How Weight Loss Drugs Could Ultimately Change the Way We Travel

As weight loss medications become more accessible and mainstream, they’re bound to have an impact on the types of trips travelers seek and the activities they choose.

Dana Lewis, a travel and destination wedding planner, is already starting to see a change in travel preferences among her clients.

“Now more than ever, my clients want to get out and explore rather than just relax on the beach,” says Lewis, who believes that as weight loss drugs become more accessible, they’ll lead people prescribed them to seek more active lifestyles. In travel, this could mean increased interest in adventure tours—snorkeling, walking tours, hiking, ziplining—and decreased interest in food-focused travel.

Although weight loss drugs aren’t readily available (yet) and are cost-prohibitive to most, Sarah Kopit, editor-in-chief of Skift, a travel industry news site, is also predicting a “seismic” shift, according to her 2023 article titled, “Ozempic Made Obesity Optional. The Travel Industry Isn’t Ready.”

Kopit tells Fodor’s Travel it’s a “wait and see” right now as the accessibility of weight loss medications increases and more people begin taking them. But Kopit thinks all-inclusive type vacations, which the editor says aren’t really about the all-you-can-eat aspect for most travelers, could stand to benefit while places where concessions are a large part of the revenue—think sporting events and concerts—could stand to lose.

If you’ve paid a premium to see your favorite band and aren’t as interested in drinking alcohol while on Ozempic or a similar medication, you might be inclined to skip the overpriced beer and greasy plate of nachos. But if you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort, you might simply eat and drink a little less while continuing to enjoy the overall experience.

Putting Experiences ‘Above All Else’

Dr. Lilly Jan, a lecturer of food and beverage management at Cornell’s Nolan Hotel School of Hotel Administration who studies restaurant and hospitality trends, agrees that all-inclusive vacations are about so much more than the food. “Of course, it’s the centerpiece, but it is about the overall experience,” Jan tells Fodor’s.

Lewis recognizes this in her line of work, where clients are “prioritizing experiences above all else.” While she’s not in a position to link this interest in experience-driven travel to the advent of weight loss meds, Lewis says travelers are leaning into “healthier or more culturally authentic options,” suggesting, perhaps, that the tide is already turning.

According to Jan, the total experience—whether via an all-inclusive stay at a Caribbean resort or on a cruise ship that includes all meals and excursions—has long been of paramount importance to travelers.

Travel and hospitality as a whole often include incredible meals, Jan says. “But the meals also come with incredible service in an unbelievable atmosphere.” People prescribed weight loss medications, who no longer experience “food noise” or intense food cravings, will still find value in dining out and experiencing the full hospitality spectrum, says Jan. They may, however, consume smaller amounts of food or skip the coursed meal and select just one dish to try.

Restaurants and culinary-focused operators are going to have to modify their offerings as a result of changing appetites and cravings. “You’re going to have to adjust for people who probably don’t have the same appetite or probably are not as food focused as they were before,” Jan says.

The Future of Foodie Travel

Indeed, à la carte offerings, tasting menus, and food tours may have a challenging road to climb. Kopit points out that as tasting menu dishes tend to be small, Michelin-starred restaurants or other destination dining experiences probably won’t suffer greatly, even as interest in and enthusiasm for eating and drinking wanes among people taking appetite-curbing medications.

On the other hand, Kopit points out that travelers who aren’t in it for the Michelin tasting menu may “skip the $200 dinner” in favor of grabbing something quick to fuel.

All-inclusive offerings, from resorts that charge a set price for accommodations and three squares a day to the infamous all-you-can-eat Las Vegas buffets, may still hold appeal for the travel ease they provide, but it’s the resorts and the restaurants that stand to save a buck as they bring costs down by ordering less of everything.

Daniel Herszberg, who runs boutique tours to off-the-beaten-path destinations via Travel Insighter, has seen firsthand how weight loss medications have impacted his food-focused tours: “I recently had a guest in Iraq who was on Ozempic and needed to avoid fatty or greasy foods. This meant that falafel was off the table, but even mezze dips like hummus had too much oil for them.”

Nausea, a known side effect of GLP-1 medications, has also posed a problem for many. Herszberg recalls one traveler who missed the famous Wagah Border experience (crossing between India and Pakistan) due to feeling nauseous.

A Wellness Renaissance?

Some travelers, seemingly looking to avoid a change in appetite or fend off uncomfortable side effects while on vacation, are looking into “medication vacations,” but Dr. Christopher McGowan, obesity medicine specialist and founder of True You Weight Loss,  says discontinuing or decreasing one’s medication is not recommended. “Consistency matters for patients using a GLP-1 medication to treat obesity,” says Dr. McGowan, adding that “You can still enjoy your vacation, including new food tastes and flavors” while on a weight loss medication.

Herszberg’s need to adapt his tours to these different tastes may become a reality for many tour operators and industry leaders. Kopit says this will “force industry leaders to recalibrate strategies.”

With experience-driven travel already on the rise, it’s possible that as weight loss medications become more mainstream, wellness-focused vacations will experience a renaissance—or at least certain aspects of it. Moderately physical activities such as ziplining or horseback riding could suddenly seem more approachable to people who are losing weight and feeling leaner, says Kopit.

People who are rediscovering their bodies and seeing changes might be compelled to learn to move in different ways, says Jan. “I definitely see that being an opportunity for the wellness industry.”

Lewis, the travel and destination wedding planner, likens her weight loss surgery experience to what people on weight loss drugs are experiencing and says that the changes in the way she personally travels are about much more than how or what she eats. “I can get around and participate in activities without getting run down or winded.”

“Weight-related bias and stigma are common,” says Dr. McGowan. People who lose a significant amount of weight “may have a newfound freedom,” he adds.

The increased mobility, agility, and endurance that come from weight loss may lead people to “experience more and with greater ease,” Dr. McGowan says. “Someone previously afraid to travel may now be able to explore and thrive on vacation. That’s something worth celebrating.”