It’s called ‘revenge travel’ and you’re probably already doing it.
But, trust us, it’s not as sinister as it sounds no matter how much the word ‘revenge’ might imply, nor is it anything illegal.
‘Revenge travel’ is a phrase that was actually coined last year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that all but shut down the travel industry, but is actually being put into practice now.
In fact, though you might not even be aware you’re doing it, it’s gone from just a phrase to actually being put into practice.
See, while you might think that ‘revenge’ is getting back at someone, in this case it’s getting back at something.
And that something is travel.
It’s a weird juxtaposition, to be sure.
“While the term may sound silly, ‘revenge travel’ refers to the idea that there will be a huge increase in travel as it becomes safer and things open back up,” Eric Jones, co-founder of The Vacationer travel journal and planning guide, told The Huffington Post. “Many Americans and those around the world had their vacations altered or outright canceled last year, so they are all looking to satisfy their travel itch at the same time. The term is also retribution against COVID-19 and how it is losing its power to control our lives, including canceling travel plans.”
As we said, revenge implies retaliation. So are we retaliating against travel? Hardly! We’re embracing it, even more than we ever have. But as we sit down and plan out longer, more extensive and likely more expensive trips, we’re attacking travel with a vengeance reserved for an enemy.
“Oh yeah? You want to cancel my week-long vacation at the beach with the kids? You want to prevent me from seeing family at Christmas? Well I just booked a TWO-week vacation and extra time over the holidays with family! Quarantine THIS!”
It really doesn’t need to be said but the revenge, of course, is against the pandemic and not so much travel itself. It’s glorious combination of wanderlust and pent-up demand. Still, we are being diligent. Where prior to last year we might have just booked that annual trip as a matter of course, this year we are doing our due diligence. Are the positivity rates up where I want to go? Are mask mandates still in place? Are there capacity limits at the pool we always go to?
All legitimate concerns.
And, just as we look to book more elaborate vacations, we’re also taking into consideration the supplies we might have previously passed over – hand sanitizer and face masks, for example.
“While ‘revenge travel’ is the hot new term, it explains exactly what travelers have been saying since the pandemic started,” Konrad Waliszewski, co-founder and CEO of the travel app Tripscout, told HuffPo. “We are no longer going to take for granted that there will always be a flight tomorrow and an open border waiting to greet us. We will make up for the lost time and experiences with a vengeance.”
So welcome to the Summer of Revenge Travel.
It’s a good thing.