Trend Taster: ‘sleep tourism’ edition
In this week’s edition of the Trend Taster, we round up the snackable trends, stats and insights from around the world, including:
AI-powered dubbing
Gen Z's instant coffee boom
Dior's luxury rail travel
Sleep Tourism
Rome airport's app to support travellers with vision impairments
AI-powered dubbing
"Watch the Skies" becomes the first international feature to hit American theatres using AI-powered dubbing. The AI technology from Flawless uses the original actors' voices to create natural-sounding English dialogue. This potentially solves the long-standing challenge of foreign films finding wider global reach without the barriers of subtitles or poorly synced traditional dubbing.
Gen Z's instant coffee boom
Instant coffee is making a surprising comeback with Gen Z, as sales surged 24% in 2024 compared to two years ago. The trend is largely driven by social media tutorials showing how to create barista-style drinks inexpensively and by economics: a cup of Starbucks brewed coffee costs around $3.45 while making instant coffee at home can be as little as 36 cents per cup. Premium instant coffee options are expanding rapidly, with major players like JM Smucker and Nestlé reporting significant growth.
Dior's luxury rail travel
The Royal Scotsman is launching its first-ever travelling wellness retreat in June 2025, offering luxury rail travel with a four-day journey through the Scottish Highlands featuring Dior wellness experts. This collaboration builds on the successful Dior Spa Royal Scotsman, offering guests mindful movement classes and nutritionally-focused menus. The retreat represents a growing fusion of luxury travel and holistic wellness experiences.
Sleep Tourism
Sleep tourism is transforming the travel industry as people increasingly prioritise rest during their vacations, with the sector already valued at $690 billion and projected to grow by another $400 billion by 2028. This trend goes beyond luxurious bedding and includes medical-led diagnostics, expert-guided sleep programmes, and Ayurvedic treatments at destinations like SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain and Soneva in the Maldives. With 74% of UK adults reporting poor sleep quality, these specialised experiences reflect our evolving understanding of health as hotels respond to travellers seeking a break not just from work, but from their sleep struggles at home.
Rome airport's app to support travellers with vision impairments
Rome Airports is pioneering accessible travel with a new partnership that connects blind and visually impaired passengers to immediate assistance through the Be My Eyes app. The free app combines AI technology with human support, allowing travellers with vision impairments to connect with sighted volunteers and service agents via live video calls in over 180 languages across 150+ countries. This accessibility solution enables visually impaired travellers to navigate terminals, access flight information, and receive personalised support with greater independence.
