The 10 Most Popular Travel Trends on Pinterest

If you are familiar with Pinterest, then you probably already know how it can be used to track some of the biggest trends in the world. We can see what people are looking for, how many people are looking for specific things, and which areas are really growing in popularity.

Today, we are going to be taking a look at ten of the top travel trends on Pinterest, paying close attention to the areas that have grown drastically over the last year.

Table of Contents

1. Adventure Travel

Traveling far from the beaten path, exploring little-known gems, discovering previously unseen sights, and indulging in authentic experiences. If any of those activities capture your attention, then adventure travel might be perfect for you.

Searches on Pinterest for “less-traveled islands” have risen by more than 100% over the last year. This shows us that people really are looking for raw experiences that place them right in the heart of the action.

2. Road Trips

On Pinterest, we can see how plenty of travelers are ditching air travel in favor of the road. This allows them to see more of the world that they would usually fly over, putting them face-to-face with locations that they would usually miss. As we are sure you can imagine, buses and trains can sometimes be expensive alternatives to other forms of travel.

Bus travel searches, in particular, have risen by almost 50%, showing us that Pinterest is being used as a major source of inspiration by people who are considering going on monumental journeys. If you are thinking about traveling across countries or continents by bus, then make sure that you plan your journey well. With some planning, you can make sure that you don’t miss a single beautiful sight.

3. Historic Scenes

Travelers around the world can be found flocking to famous castles and temples, some of which have stood for hundreds of years. From intricate restoration projects to ruins that offer stories of times that have long since passed, there are plenty of properties that are certain to delight.

Yet, it is searched for abandoned castles specifically that has risen by almost 150% on Pinterest over the last year. This is quite unique, and it often involves photographs taken by people who have entered properties that might not have been touched for hundreds of years. Please do be careful if you head off in search of your own abandoned castle, as their structural integrity might not be as sound as it once was.

4. Seasonal Expeditions

From Japan’s hanami season when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom to New York when the summer ends and autumnal colors sweep across the landscape, delightful foliage can be found all around the world. This foliage creates fleeting scenery, offering endlessly beautiful panoramas.

On Pinterest, we can see how travel trends are currently following the seasons. Plenty of Pinterest users are planning their boards and entire holidays around them, using them to capture winter backdrops and ethereal scenes.

5. Hot Springs

From Iceland’s world-famous blue lagoon to authentic onsen experiences in Japan, searches for hot springs on Pinterest have risen by nearly 50% over the last year. Hot springs offer road-worn travelers perfect opportunities to relax and rejuvenate as they prepare for their next adventure.

If you don’t like crowds, then we would highly recommend an onsen experience. If you are looking to experience an onsen and you have tattoos, then you will need to make sure that you look for a tattoo-friendly onsen, or perhaps a ryokan with a private onsen.

6. Surprise Destinations

Can you imagine going on a holiday and not actually knowing where you are going? Does that unique thought fill you with utter dread or excitement? If it fills you with the latter, then a surprise holiday might be on the cards for you in the near future.

On Pinterest, searches for surprise holidays and destinations have risen by more than 150% over the last year. That increase is incredible, and it shows us just how popular this adventurous style of traveling is becoming.

7. Sustainable Travel

All you have to do is turn on the news and you will be able to see just how important looking after the environment is right now. Environmentally-friendly actions and products are becoming increasingly popular. Naturally, this popularity has spread into the travel industry.

Recently, searches on Pinterest for “zero waste travel” have risen by more than 50%. If you want to travel the world whilst minimizing the impact that you have on the environment, then this style of traveling might be perfect for you.

8. Rio de Janeiro

When we talk about hot destinations we are often talking about destinations that change on an annual basis. This year, Rio de Janeiro became one of the hottest destinations in the world, frequented by tourists and celebrities alike. Searches for “Rio de Janeiro” on Pinterest increased by more than 100%.

If you take a look on Pinterest, then you will be able to find Pinterest boards that are covered in iconic landscapes, from colorful streets to the bustling Copacabana Beach. There’s something for everyone in Rio.

9. Bike Tours

Have you ever thought about cycling around the world? If you have, then you will be happy to hear that you’re not alone. Searches for “bike tours” on Pinterest have risen by more than 50% since last year, meaning that you can easily pack your sportswear and see where you end up.

Naturally, a lot of the trail routes that are available pass through some of the most iconic landscapes in the world, offering cyclists a close-up view of UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites and vine-clad valleys.

10. Little-known Gems

There is something truly captivating about traveling to little-known gems. Places that are rarely touched by traditional tourists, unaffected by frequent tourism, and as authentic as can be.

Since last year, searches on Pinterest for “out-of-the-way towns” have risen by almost 50%. We can use this information to assume that people are looking for the low-key hospitality that can be found in regions that experience low levels of tourism, where quiet streets are yours to stroll down at leisure. Here, you can really immerse yourself in the culture of the people around you.

As you can see, there are plenty of different ways in which Pinterest can be used to find out what travelers from all around the world are searching for. From far-off mysteries to hiking trails that take people off of the beaten path, Pinterest boards are packed full of beautiful scenes and breath-taking images.

If you are a keen traveler, then you could use Pinterest travel trends to work out where your next adventure could take you. If you are a business owner, then you could use those same trends to work out how to connect with your audience.