Women Are Quietly Revolutionizing the Travel Industry-and It's All About Taking Book Clubs to the Next Level

"I'm sitting in the middle of Utah's stunning Colorado Plateau desert, there's a campfire crackling, and blissfully, I don't have cell service. Instead, I'm listening to author Beck Dorey-Stein talk about her book "Spectacular Things" with a moderator from Reese Witherspoon's Reese's Book Club. My belly is full, I'm surrounded by fellow readers, and there's an elaborate tray of s'mores ingredients nearby. It is resplendent."

"But, really, one could argue that a lot of this modern attitude around books could be traced back to the celebrity book club. The original, Oprah's Book Club, was founded in 1996. But there are notable newer entries as well, including Dua Lipa's Service95, which hosts in-person events as well, including a recent talk at the New York Public Library. Love Island's Jeremiah Brown has a book club-and he just hosted a conversation with acclaimed romance author Ana Huang."

Camp Unwritten is a three-day book retreat held at Ulum Moab featuring campfire conversations, shared meals, and curated activities centered on reading. The World of Hyatt and Reese's Book Club hosted multiple reading retreats across the U.S. this summer. Book retreats are growing in popularity and largely sprout from BookTok, turning reading into a social, community-based activity, especially among women. Women are more likely to read than men and dominate the fiction market. Engagement now includes tracking books on Goodreads, participating in book clubs, and sharing recommendations on social media. Celebrity book clubs, from Oprah's 1996 launch to newer celebrity-led clubs, host in-person events and immersive experiences beyond traditional talks.

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