A recent survey of travel companies has confirmed what everyone on Instagram probably already knew — ‘Sailing Holidays' are trending right now!

While it might be the contrast between the shiny white Boat, the clear skies, and the deep blue sea that makes such images visually compelling – it’s almost impossible to scroll through your feed right now without seeing a celebrity or influencer posing aboard a luxury yacht or catamaran, basking in the sunshine of the Caribbean.

However, the fact that so many celebrities are turning to charter their boat tells its own story; one that a growing number of the population is following.

Post-COVID Gains

In the latest survey, travel experts Kuoni reported a relative drop in interest and bookings for traditional holiday venues, including hotel resorts and cruises.

Both resorts and cruises focus on getting plenty of people into one place, while offering the best facilities and food options. Both have taken a significant 5% downward hit since the pandemic, thanks to merrymakers now being keen to stay a little further away from one another, and therefore feel safer knowing they have a reduced chance of catching any viruses.

The safety and privacy inherent in sailing away on your own private yacht or catamaran is rapidly growing in interest among celebrities and well-paid influencers. These folks have a much better chance of avoiding selfies and crowds if they stay overnight in the South of France or the Greek islands on a boat that is around for their exclusive use – and they can afford it.

Bookings and interest in sailing holidays are up by over 40% for the 2023 season, reflecting that the remote water-based holidays are fast becoming mainstream, with companies like PlainSailing.com making the booking process simple. From the costs of transfers and marinas, to what qualifications you need to be able to sail the boat off into the sunset yourself, they offer complete transparency.

Experiences

Part of a sailing holiday's appeal is that every part of it is an adventure. This plays into the more experiential holidays that customers are starting to prefer. So instead of staying in one villa for a week, staring at the same four (beautiful) walls, you can experience life at sea, arrive at a different marina each night, and stay right on the waterfront, in the heart of all the action.

Whether you're dropping anchor and spending the night under the stars in a secluded bay, drifting soundlessly along the coastline, harnessing the wind, or finding the best marina to watch the sun setting over the sea, there are many elements to sailing holidays that appeal greatly to the masses.

Luxury Mod Cons

One of the main reasons for the growth in the industry has been vast improvements in the boats over previous years. Both the technology and the trend towards minimalist interior design have a direct impact on the holiday.

You’re not staying on board an uncomfortable wooden boat, but a chic, shiny catamaran with all the mod cons. Many boats have air conditioning that can be controlled for each cabin, as well as electric toilets, WiFi, microwaves, coffee machines, and more. The cabins even look much more like something from a luxury hotel than in a boat or ship.

The newest boats are in such demand that even if you order now, you’ll only be able to pick it up in April 2025. That bodes well for the future of sailing holidays – leading experts to predict they will continue to gain in popularity over the coming years.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.