From pirate’s potion to rage rooms: Five trends in UK’s experiences space

As travellers yearn for experiential travel, the activities market soar. Virgin Experience Days, with the help of its partners, revealed the upcoming trends in the sector in the upcoming year.

Here are the trends in the UK’s experiences space:

Bugs for grubs

Bush tucker got itself out of the jungle and onto our supermarket shelves with roasted crickets finding their way into the UK’s diet in 2018. This gastronomic phenomenon provides a great source of sustainable protein and demand for grubs on the menu will be met with Bug & Wine Pairings and Critter Cooking events springing up around the UK.

Who let the Dogs Pout?

According to PDSA, 49% of UK adults own a pet. Pet spas designed to indulge and revitalise our furry friends are already on the UK streets but 2019 will unleash new experiences for Brits who want to enjoy time out with their pooch including Doga (yoga for dogs) and dog-friendly cinema screenings. In the next year, classic British experiences like boat trips, steam trains, short breaks and restaurants, will start to welcome four-legged friends.

The Art of Fermentation

Go with your gut. The microbiome and the fermented foods that feed it are, against the odds, becoming sexy. Supermarket aisles are alive with kefir, kombuchas, krauts and kimchis as the health-conscious continue to pursue natural foods with added health benefits.

With wildly popular online tutorials and international bestsellers, a testament to fermentation’s newfound fame, consumers will be looking to get hands on with professional classes and tastings as they look to test weird and wonderful recipes of their own.

Get crafty with the pirates’ potion

While younger generations are drinking less alcohol, there is a thirst to consume better quality alcohol when they do. Local producers of craft spirits are throwing open their doors so Brits can learn more about where the spirits are made while touring the stills and cask rooms.

While juniper lovers can be assured the ginaissance will continue, 2019 will see a touch of the exotic with highly skilled rum distillers sharing their knowledge across the UK. Rum Tastings will also pack a punch in some of the UK’s major cities.

Rage Rooms

If yoga and meditation are not for you, ‘destruction therapy’ could be the thing to restore your inner zen. Virgin Experience Days predict the UK will be smashing its collective stress away in 2019 as rage rooms cross the Atlantic. Smash things and let your emotions fly. Perfect for team building or simply de-stressing the week, rage rooms do just what it says — choose your theme tune, pick a weapon of choice and get wrecking!