With more couples having travelled together before tying the knot, newlyweds are looking at more unusual ways to ensure that their honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Couples are putting their own stamp on this tradition and reinventing it. Below are 2018 top three romance travel trends your property can implement to set yourself apart as the premier romance destination.
- The Do Good Honeymoon
2018’s most unexpected honeymoon trend, undoubtedly influenced by the transformational travel trend that has been dominating recent bookings, is the volunteer / giving back travel. Couples are excited to make their romance travel plans all about ways to spread their love for the planet and for the destination that they chose to visit. Honeymoons that offer travelers a way to leave the destination better than how they found it will do better than ever in 2018. According to the Knot’s Amy Levin-Epstein, “Surrounding yourself with a new culture and cause is the perfect way to return to the real world post wedding.”
- Farm-to-Table Experiences: take your guests to a local farm where they can pick their own fruits and vegetables. There they can contribute to the local economy and ecology of the destination, learn about the impact local farming has on the community, get to know the traditional foods of the destination and enjoy true local flavor. Complete the experience with a cooking class and communal dinner.
- Rebuild Day: doing good together brings a couple closer, and contributing to the restoration of a historic landmark will tie your honeymooners to a unique experience that will have lasting impact on the community. The Ritz-Carlton recently started Give Back Getaways, where you can donate a half day of your time doing charity work.
- Donate a Portion of Bookings: let your guests know that just by choosing to spend their honeymoon with you, they are contributing to a local charity. Offer them the opportunity to visit the charity so they can see the good they are doing for themselves.
- The Green Honeymoon
Enveloping yourself in nature, experiencing a tech free escape from the real world in an eco-friendly property that can still be luxurious and pampering is the goal of the green honeymooners. This couple wants to enjoy holistic healing experiences; calm Zen focused retreats and dinning on delicious local fare.
- Bring the outdoors inside: tree houses, cottages enveloped in nature, ample vegetation and exposure to the natural beauty of a destination from the comfort of your room.
- Privacy: create the feeling of the ultimate tropical hideaway for those seeking luxury, privacy and a serious love high. Private access to certain areas of the property and exclusive views of natural wonders (such as the St. Lucia Pitons or the moonlit shores of Barbados) will do the trick.
- Bragging Rights: if your property is eco-friendly, LEED certified, etc. make it a centerpiece in your marketing materials.
- Go Wild: Give guests access to unique experiences with the local fauna without disturbing their beautiful, and delicate, ecosystem. Snorkel with sea turtles and assist with conversation efforts in St. Thomas.
- The Foodiemoon
Are people really planning their honeymoon around where they will eat next? Absolutely! You can blame the current obsession with Top Chef for the fact that couples are literally planning their whole honeymoon around where they’ll have their next meal. We’re talking about a seriously memorable culinary experience — with 12-course tasting menus, wine bars with a well-versed sommelier and a market with the freshest local produce.
- Local Flavor: offer your guests traditional cuisine created with local fare. Paint a picture of the traditions and the cultural richness of the food.
- Expert Chefs: offer your guests award winning meals by local expert chefs.
- Private Dining in Unexpected Locations: a candlelight dinner served by a professional chef on the beach, with your toes in the sand, is an unforgettable experience all honeymooners will cherish. A delicious gourmet lunch served in a tropical rainforest, or a chocolate tasting in a cacao field. An unexpected location that brings your guests closer to the source of their meal enhances the experience.