Nostalgia travel: the resort of the modern tourist

At times of turbulence, people cling to what they know – a fact no less true across the tourism sector than elsewhere. After a succession of major global events, it’s little wonder that the past few years have seen holidaymakers reach out to simpler times in their search for nostalgic getaways. Indeed, travel websites are seeing an ever-increasing number of people looking to escape the modern world, with Booking.com reporting that 88% of travels are seeking a nostalgic trip away. 

In this new world of old-fashioned holidaying, hotels that offer a secluded trip with a traditional atmosphere are well-positioned to capitalise on the trend. By creating a nostalgic atmosphere, encouraging a digital detox, and offering visitors an assortment of traditional activities, hotels can broaden their client base and attract new guests seeking old experiences.

With an ever-growing number of tourists interested in nostalgia travel, it’s the right time for hotels to step back into the past and offer visitors the opportunity to experience a bygone era. Settings and services are both key to curating a historical atmosphere. A hotel based in a period property should complement the building’s historical design, with décor of the same era to immerse guests in the ambiance of that time.

In the UK, where so many of our hotels are set in historic buildings and rural locations, the hospitality industry is particularly well-placed to take advantage of this trend and attract nostalgic tourists from across Britain and beyond. Moreover, nostalgia is as much about what isn’t there as what is. By excluding modern technologies such as televisions, computers, or microwaves, hotels help their guests to truly escape the digital overload of the modern age.

Besides the physical appearance of a building, the events and activities offered by a hotel play a large part in contributing to the historical elements and aspects of a guest’s stay as well. 

Hotels should dedicate time to considering what experiences they can provide to help visitors fully immerse themselves in the past. At Burgh Island, for example, we offer everything from croquet sets to murder mystery weekends in order to transport guests to the world of 1930s’ England. In a hotel where a historic atmosphere is complemented by traditional activities, guests can slip into the spirit of holidays past and escape the pressures and humdrum routines of modernity.

While some choose to escape our technological age in timber huts and woodland teepees, others prefer to hold onto modern luxuries when retreating from the stresses of today. For those who think the adjective “great” is better suited to the indoors than the out, nostalgia travel offers an attractive alternative to the more austere style of back-to-basic getaways: a chance to detach from the modern world without compromising on comfort.

This is where hotels can play a strong role. A hotel steeped in history offers guests the chance to escape from modern stresses and leave behind the reality of their everyday lives, while still enjoying luxuries. At Burgh Island, for example, our hotel showcases the glamorous side of the ‘swinging 30s’ with black-tie dining, art deco design, and regular jazz evenings.

Moreover, choice is key in providing a historical getaway. To ensure that guests take the most enjoyment from their stay, visitors should be allowed the freedom to decide how much or how little they detach from modernity. With this in mind, it’s important for hotels to carefully consider what aspects of modern culture and technology they incorporate into their buildings and services. 

While a hotel might choose to remove televisions from their rooms, offering high-speed WiFi connection allows guests the option of streaming TV shows online.

Again, conveniences such as hair dryers and coffee machines provide all the comforts of the modern world without detracting from the traditional atmosphere of a hotel. With over half of Britons saying that phone and internet access is a must-have for holidays, hotels offering guests the chance to escape the modern world with the option to reconnect, if and when they want to, are the perfect compromise for visitors looking to go back in time without losing their modern comforts.

As culture, technology, and global events rush forward at an exhausting pace, travellers are becoming more and more inclined to take a step back in time. Holidays with a historical atmosphere offer tourists an excellent opportunity to escape their everyday lives, enjoy new experiences, and take time to focus on their mental wellbeing. For hotels, this new love for the past offers them a way to reach out to a broad and enthusiastic generation of tourists and travellers. To avoid missing out on this chance, hotels need to capitalise on the trend for nostalgia travel – and embrace their history.