by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:24 AM ET, Mon October 18, 2021
A new analysis by GlobalData's Social Media Analytics Platform has discovered the top five most trending types of tourism on social networking sites like Twitter and Reddit this year.
The most popular type of tourism people online are talking about is virtual tourism. Through the use of augmented reality, virtual reality or video tours, attractions and destinations are getting creative, offering these virtual tourism alternatives to traditional travel while countries continue to grapple with the pandemic.
These virtual methods also link closely with destinations' campaigns, renewing interest in these destinations even when they might not be accessible for travelers right now.
"Influencers' sentiment was largely positive about 'Virtual Tourism' as it became an alternative solution for tourism business to rebuild interest among travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing became a new norm," said Influencer Analyst at GlobalData, Smitarani Tripathy.
The second most trending type of tourism on the Internet is space tourism. With several history-making leaps into private space flight this year, people anticipate a future where space travel could truly be the 'final frontier' of the tourism industry. Some start-ups are already preparing for this, with one, Space Perspective, expected to begin lifting non-astronauts into space by 2024.
During a year and a half when most people spent the majority of their days inside their own homes, it isn't a surprise that the third most popular type of tourism discussed online is adventure tourism.
From the Andes in Peru to Tuscany's scenic hills, influencers have shared their own adventures to help break others out of their daily monotonies, and more individuals than ever are choosing more adventurous methods of travel or attractions when they do finally get back into traveling.
One of the benefits of travel is expanding your food palate, and that's the same online as it is everywhere. Food tourism is the fourth most-discussed type of tourism out there, with destinations showcasing their food culture while influencers around the world share their own country's culinary heritage.
Lastly, the fifth most talked-about type of tourism was wine tourism. With the fifth UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism happening back in September in Portugal, individuals across the Internet talked about different countries' wine culture, new responsible travel initiatives and more.
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