More people are declaring they want to do less on their vacations.
This new trend has been dubbed JOMO, or the Joy of Missing Out. This is an obvious play on the better-known FOMO, Fear of Missing Out. The new JOMO traveler wants to disconnect. They’re looking to take a vacation from work, message notifications, obligations, noise, and crowds.
Of course, most people say they want a restful vacation, but achieving that is harder than we think. Overbooked agendas, family obligations, bad sleep, jet lag, and travel complications often leave people joking, “I need a vacation after my vacation.” This is why roughly half of surveyed people say they suffer some form of post-vacation fatigue. Basically, they come home in worse shape than when they left to “relax.”
The JOMO traveler wants to avoid all these common pitfalls. They truly want to escape, unplug, and relax. They want to move at their own pace, or not move at all, depending on their mood.
Here is what the JOMO traveler is looking for and how the best tour operators are providing the travel booking solutions they’re after.
Traveling Alone or With a Very Tight Crew
The JOMO traveler may be flying solo, or possibly just their partner or BFF– definitely someone they’re confident they can share a small yurt or tiny home with.
Even if they’re not a classic introvert per se, they know that the more people you add to a vacation, the more beholden you are to the group’s schedule. You eat when the group eats and go where the group goes, on the group’s schedule. You also feel obligated to let everyone contribute to the plan.
The JOMO traveler wants to take a vacation from schedules and obligations. They want the freedom to stay or go wherever they want. They want to eat whatever they like, whenever they like. They may decide to have two suppers, one at 5:30 and one at 9:30. Nobody can stop them.
They are beholden to nobody’s schedule and architects of their own destiny.
How to Provide This:
VRBO reported that 85% of the people they surveyed said they would be interested in taking a vacation to unplug, while 62% said staying in a serene rental would reduce their stress and anxiety.
Yurts in the woods/ near the beach are big with the JOMO crowd. They’re also opting for tiny cabins or private estates across Europe. The words “off the beaten path” will probably grab their attention. Or so-called “detour destinations” that are close enough to major cities for a day trip, without the big city crowds or costs.
The best tour operators know that these travelers will want Brescia over Milan, or Cozumel over Cancun, or Canmore over Banff.
Leaving Work Behind
It’s been estimated that over half (54%) of vacationers will do at least some work while they’re away, and another 63% say they feel anxious if they don’t check their work emails. Doing this can actually ruin both your vacation and your job! One study showed that working on vacation actually caused 20% of surveyed people to quit their jobs and another 44% to seriously consider it.
The JOMO traveler is looking to leave work 100% behind. If they have a work phone, it stays home– no work-related calls, texts, or emails allowed. They want to basically forget that they even have a job for a few weeks and just completely unplug and unwind.
Work is not welcome on JOMO wellness trips. Their self-care means releasing themselves from caring about what happens at work while they’re gone. If they could, they would change their out-of-office auto-reply email to the famous “Damn that’s crazy. Good luck tho” meme.
How to Provide This
The words “off-the-grid” will grab their attention. They are truly looking to escape and unplug, so spas, waterfalls, and beaches are major selling points.
Your usual customers typically have questions about wi-fi, cell signals, and SIM chips. These are not dealbreakers for the JOMO traveler. In fact, they may even be looking for a digital detox.
However, they still need you to be accessible. If they only have a few minutes of internet a day, they will need their messages returned and their questions answered as quickly as possible.
Traveling With No Itinerary
The JOMO traveler wants the freedom to do as much, or as little, as they like on any given day. They likely don’t want to get up early to be on a snorkeling boat that leaves at 7 am.
Maybe they will feel like going into town for a nice lunch and a museum tomorrow. Or maybe they will stay in and read a good book. They will make that decision when they wake up, based on how they feel. They don’t want to set an alarm, or be at a certain place at a certain time. If possible they would love all clocks to be removed from their view.
The FOMO traveler tries to pack as much into their experience as possible. Whereas the JOMO traveler wants to do as little as possible.
How to Provide This:
These customers clearly don’t want their itineraries to be stuffed with excursions or tightly scheduled experiences. However, they still want access to these experiences, if the mood strikes them. They may be secluded, but the fun stuff should never be more than a car, train, or bike ride away from where they’re staying.
It’s also important to remember that, even though they may not want to be on a schedule while they’re gone, their confidence in your itinerary software and how you’ve scheduled their arrival and departure is what will help put their mind at ease. They can truly relax if they feel you’ve taken care of everything for them.
Being Anti-Social
The JOMO traveler is trying to unplug and escape, and that often means a social media break.
They want to lie in a hammock and read, not lie on the couch and doomscroll. This means that they’re less after Instagram-worthy views or TikTok-recommended must-have meals than the average traveler.
That doesn’t mean they don’t want to be surrounded by breathtaking beauty or delicious food. Will they take lots of pictures? Absolutely. Will they post those photos on social media? Probably. But they’re more the type to post a photo dump when they get home. They would rather live the real experience than brag about it in real time. They’re looking for authenticity, not publicity.
How to Provide This
Sell them on authenticity and privacy. According to Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report:
- 85% of modern travelers are after authentic experiences
- 64% want to try the local cuisine
- 48% want to learn about local customs and traditions
JOMO travelers are probably not interested in lining up for 15 minutes with other tourists to take a selfie in front of a famous landmark. They’re likely more interested in a great meal in a hidden gem restaurant, and real conversations with real locals.
Knowing That Self Care is Not Selfish
Some of our descriptions make the FOMO traveler sound like a single loaner or unabashed introvert. You may also be picturing them as a Millennial or Gen Zer. This is not (always) the case. They could be a Gen Xer or even a Boomer. They could be a retiree or recent divorcee. They could be a parent or grandparent. In fact, this could be the first time your JOMO traveler is doing something just for themselves in years– maybe ever!
They may have had to work hard to carve this time out for themselves and may even feel a bit guilty about doing it. They may have had to say no to several offers to go join so-and-so on a cruise, or take advantage of a great group rate on a ski weekend.
How to Provide This:
Your JOMO traveler may have had to go out of their way to protect this time for themselves, so they need to know it’s okay to enjoy it. Again, they may have just a hint of guilt about saying no to other possibilities.
Let them know how great it is that they’re doing this for themselves. And let them know that other people are doing this and it’s actually becoming very popular– trendy even!
We Provide the Travel Booking Solutions That JOMO Travelers Want
The best tour operators are backed by the best travel booking solutions and tools. Softrip’s simple itinerary software helps you save time so you can focus on creating customized experiences for JOMO travelers who want off-the-beaten-track destinations.
“I have tested a bunch of different platforms. I went in and built a trip on Softrip – it was by far and away the easiest and fastest that I have used.” – Pam G., Group Travel Operator
