Over the past few months, something’s been catching my attention. We all know the story by now: the burnout numbers, the collective exhaustion, the rising mental load. But what stands out to me isn’t just the tiredness. It’s how differently people respond to it now.
Not that long ago, stress or fatigue would trigger an obvious escape: Friday drinks at 4 PM, followed by a weekend of events and blowing off steam in every way. Monday came, not always superfresh, but back to it we went. And that rhythm kinda worked, until it didn’t.
Somewhere along the way, we crossed a line.
For three decades, the mantra was simple: bigger, better, faster, stronger. More festivals, more acts, more FX, more experiences. If you didn’t keep up with the growth, you got left behind. Until, suddenly, “more” stopped working. Venues began to empty out. Festivals struggled. Hospitality lost its shine. The party was technically still on, but the energy had drained from the room.
What we’re feeling now has a name: experience fatigue. Not a tiredness from music or dancing, but from the pressure to constantly be experiencing something.
A Short Look Back
For twenty years, the industry kept expanding. Then Covid shut everything down.
When restrictions lifted, it exploded: packed line-ups, full schedules, crowded venues. Revenge spending became the theme, trying to make up for lost time. But adrenaline isn’t endless. After the peak came the crash.
And now? We’re looking at the fallout. Lower festival attendance. Clubs running fewer nights. Cafés closing down. Not because people have stopped caring, but because they’re tired and simply don’t want as much anymore.
The Covid Whiplash
What we’re seeing isn’t just cultural. It’s physical too. First: nothing. Then: everything. Now: something a bit more quiet.
Audiences haven’t disappeared. They’ve just slowed down. The craving for connection is still there, just not at the pace we used to push. A slow night at home. A proper conversation at a quiet bar. That’s movement too.
The Psychology Behind the Tiredness
So what’s really going on then? I think we’re not tired of joy. We’re tired of deciding. Where to go. What ticket to buy. Which night is worth it? Who’s going? Who’s not? Should I be there? Or can I skip it just this once?
Maybe that’s why we scroll so much. Endless feeds require nothing from us. No commitment, no decisions. Psychologists call it avoidance behaviour. A way to escape when the world becomes too demanding.
This same fatigue shows up in empty venues and falling visitor numbers across hospitality. Not because we don’t want anything anymore. But because we’re exhausted by the pressure to chase yet another “unmissable experience.”
Club Med 2.0: The Bite-Sized Countertrend
Meanwhile, something unexpected is happening. While clubs and festivals are fighting for relevance, one of the biggest winners right now is… Club Med.
Yes really, that old-school, wristband-wearing, mini-disco icon of the ’80s. Thanks to TikTok, it’s become a kind of millennial life hack: all-inclusive, hassle-free, curated and camera-ready.
The numbers back it up! Record revenues, 75%+ occupancy, mountain resorts +20% growth (Source: HospitalityNet, June 2025).
It’s ironic. After decades of being told by venues and curators we needed to learn how to choose, the format that removes choice altogether is suddenly winning.
A Society in Reset
Experience fatigue doesn’t just affect nightlife or festivals. It runs deeper. It’s visible in our work rhythms, our media habits, even our relationships.
We’re collectively searching for a new tempo. JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out) is finally pushing back against FOMO. Spending time with each other is becoming more important than merely being around each other.
Economically, we’re seeing a two-speed market take shape:
- On one side: a hunger for simplicity and certainty. Think all-in formats, big headline acts, theme park logic.
- On the other: a growing desire for intimacy and real meaning — house concerts, community dinners, slow retreats.
What’s in the middle? More and more… nothing.
And that’s the big risk. Those clinging to “more of the same” may lose their audience faster than ever. The middle ground is dissolving. Grey becomes invisible.
So What Now?
If we zoom out, four clear directions are emerging:
- Curated High-End
Small-scale high end, exclusive experiences. Member-only clubs. Thoughtfully designed. Less, but better. - The Bite-Sized Mass
Snackable, shareable, easy. TikTokable. No more weekly events, but just a few standout moments that truly earn attention (and budget). - The Digital Escape
Virtual or hybrid experiences that deliver dopamine without the stress of the real world. - The Inner Circle
Tiny gatherings. Private dinners. Unpolished, real connection.
The future may not be about “more” or “less” anymore. It’s about fit and choosing the format that matches your energy, budget and what you’re actually looking for.
A Turning Point
Experience fatigue isn’t a dead end. It’s a pivot point. The age of endless stacking is over. Another laser, another confetti cannon. It won’t change the mood any longer.
But what will? Understanding what people truly need. Ease or depth. All-in or intimate. Champions League or living room. The choice is no longer about quantity, but clarity. Knowing who you are. And showing it.
In a world where everything is possible, the only thing that matters is what’s worth it.
At AIM, this is exactly why we believe in custom-curated experiences. Designed for meaning, not just momentum. Because when the adrenaline fades, it’s not about how much we experience. But how and why.