I started living on the road making cannabis and travel a part of my everyday life back in 2018. I packed up and hit the road to learn all I could about the world of cannabis and the magical plant herself. Fast forward 4 years later and I see headlines like the one by Forbes: Cannabis Tourism Is Now A $17 Billion Industry—And It’s Just Taking Off; and my initial reaction is: “well of course it is!”
Cannabis is an industry and every industry will be linked to cannabis. I knew travel and cannabis would be a thing! Victor Pinho, cofounder of Emerald Farm Tours told Forbes: “For now, cannabis travel has been largely ignored by tourism boards and the industry, leaving millions of dollars on the table”.
Cannabis Travel Studies and Money
$17 billion says to me that it is no longer being largely ignored, and with the rise of listings on Bud and Breakfast, a 420 travel and experience platform, my opinion is that, there will be no slow down in sight; cannabis travel is here! Can I get a cannatravelman?
For the property owner wondering if they should make their property cannabis friendly, check out the information in support of- YES:
- A prepandemic study conducted in 2020 by market research firm MMGY Travel Intelligence found that nearly 18% of American leisure travelers are interested in cannabis-related experiences on vacation. That number jumps to 62% when the survey sample is narrowed to cannabis-consuming adults over age 21 with an annual household income over $50K.
- Out of $25B in legal cannabis sales in 2021, Forbes estimates that as much as $4.5B was driven by tourists.
- By 2025, 50% of travelers in the U.S. are going to be millennials and as the Cannabis Travel Association International says: “their relationship to cannabis consumption is extremely normalized compared to the stigmatized industry leaders of today.”
With Cannabis it’s More Like: Bud and Breakfast
Bud and Breakfast was highlighted in the Forbes article as a platform that lists thousands of cannabis friendly lodging options. Did you know that Bud and Breakfast has been active since 2013? They are the largest and oldest platform of its kind.
It's a wonderful time to keep your eyes on Bud and Breakfast for reviews of cannabis friendly spaces, events, and experiences. I am currently traveling the United States to check into, explore, and review various bud and breakfasts so that you have insight from experience. And not just the bud and breakfast, but also the area.
Final Words
There is no way to avoid cannabis as a consumer focused business. Cannabis is like water, incorporated into all areas of daily life. Those that have dreams of being the next great bud and breakfast/cannabis friendly hotel, but nervous about your non cannabis loving consumers, rest assured that cannabis can exist even still.
The Clarendon Hotel in Phoenix is a great example and if you click this link, you can hear from management on how they launched a cannabis friendly hotel that still respects non cannabis consuming guests.
