Rise of the 'do nothing' vacation: Soaring number of Americans shun active, fun holidays for pure rest and relaxation trips to all-inclusive resorts

A growing share of Americans say they just want to relax on vacation, instead of packing their time off with Instagram-worthy adventures.

Shane Mahoney, founder of Florida-based luxury tour company Lugos Travel, told the Wall Street Journal that over the past year, about 80 percent of his clients have said they 'just want to relax.' 

'I was shocked at how many trips our agency started booking beginning in 2023 that involved things like beach time and chocolate tastings instead of helicopter tours and cliff diving,' says

In a survey of travelers published earlier this month, 'rest and relaxation' was named as the top reason for leisure travel, jumping ahead of having 'a fun time' and spending 'time with immediate family.'

'Rest and relaxation' rose to the main motivation of 21 percent of travelers in the survey from market research firm Longwoods International, up from 17 percent in September.

A growing share of Americans say they just want to relax on vacation, instead of packing their time off with Instagram-worthy adventures (stock image)

Melia Nassau Beach Resort is seen in the Bahamas. Several families enjoy their holidays in the swimming pool of this all-inclusive resort, placed close to a beach in Nassau

The boom in do-nothing vacations follows a flurry of travel following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now that family has been visited, and adventures postponed by the pandemic been had, it seems a growing number of travelers just want to relax poolside. 

According to a survey published in April 2022 that was commissioned by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which has a robust portfolio of all-inclusive resorts, 77 percent of travelers believe an all-inclusive vacation is the least stressful way to travel. 

Resort chains have responded to demand by rapidly expanding their all-inclusive offerings. 

All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy has spent the last several years building a portfolio of nearly three dozen all-inclusive hotels worldwide, mostly in Mexico and the Caribbean. 

One of the most highly anticipated is the Marriott Cancun, reopening in early 2024 to include some of the typical all-inclusive amenities: a sprawling property of 450 rooms, a lazy river, waterslides and more.

Other all-inclusive resorts cater more to wellness, with massages and spa treatments taking precedence over all-you-can-eat meals and unlimited cocktails.

Some all-inclusives are entirely antithetical to stereotypical resort experiences, and offer a full slate of activities for travelers.

Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Clark, Colorado, is among the properties that check all those boxes.

At the all-inclusive dude ranch, summer outdoor activities include fly fishing and paddle boarding. 

Winter options include snowshoeing, ice fishing, skiing and sleigh rides. There are only 12 cabins and three lodge rooms.

'Rest and relaxation' rose jumped to the top reason for leisure travel in a recent survey from market research firm Longwoods International

Waterslides are seen at a resort in the Dominican Republic. Roughly 77 percent of travelers believe an all-inclusive vacation is the least stressful way to travel

Some all-inclusive resorts cater more to wellness, with massages and spa treatments taking precedence over all-you-can-eat meals and unlimited cocktails (file photo)

'We are stewards of the western ranch lifestyle, and we enjoy bringing folks into our world,' says Ben Martin, general manager of Colorado´s Vista Verde Guest Ranch. 

Martin says his all-inclusive model avoids making vacationers feel nickel and dimed throughout the stay.

'If a guest is frequently reaching for their wallet, they are constantly being reminded that their stay is transactional,' he says. 'It changes the dynamic of our relationship with them.'

Lorraine Sanders, a 47-year-old from Charlottesville, Virginia, told the Journal that her past vacations had involved adventures such as jungle safaris and backpacking trips.

So it was a change of pace when she and her partner booked a stay at adults-only Secrets resort in Cancún, Mexico, last November.

'It was a little bit of a swallow-your-pride type thing,' says Sanders of their roughly $3,400 trip. 'I never thought I'd be staying somewhere called Secrets.'