Texas 'flexcations' and 'boondocking' among top travel trends for 2021

It turns out, travelers around the United States actually like fresh air. They don't mind driving a few hours out of town. They want to connect to Wi-Fi so they can work or learn, but they'd also be okay without it (eeeek!) as long as they're in a clean, safe place. And they really, really like Texas.

Those were some of the findings revealed by leaders of major travel brands in a December webinar reviewing 2020 travel trends and forecasting them for 2021.

Yes, people did travel last year, just not over long distances by planes and trains. They rented RVs and worked over Wi-Fi from the woods, drove to state parks and went camping - all in the name of flexibility and fresh air. And Texas continues to be a hot destination for all of it.

Here's where travelers are going and how they're getting there in 2021, the experts predict.

Destination: Texas

As evidenced by the number of hotels that opened in Texas' major cities last year, the Lone Star State is expecting some company in 2021. From Dallas' Thompson Hotel to Austin's Commodore Perry, new hotels are leaving the light on to welcome guests. Fort Worth was just named a top destination for 2021 by Travel & Leisure, in part because of a couple of buzzy new hotels expected to open this year.

But not everyone's heading to major cities or staying in hotels. Texas is also an expansive, wide-open place that can welcome campers any time of year.

You can read more of this story from our partners at Houston CultureMap here.