Fewer people are drinking — and that’s changing how they travel

Peter Shankman, an American, said he looked forward to free drinks when he flew business class for work.

The entrepreneur would have a drink, then a few more, sleep, then land. All was well, he said.

Until it wasn’t.

“Eventually, I realized that I wasn’t fine,” he said. “I was tired, cranky … [it] wasn’t the way to live.”

So, he said, he quit drinking — at first just on planes, then altogether.

“I like myself better when I don’t drink,” Shankman said. “I get up earlier. I work out. I don’t eat like crap.”

A single dad, Shankman said he’s now in the gym by 5:00 a.m. and back home to send his daughter to school at 6:30 a.m. On work trips, he exercises and sleeps better than before.

“The change in me is massive,” he said. “I’m dropping weight, I’m just happier overall.”

Shankman is part of a large contingent of people who are drinking less or quitting alcohol completely.

Only 54% of Americans now say they consume alcohol, according to a Gallup poll released in August — the lowest number recorded since the company began tracking consumption habits in 1939. In another first, a majority of adults (53%) say drinking, even in moderation, is bad for one’s health — up from 28% in 2018, the survey showed.

For Jonathan Ayala, a real estate marketing strategist, giving up alcohol meant more energy and better sleep, but also “more money left in my budget for experiences that matter.”

“In the past, I wouldn’t have imagined taking a trip without drinking,” he said. But now, “I find myself waking up earlier for hikes, markets or cultural tours. I end up seeing more of the place I came to visit, which has made my travels feel richer and more intentional.”

Ayala also said going alcohol-free has changed where he travels too.

“I’m more drawn to destinations with strong food cultures, wellness offerings, or outdoor adventures, rather than places where nightlife is the main attraction,” he said.

Travel blogger Jo Raby told CNBC Travel she and her husband’s vacations once revolved around food and drinks, including wine tastings and bourbon tours.

Now, they opt for outdoor trips that involve white water rafting, hiking, biking and kayaking as well as off-the-beaten path destinations, instead of trips to all-inclusive hotels or beach resorts.

However, they don’t shy away from events that involve drinking, she said. As big music fans, they still enjoy live performances, and they even joined a tapas and wine tour in Granada, Spain.

“In Spain, it took a little more explaining to get the point across that we were not going to be able to consume any alcohol at all — not even a ‘little bit,'” she said. Eventually “they produced an [non-alcoholic] version for us to try, cracking it open very obviously for the first time!”

Seasoned traveler Robert Minchak said his decision to stop drinking four years ago hasn’t changed where he travels, only what he drinks while there.

“I skip the wine — but I haven’t stopped visiting vineyards,” he said, adding that he’s also visited breweries and eaten at Michelin-starred restaurants during trips to Europe, North America and South America.

He’s also in better health (“no meds for acid reflux”) and has better relationships in his life.

“Family and friends notice a calmer, kinder me,” he said.

Though the health and cost benefits are plenty, some travelers find that going alcohol-free comes with its own set of challenges.

For Raby, “it definitely feels strange to be in settings where the majority of people are drinking, and this has taken a lot of work on our parts from a mental aspect to adjust,” she said.

Ayala said he sometimes feels he doesn’t get the full travel experience in some locations.

“The main downside is that in some destinations, nightlife is such a big part of the culture that skipping it can feel like missing out,” he said.

He also said not drinking can complicate group trips, and that reactions from fellow travelers have been mixed.

“Some are supportive or even curious about trying it themselves, while others are puzzled or assume it means I’m less fun,” he said. “I’ve learned to frame it as a choice that actually helps me get more out of the trip, which usually shifts the conversation in a positive way.”

Paul Sendou, a French expatriate based in Singapore, said most of his friends have been understanding of his decision to reduce his drinking from four times a week to twice per month.

However, he said his lifestyle led him to cancel one trip with “two very party-oriented friends,” he said.

To Sendou, the trade-off is worth it.

“I’m more myself, more confident, clearer on what I want with myself and others,” he said. 

— CNBC’s Monica Pitrelli contributed to this report.