along the Eras Tour (which sounds much more appealing if I'm being honest).
Buddymoon
Simply put, this is a honeymoon with company. Think destination wedding, but you already knocked out the wedding part. Unlike a standard group trip, this shared vacation has built-in private time for the newlyweds after their "I do's." Many couples want the people who matter most to be woven into their milestone moments, and what better reason to celebrate with all your favorite people than finally being done with months and months of wedding planning and festivities?
Set-jetting
This isn't a new concept — people watch a popular movie or TV show filmed in a beautiful destination and now want to go there. But in this era of streaming and binge-watching, you can almost see the metaphorical line drawn from a popular show's release to a now overcrowded destination. A client blows through season two and now wants to stand where a scene was filmed, eat at the restaurant where they did that thing, walk the street where the characters danced in the rain; you get the idea. The helpful thing about this trend is that knowing where the last season of The White Lotus was filmed will help you plan trips for your clients who love the show, but it will also give you a forecast of which destinations are going to be swarmed. Set-jetting has fueled some of the worst overtourism stories of the last few years, so set expectations and be ready with some great alternatives for your clients who are more interested in visiting a place than recreating a movie scene.
Any of these sound familiar? These are not radical new concepts by any means, but if these trends are popular enough to earn a special new name, they might be worth looking into for your travel business.
FAQs:
What does hushpitality mean?
Hushpitality refers to hotels and travel experiences built around silence, rest, and digital detox. It includes soundproofed suites, sleep-focused turndown service, and other amenities focused on peace and quiet rather than fanfare.
What is gig-tripping?
Gig-tripping is when a traveler books an entire trip, often international, around attending a single concert or event. It's driven partly by high US ticket prices and partly by the appeal of combining a favorite artist's tour with a destination the traveler wouldn't have otherwise chosen.
What is a buddymoon?
A buddymoon is a honeymoon that includes the couple's close friends for part of the trip, while still leaving private time for the newlyweds. The couple and their guests typically have separate portions included in the itinerary.
What does set-jetting mean?
Set-jetting is travel to a destination because it was featured in a popular movie or TV show.