What is TikTok's Popular 'Soft Travel' Trend?

If you haven’t heard of the ‘soft travel’ trend yet, chances are you’ll spot it soon.

It taps into a lot of social media’s ‘soft life’ vibes – which originated in Nigeria and was made popular by African-American women long before it made its mark on TikTok, with #softlife racking up 228.5k posts and counting – where leaning into a less stressful, more enriched life is the goal.

But what does soft travel really mean, and why is it becoming popular? There was a time when the goal of any holiday was simple – to relax and unwind. Does soft travel take us back to this? There are crossovers with slow travel, which is all about slowing down, taking a green approach, and being more mindful.

To do this authentically, holidaymakers should stay in one area for a long duration, immerse themselves in local customs, and support local businesses.

While ‘soft travel’ also encourages tourists to be environmentally conscious, opting to use public transport, cycling, or walking if they stay in one place for a longer period. ‘Soft travel’ has become an extension of this as most of us experience burnout during our day-to-day lives and want to fully immerse ourselves and relax when on holiday to improve our mental health.