 "Not seeing it all: How JOMO is changing the way we travel")
In recent years, travel has often meant rushing from one famous spot to another, clicking pictures, posting online, and ticking destinations off a list. Airports stayed crowded, popular cities felt packed, and holidays sometimes returned people more tired than relaxed. Now, a quiet change is taking place.
Many travellers are choosing calm over crowds, silence over screens, and meaning over mileage. This shift is called JOMO, the Joy of Missing Out.
To understand what this trend means for the travel industry, Firstpost spoke to Barry Neild, Global Editor for CNN Travel. He believes that one of the biggest problems in modern travel is over tourism.
“Social media has made it worse,” Neild says. He explains that striking images on platforms like Instagram and TikTok draw huge crowds to the same places. Soon, travel becomes less about discovery and more about collecting selfies.
Famous streets, beaches, and viewpoints get overcrowded, losing the very charm that made them popular.
JOMO is about stepping away from noise and pressure. It encourages travellers to slow down, unplug, and enjoy peaceful moments. This trend is becoming stronger as stress levels rise and digital lives become more demanding.
According to Expedia’s 2025 travel report, many travellers are moving away from popular tourist hotspots. They are now choosing experiences that offer personal satisfaction and a deeper connection with nature.
The numbers support this change. About 62 percent of travellers say staying in a peaceful place can help reduce stress. Nearly 85 percent are interested in taking a holiday where they can unplug from digital life.
This marks a clear shift from the earlier trend of FOMO travel, or Fear of Missing Out, where packed schedules and famous landmarks ruled travel plans.
Neild adds that this situation is not going to disappear overnight. However, many travellers are now tired of crowded spaces and long queues. They are actively looking for alternatives. Some are travelling during off season months.
Others are choosing destinations that are not yet overrun by tourists. This slow shift shows that travellers are becoming more thoughtful about where and how they travel.
JOMO reflects a deeper change in how people see travel. It is no longer only about visiting new places. It is also about reconnecting with oneself. Silence, space, and time are becoming just as valuable as destinations.
As this change grows, the travel industry is starting to respond. Hotels, destinations, and travel companies are adjusting their offerings to suit this new demand.
“The industry is already pivoting,” Neild says. “Hotels are offering digital detox stays and remote destinations are marketing the fact there’s no phone signal.”
For travellers seeking peace, this has become a selling point rather than a problem.
Neild believes this trend will grow as people search for relief from stressful online environments. Constant notifications, endless scrolling, and digital comparison have made many people long for real rest.
At the same time, Neild feels JOMO travel may remain limited to a certain group. He suggests that slower and quieter travel may stay within niche or luxury tourism.
While many people like the idea of switching off their devices, it is often harder to do in practice.
As Neild points out, many travellers promise to unplug only after one last scroll through social media.
JOMO is also closely linked to post pandemic burnout and changes in work culture. After the pandemic, travel demand rose sharply.
People who had stayed home for long periods wanted to reconnect with the world. At the same time, remote work allowed many to travel while working. This led to a rise in digital nomads and longer stays in popular cities.
“These changes fed overtourism,” Neild explains. In many places, local communities began to feel overwhelmed. Housing prices rose, daily life became expensive, and residents felt pushed out of their own neighbourhoods.
Despite these challenges, Neild remains hopeful. He believes a balance can still be found.
“Destinations depend on tourism,” he says. “But no one wants to visit a place that has been hollowed out by it.” If cities lose their local life, culture, and calm, they also lose what makes them special.
Here, JOMO offers a possible correction. When missing out begins to feel more attractive than joining the crowd, travel experiences may become more thoughtful and sustainable. The industry may focus again on quality rather than quantity.
Looking ahead, will JOMO influence how people plan trips in 2026 and beyond. Will travellers define value differently.
Neild believes travel will always remain important. “It is one of the world’s biggest industries for a reason. Our planet is full of fascinating places, and curiosity will continue to drive exploration.”
“Yes, some people may choose to stay home more often,” he says. “A few might stop travelling altogether. But that has always been the case.”
If more people are slowing down right now, Neild feels it is because things are out of balance. Travel, like life, needs adjustment from time to time.
As long as borders remain open and travel stays affordable, people will continue to explore the world in their own ways.
As for completely unplugging on vacation, Neild remains realistic. While the idea of escaping the digital world sounds appealing, most travellers are not ready to disconnect fully. Phones remain a comfort, a camera, and a guide.
Still, JOMO does not demand perfection. It does not require throwing away devices or avoiding travel altogether. It simply asks travellers to pause, choose consciously, and travel with intention.
In a world that is always rushing, JOMO reminds us that it is okay to slow down. It is okay to skip the crowd, miss a trend, or choose silence over spectacle.
Sometimes, the joy of travel lies not in doing everything, but in doing less, and feeling more.
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