Sleep Tourism—yes, it’s apparently a thing, now. a growing travel trend focused on rest, sleep, and relaxation.
According to sleep expert Martin Seeley “Consistent routines and calming environments are key to good sleep. Destinations with low noise, nature, and dark skies allow travelers to reset and return home feeling refreshed – something we can all learn to recreate in our daily lives.”
A study funded by—wait for it—a British mattress store chain, says that the trend is growing, with two in five travelers surveyed this year saying sleep quality is a key factor in choosing accommodations and searches for “sleep retreats” have doubled.
The survey named top destinations that lead to good vacation sleep, with Madeira in Portugal’s Azores on top with a score of 75.62 out of 100 possible points, based on its low light pollution, minimal traffic congestion and highest safety rating. Second place went to Bergen, Norway and Lausanne, Switzerland ranked third.
Image by Andrew from Pixabay
I would have thought that the accommodation and its location are the most important factors, irrespective of the destination as such.
(Madeira, incidentally, is not in the Azores. It does belong to Portugal, but lies around 1000km south-east of the Azores.)