The Latest Travel Lingo

From land snorkelling to townsizing, here's a guide to keep up with the lexicon of travel

- ELAINE GLUSAC

For your next trip, have you considered townsizing? What about choosing a detour destination? And instead of forest-bathing, maybe it's time to give land snorkelling a try. If the terms sound odd, you might need a travel translator. Agencies, online platforms and sometimes travellers themselves have been flexing their creative language skills by labelling trends in travel — some new, some tried-and-true (like bleisure, a trip that combines business with leisure time). The following guide will help you keep up with the lexicon of travel.

Detour destinations Last year's destination dupes became this year's detours in Expedia's 2025 trend report. Detour destinations are "less well-known and less crowded than tourist hot spots," according to the report. They can be destinations on their own or side trips from a bigger target. Examples include pairing Reims with Paris, in France, and Santa Barbara, California, with Los Angeles. This practical two-for-one trip concept bundles an appealing neighbour with the closest major airport destination.

Townsizing If there were awards for wordsmith of the year, consider Priceline, an online travel agency, for its addition of townsizing. Your next vacation is townsized if instead of big-city buzz you opt for small-town vibes in easygoing destinations. Popular townsizing destinations at the online agency include Stowe, Vermont, Mackinac Island, Michigan, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.