A deep dive into Travel & Outdoor Activities.

The hot days of summer are finally here, and many of us have their leisure activities planned -from traveling, doing outdoor exercises or enjoying the seaside.

In this report, we’ve taken the opportunity to investigate what are the current plans of respondents across the world, and find out differences and similarities in terms of their travel intentions, outdoor exercise interests and motivations, and swimwear fashion. International travel vs domestic travel? Bikini or one piece? We asked them to find out.

Happy exploring!

Methodology.

Klarna research occurred in cooperation with Dynata, in May/August 2022 across 10 countries (US, UK, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France). The survey includes a minimum of 1,000 respondents in each country. In total, 10,152 consumers ages 18 to 75 participated.

10 countries

10,152 consumers

Travel plans.

On average, the appetite for travel remains very high across all generations – the great majority intends to travel in the coming months. Although long distance destinations are still in the radar, traveling in one’s home country has become the norm.

Travel is back.

Travel will be at an all time high this summer with a great majority of consumers eager to get away. More than 3 out of 5 consider traveling over the season.

  • On average, 3 in 5 are planning to travel in the coming months, with Italians and Spanish planning to travel the most.

  • The appetite for travel remains the same across generations- although Gen Zers plan to travel a bit more than others.

  • Three quarters of Norwegian Gen Xers have planned traveling – and are ahead of other generations.

The top travel destinations.

Demand for domestic travel remains strong. 41% of consumers around the world are planning to travel in their home country – showing that the pandemic situation has proved to impact on the travel habits and attitudes of people. Short distances are as popular as long-distance travels abroad.

Vacation in a nearby country

is the top travel destination preference on average.

Australian & American

travellers enjoy traveling in their home country the most.

Main reasons for traveling.

The motivations behind traveling are multiple. Discovering a new culture, food or escaping the everyday routine? Let’s see how people are embracing their traveling spirit.

Recharge/Relax, and escaping the everyday routine

are the main reasons for travel.

Escaping the everyday routine

 is the top reason for Swedish people only.

Planned trips or spontaneous journeys?

When it comes to traveling, there are two types of people: those who love to plan their trips, and those who prefer to seize the day. Planners try to make the most out of their vacation and do not leave much space to last minute opportunities. Spontaneous travelers on the contrary get inspired by the present moment, and leave more space to go with the wind. Let’s find out who are planners and who are more improvers.

7 in 10

 travelers have already planned, organized or done research before arriving at their destination.

Spanish travelers

lead the pack for researching and planning prior to their trips.

Packing suitcases.

One of the most challenging parts of traveling is figuring out what to pack for a trip, and even coming up with a travel packing checklist, for those of us who are most organized. British travelers lead the way when it comes to packing the earliest while Finnish travelers seem to be procrastinating a bit more in their packing.

  • 1 in 3 travelers pack their suitcases a day before.

  • When it comes to packing early, British travelers seem to be the more organized, whereas Finnish travelers seem to be the most spontaneous among the pack.

  • Almost 1 in 2 male travelers pack from the day before to right before leaving, as opposed to only 1 in 3 female travelers.

Main activities when travelling.

From planning outfits, to booking restaurants or browsing places to visit – what are the main preoccupations of travellers ahead of their travels?

4 in 10

travelers state they plan their activities ahead of their travels.

Finns

do the most research and plan the most when it comes to reading blogs/books, Wikipedia pages and browsing Google maps.

Swedish and Danes

like to plan their outfits the most.

Outdoor aspirations.

How outdoorsy people across the world are, and how do generations compare to one another for outdoor activities? Let’s find out what are the most common outdoor activities, and what are the main motivations behind doing them.

Outdoor recreation matters.

As consumers are looking for a respite from home life, more and more people are looking to invest their time outside and practicing outdoor activities. 

3 in 5

consumers are planning to do outdoor activities in the coming months.

Finns

are ranking first in terms of outdoor activities planning in the coming months, with nearly 90% planning to do some.

Outdoor activities in trend.

Outdoor adventures have been booming since the last two years, with certain activities and sports that have become more in demand. From biking, to camping, fishing, hunting and hiking – the choice of outdoor activities is unending. Let’s check out what are the most popular outdoor activities over the coming months.

Hiking, Cycling and Fishing

remain the top most planned outdoor activities this summer.

Cycling

is the most popular in Finland.

Hiking

is the most popular in Norway and Denmark

Rise of outdoor activities compared to last year.

On average, many people have changed their habits as a result of the pandemic, with more now dedicating more time to outdoor activities. The trend is reflective across demographics and in particular among Gen Zers and Millennials.

43%

of people plan to do more outdoor activities compared to last year.

Americans

come top of the rank, followed by Finns and Brits.

American Gen Xers

plan to do more outdoor activities the most compared to other Gen Xers from other countries.

Prioritising mental and physical wellbeing.

The events of the past two years highlighted the importance of taking care of ourselves. Consumers have incorporated more physical fitness in their lifestyle, and many people are looking to integrate outdoor practices into their vacations. When exploring the top benefits of outdoor recreation across countries and generations, personal wellbeing appears to be the first motivation behind active outdoor activities.

  • The top three most important considerations across the markets surveyed in outdoor activities are personal wellbeing, fitness and proximity to nature.

  • 3 in 5 Americans plan to do more outdoor activities for fun, whereas Norwegians want to be closer to nature.

  • On average, younger generations plan more outdoor activities for fun and fitness. Older counterparts favor personal wellbeing and proximity to nature.

Swimwear trends.

Summer is already here for the majority of us – whether you are going abroad or having a staycation, we’ve taken the opportunity to explore the current swimwear trends that get us in a holiday frame of mind. What are the main motivations of our shoppers when purchasing a swimsuit? Let’s find out.

Fit and price as main factors.

Fit, price and style remain the top most important considerations in consumers’ purchasing decision when purchasing swimwear apparel. 

  • Color lies within the top 3 considerations for Swedish, Norwegian and Danish swimwear shoppers.

  • On average, female shoppers prefer style to a much higher extent than male shoppers. Male shoppers emphasise on material to a much higher extent than female shoppers.

Types of swimwear according to gender.

Every year, the first rays of sun incite us to look for the perfect swimwear as the holidays start. Despite the variety of choice, styles and patterns, one piece and swim shorts are respectively the most preferred swimwear for female and male respondents.

Sustainable swimwear.

Factors such as price, brand and quality still matter in shoppers’ purchasing decisions. However, today’s fashion shoppers seek out products that align with their values, with the environmental and social issues as top concerns leading more shoppers to seek out responsible products.

17%

consumers state that it is essential that the swimwear they purchase is made without child labour.

A swimwear made without using harmful chemicals

is most important for Danish shoppers.

Skinny dipping – yay or nay?

Do people have the same attitude when it comes to skinny dipping? Here’s what people across the globe think:

Over 1 in 2

respondents are against trying skinny dipping in the coming months

1 in 4

state they will definitely go skinny dipping.

3 in 10

UK Gen Zers will go skinny dipping – making them the most open to the idea compared to other countries.

And that’s that.

Thirsty for more knowledge?

Make sure to check out the other reports available at Klarna Insights.