With popular tourist destinations around the globe starting to protest against overtourism, the concept of slow travel is being pushed to the fore – both at home and abroad. But what is it and why should you consider it?
What is slow travel?
Heidi Walker, general manager of Flight Centre NZ, says slow travel can mean different things, but at its heart it is a more intentional form of travelling. It could be spending more time in one place to have more “mindful and deep” experiences, or it can mean travelling in a way that limits your environment footprint. Alternatively, it could mean purposefully not planning anything and spending your days exploring a place freely to connect with the local culture.
“For seniors, slow travel allows for a more relaxed pace, which can be easier on the body, reducing the stress of constant movement or fast-paced itineraries. Seniors can avoid the fatigue that often comes with rushed sightseeing and frequent travel between destinations.
“Our senior customers often appreciate opportunities to explore local customs, cuisine, and history at a leisurely pace, creating meaningful connections with the places they visit,” Heidi says.
Quality over quantity
Amy Errmann, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and International Business at the Auckland University of Technology, describes slow travel as “quality over quantity”. She says it has developed in response to overtourism – not so much the number of people travelling, but what they’re doing when they’re there.
“We start to notice that with the emergence of social media, we have people just congregating in the same place, because they all want to get the same photo,” she says.
Errmann gives the example of the Matapouri Mermaid Pools in Auckland that had to be closed due to overtourism and damage by visitors.
“I’m thinking to myself, you have so many other places that look exactly like this, but everyone just wants to go to the one spot because they want to say that they were there.”
This form of overtourism then leads to issues around rubbish and toilet facilities, along with damage to the natural environment.
Europe has seen protests erupt due to overtourism in places like Venice and Barcelona, while Bali has struggled with tourist rubbish. Places like the Pacific Islands have found that where locals generate 2.5kg of waste per day, tourists create 7kg that they need to cope with, a UN report found.
Slow travel and seniors
Errmann believes mature travellers are a natural fit for slow travel. For example, older couples on holiday are less likely to rush around attempting to try all the local cuisine.
“You see this a lot with mature couples. They’re a bit pickier. They might go to one really nice, say Michelin Star restaurant, where you’re present and having this really delicious meal. Because you’ve spent money on it, you’re almost putting more effort into it. You’re savouring the experience.”
This idea of doing less but savouring it more is tied in with a theory known as ‘peak experiences’, Errmann says.
“Typically, we will have highs and lows in our life, but we’ll quite often remember the extreme moments more in our memory when we look back at things”.
Rushing around visiting a variety of places and trying all sorts of food can leave you with a sort of memory “mush”, Errmann says. While picking just one or two things you really want to do at a destination leaves a more lasting impression.
“I would say less is more or go for quality over quantity,” she says.
Slow travel ideas
Walker says cruise ships are a great slow travel option for older travellers, as is travelling off-season.
“(Cruising) is a great way to cover multiple destinations, without having to unpack and repack. You get to sleep in the same bed during your travels and experience world-class facilities that provide comfort and luxury.
“Visiting popular destinations in the off-season can reduce crowds and create a more relaxed experience. Seniors can enjoy the benefits of slower, quieter travel with fewer tourists, allowing them to see the true character of a place.”
Walker adds that it’s important to balance activity with relaxation and to schedule free days or slower-paced days to rest or explore more leisurely. This helps prevent fatigue and ensures seniors enjoy their trip without feeling worn out.
Errmann adds that luxury travel can also be a good form of slow travel, as people often plan more carefully, and are more fully invested and present in the experience, because of the money they have spent.
She says slow travel can take more effort but is worth it.
“It really makes you think about the places you visit differently,” she says.
Errmann’s tips for slow travel
Pick less popular destinations
This way the locals are happy to see you and you’re more likely to have the place to yourself. For mature travellers, this might be thinking of a place to take the campervan that’s less popular or flying into somewhere like Invercargill instead of Queenstown or Wanaka.
“You get to meet people and it’s much different and you also get to have this one-on-one experience with the environment as well.”
Go to fewer destinations
Errmann says you don’t have to hit all the bucket list destinations. “For example, if you go to Italy, maybe just go to Florence and another destination close by, rather than having to see Rome and Venice and Florence and all of the places. Because you’re then just stuck in travel time between all of them.”
Do less while you’re there
Rather than trying to visit the top 10 things in an area, just pick two. “You’ll probably get more out of those two experiences,” Errmann says.
