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Why hobbidays are the latest global travel trend
Summary
People are taking experiential trips to get away from the hustle of daily life and improve their wellbeing
The year’s big trend is the hobbiday—a portmanteau of the words “hobby" and “holiday"—where people plan their vacations around personal interests such as cooking, stargazing, knitting, mixology, fitness, and more. A hobbiday of any kind offers the opportunity and time to focus on particular interests that you can’t pursue every day.
“With so much travel being based on a cookie-cutter approach, hobbidays and experiential trips make the difference between being a traveller and a tourist," says Shilpa Sharma, founder of Breakaway, a Gurugram-based travel platform that curates immersive, learning-oriented experiences and craft holidays.
A desire to use her vacation time to explore a long-time passion in pottery led Dehradun-based Deepika Pant to look for a week-long introductory course.
“The seven-day course showed me the basics such as pinching, coiling and wheel throwing. I returned with two bowls and I hope to return for a longer course sometime soon," she says. She signed up for the course at Andretta Pottery in the village of Andretta in Himachal Pradesh, which meant to combine a holiday in the hills with exploring her interest.
Across the world, companies and hotels are now tailoring holidays around exploration of hobbies, and travellers don’t mind paying a steep amount for these customised holidays.
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“Rather than just scratching the surface of a destination, it fosters a profound connection and nurtures cultural understanding and appreciation," says Maanoj Nair, cluster director of sales and marketing, Perhentian Marriott Resort and Spa, Terengganu, Malaysia. The resort’s arts and cultural centre lets travellers engage in numerous activities. “We offer workshops on batik painting, cooking local delicacies and Mengkuang weaving. The cultural scene comes alive with traditional dances such as the Ulek Mayang and enchanting performances by Gamelan orchestra."
Yara Alaoui, a home cook from Abu Dhabi, says she tries to learn more about local food and cooking when she travels. “I signed up for the cooking and cocktail-making classes with my friend during a recent trip to Mauritius," she says. “We had come for a peaceful retreat in this seaside haven, but indulging our interests added more value to our holiday."
Planning a trip that helps focus on one’s hobby or interest is a sure-shot way to get a hit dopamine, and “stave off mild depression, lower heart rates and potentially lower the risk of dementia", Ken Duckworth writes in You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families (2022).
Duckworth found a common thread when he interviewed people for his book: all used hobbies to manage their stress and mental health. He explains that hobbies are not just leisure activities; they are essential for maintaining a healthy balance between mind and body by offering challenge, fulfilment and joy.
“Over the years, I have realised that immersive experiences spark personal growth and self-discovery. I signed up for a snorkelling course during a recent vacation, which forced me to get out of my comfort zone in a new setting," says Rohit Bansal, a Delhi-based developer.
Ahmedabad-based Hansal Bhachech says engaging in hobbies provides an outlet for stress and helps reduce the level of cortisol, the stress hormone. “Our lifestyles make it challenging to find the time, but prioritising hobbies can be transformative and play a crucial role in overall wellbeing. A hobby helps learn new skills, keeping the brain active and engaged; the sense of accomplishment boosts self-esteem; and many hobbies can be social or physical activities," he says. Bhachech adds that hobbidays combine the benefit of travel with the fulfilment and enjoyment derived from pursuing hobbies, enriching one’s life, promoting personal growth, and creating lasting memories.
JrnyOn, an experiential travel company in the UK, offers Maestro Jrnys, an opportunity to travel with renowned domain experts such as chefs, naturalists and photographers. Founder Sanjith Mukund says these experiences are curated “for travellers passionate about their interests and are a way to dive into their chosen worlds" with well-known experts such as travel photographer Hari Menon, callisthenics coach and surfer Anupama Shivacharya, and biking influencer Atul Warrier.
Ekta Idnany runs ThreeFlaneurs, a design collective that works at the intersection of architecture and travel, with curated trips that demystify the architecture and built form of a place. The team has so far run trips to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Japan, Turkey, Morocco, the UAE, and has added Uzbekistan this year.
“Our perspective of looking at how places develop, historically, culturally and through their built forms, helps offer an out-of-the-ordinary experience," Idnany says. “Our clients tend to be solo travellers. We have had many women join our groups; women over 50 are our biggest repeat audience."
Sharma of Breakaway believes women are far more experimental in their approach to travel, and are willing to try new things and get out of their comfort zone. “In a post-pandemic world, travellers are waking up to an approach to travel that thrums at our core," Sharma says. “So, there are new mountains to climb and avenues to experience."
Teja Lele writes on lifestyle.
Also read: Cooking to hiking, explore Mauritius beyond its beaches
