You've probably noticed guests staying longer lately. What used to be a two-night city break is now a week-long stay. Couples are renting out rooms for a month whilst they explore the region properly. Business travellers are extending their trips to work remotely from your property.
This isn't just a post-pandemic blip. Slow travel is reshaping how people think about holidays, and it's creating real opportunities for hotels that get it right. These guests aren't just looking for a bed anymore. They want to feel like temporary locals. They'll pay more for the right experience, stay longer, and often come back.
The properties that understand slow travel guests are already seeing the benefits in their occupancy rates and revenue per room.
In this article, we explore how the slow travel movement is reshaping hospitality and show you how to turn longer stays into long-term value for your hotel.
What is slow travel?
Rather than rushing between destinations, many travellers prefer to settle somewhere for weeks or even months at a time. Think of the guest who books your hotel for three weeks whilst they work remotely from your city, or the family that uses your property as a base to explore the surrounding region properly.
These aren't your typical tourists ticking off landmarks. They want to shop at local markets, find their favourite café and discover places that aren't in guidebooks. They're after authentic experiences rather than a packed itinerary. For them, spending quality time in fewer places beats cramming in as many sights as possible.
This approach completely changes what they expect from accommodation and creates different opportunities for hotels willing to cater to their needs.
The most important characteristics of slow travel
- Extended stays (usually 2-4 weeks or more)
- Deep engagement with local culture
- Sustainable transportation choices
- Community-based experiences
- Flexible travel plans that adapt to discoveries
The difference from traditional tourism becomes clear through behaviour. Where conventional travellers might visit a famous cathedral and then move on, slow travellers attend local services, talk to people, or even learn about how the building is used in everyday life. It's about becoming temporary residents rather than just passing observers.
How the slow tourism trend emerged
Did you know that the slow tourism movement first appeared in Italy in the 1980s?
People began seeking food that was prepared using traditional methods, and activists protested against fast food restaurants. Meanwhile, they created important ideas that would later change the way people travel.
Historical development timeline:
- 1980s: Slow food movement emerges in Italy
- 1990s: Cittaslow movement promotes destination-level lifestyle changes
- 2000s: Academic research validates slow tourism benefits
- 2020s: Remote work capabilities accelerate adoption
The pandemic transformed slow travel from a niche preference to a mainstream trend. What began as a necessity evolved into a preference, creating lasting changes in booking patterns and guest expectations.
The driving forces behind slow tourism
There are many reasons why people are choosing this extended style of travel.
1. Care for the environment
Many people decide on their travel plans based on the climate. Travellers who take their time naturally create smaller carbon footprints by staying longer. One long flight to a place for a month causes a lot less pollution than lots of short flights during the year.
But this goes beyond awareness. Many destinations struggle with the environmental damage caused by overtourism. Slow travel helps spread tourist numbers more evenly over time and space.
2. Economic benefits for communities
When visitors stay for weeks instead of days, the flow of money changes. They shop at local shops rather than airport gift shops. They try the family restaurant down the street and use local services like bakeries, pharmacies and bookshops that don't usually get much tourist money.
This makes the benefits of slow tourism more stable and spread out. Local businesses can plan around visitors who are going to stay for longer, instead of just hoping to get people who are just passing through.
3. Authentic cultural connections
Slow travellers often want to enjoy authentic experiences during their stay, such as cooking with local families, learning traditional crafts or understanding local social issues. They're happy to put in the time to learn the basics of a new language and get to know the local culture.
It can be a win for everyone involved. Locals get to share what their area is actually like, not just perform for tourists. Travellers leave understanding a place properly, rather than just knowing what the main square looks like.
For accommodations, these guests often become your best advocates - they're the ones writing detailed reviews about how your staff helped them find the perfect local restaurant or recommended the hiking trail that locals actually use.
4. Digital detox and mental health
Many slow tourists want to be offline, at least for a while. According to Hilton's Annual Trends Report, 24% of global travellers disconnect from social media more than they used to during vacations.
Mental health awareness is driving people to question constant connectivity. The boundaries between work and personal life have blurred significantly as many people check emails and work-related messages during holidays and never truly switch off.
There's growing recognition that rushed holidays don't provide proper rest. Cramming multiple destinations into a short break often leaves people more exhausted than when they started. Slow travel is now a common preference among those seeking genuine restoration rather than just ticking off experiences.
5. Rise of remote work
Remote work opportunities and digital nomadism have changed where people can be whilst earning a living. Workations - extended stays combining work and travel - have created an entirely new guest segment with different needs and longer booking windows.
These guests usually have disposable income and specific requirements: reliable internet, proper workspace areas, and locations that feel liveable rather than just visitable.
How hoteliers can prepare for slow tourism trends
Slow travellers represent a valuable market segment, but they need different approaches than your typical guests. Here's how to position your property to capture these longer bookings.
1. Strategic package deals for extended stays
Rather than simply offering steep discounts, focus on creating value packages that appeal to long-stay guests' specific needs. A modest discount combined with thoughtful services often works better than dramatic price cuts.
Consider packages like complimentary yoga classes and daily smoothies for stays of two weeks or longer. Digital nomads might appreciate a 15-minute neck and shoulder massage included in their weekly rate. For guests staying 10 days or more, arrange guided local hikes or market tours with neighbourhood experts. These additions cost relatively little but significantly enhance the perceived value whilst differentiating your property from competitors focused purely on price.
For longer stays, you can create flexible payment options too. Consider allowing guests to pay weekly instalments for monthly stays, reducing the psychological barrier of large upfront payments. The SabeeApp Property Management System makes it easy to set up flexible pricing structures that can adjust for long stays, helping you secure these valuable bookings.
2. Providing immersive experiences
Successful slow tourism properties are moving beyond standard amenities to offer authentic, place-based activities that justify extended stays and encourage positive reviews.
Think about experiences that unfold gradually over time. For example, a walk that might start with identifying common plants, progress to seasonal specialities, and eventually include preparing meals with found ingredients.
Weekly pottery sessions could begin with basic techniques and develop into personal projects guests take home as meaningful souvenirs. Language exchange evenings with locals create genuine connections whilst helping visitors navigate daily life more confidently.
The key is offering experiences that deepen with time rather than one-off activities.
3. Building local partnerships
Strong community relationships can create competitive advantages. Partner with local craftspeople, historians, musicians and food producers. But don't just create "cultural shows" for the sake of it. Instead, encourage real conversations.
For example, a weaving workshop with the village textile artist, who has worked there for thirty years, beats a general craft class. Long-time residents who lead walking tours can share stories absent from guidebooks. Cooking classes using family recipes and local ingredients also create lasting memories.
The most important thing is to be authentic. Conscious travellers can quickly spot artificial experiences and share their impressions widely online.
4. Back to the nature offerings
First, you can decide on areas where phones are not allowed, while providing alternatives such as books, board games and engaging hotel activities.
Take inspiration from digital mindfulness programmes that provide smartphone "sleeping bags" at check-in to encourage guests to put their devices to bed. Rather than enforcing strict bans, allow technology use in designated areas while maintaining tech-free zones in public spaces.
However, consider boundaries carefully. Forced internet restrictions may frustrate guests and cause them to look elsewhere.
5. Supporting remote work
If your location attracts remote workers, you can invest in proper workspace infrastructure. It requires a high-speed internet connection and specialised areas for work, equipped with good lighting, comfortable furniture, and suitable equipment.
You could also offer meeting room access for video calls or places for events where digital nomads can network and collaborate.
6. Organising social gatherings and networking opportunities
Extended-stay guests crave social connection, especially digital nomads and solo travellers who might otherwise feel isolated. Regular social programming helps build community amongst your slow travel guests while encouraging longer stays and repeat visits.
Weekly communal dinners work well, especially when they incorporate local ingredients or traditional recipes. Consider themed evenings around local festivals, seasonal produce, or cultural celebrations.
Building your slow travel strategy
Slow travel represents more than changing guest preferences. It's an opportunity to create more sustainable, community-focused and profitable hospitality.
If you decide to provide slow travel experiences, start small and build up gradually. Over time, you can create special programmes that show what your location is genuinely like. The idea isn't to attract everyone but to offer meaningful, longer experiences in your area.
The SabeeApp Property Management System and Smart Solutions applications provide everything you need for bookings, flexible pricing and guest communications. Get in touch for a free demo, and we'll introduce you to the latest hotel automation tools.