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

Peter Shankman, an American, said helium looked guardant to escaped drinks erstwhile helium flew concern people for work.

The entrepreneur would person a drink, past a fewer more, sleep, past land. All was well, helium said.

Until it wasn't.

"Eventually, I realized that I wasn't fine," helium said. "I was tired, cranky … [it] wasn't the mode to live."

So, helium said, helium discontinue drinking — astatine archetypal conscionable connected planes, past altogether.

"I similar myself amended erstwhile I don't drink," Shankman said. "I get up earlier. I enactment out. I don't devour similar crap."

A azygous dad, Shankman said he's present successful the gym by 5:00 a.m. and backmost location to nonstop his girl to schoolhouse astatine 6:30 a.m. On enactment trips, helium exercises and sleeps amended than before.

"The alteration successful maine is massive," helium said. "I'm dropping weight, I'm conscionable happier overall."

Shankman is portion of a ample contingent of radical who are drinking little oregon quitting intoxicant completely.

Only 54% of Americans present accidental they devour alcohol, according to a Gallup canvass released successful August — the lowest fig recorded since the institution began tracking depletion habits successful 1939. In different first, a bulk of adults (53%) accidental drinking, adjacent successful moderation, is atrocious for one's wellness — up from 28% successful 2018, the survey showed.

For Jonathan Ayala, a existent property selling strategist, giving up intoxicant meant much vigor and amended sleep, but besides "more wealth near successful my fund for experiences that matter."

"In the past, I wouldn't person imagined taking a travel without drinking," helium said. But now, "I find myself waking up earlier for hikes, markets oregon taste tours. I extremity up seeing much of the spot I came to visit, which has made my travels consciousness richer and much intentional."

Ayala besides said going alcohol-free has changed wherever helium travels too.

"I'm much drawn to destinations with beardown nutrient cultures, wellness offerings, oregon outdoor adventures, alternatively than places wherever nightlife is the main attraction," helium said.

Travel blogger Jo Raby told CNBC Travel she and her husband's vacations erstwhile revolved astir nutrient and drinks, including vino tastings and bourbon tours.

Now, they opt for outdoor trips that impact achromatic h2o rafting, hiking, biking and kayaking arsenic good arsenic off-the-beaten way destinations, alternatively of trips to all-inclusive hotels oregon formation resorts.

However, they don't shy distant from events that impact drinking, she said. As large euphony fans, they inactive bask unrecorded performances, and they adjacent joined a tapas and vino tour successful Granada, Spain.

"In Spain, it took a small much explaining to get the constituent crossed that we were not going to beryllium capable to devour immoderate intoxicant astatine each — not adjacent a 'little bit,'" she said. Eventually "they produced an [non-alcoholic] mentation for america to try, cracking it unfastened precise evidently for the archetypal time!"

Seasoned traveler Robert Minchak said his determination to halt drinking 4 years agone hasn't changed wherever helium travels, lone what helium drinks portion there.

"I skip the vino — but I haven't stopped visiting vineyards," helium said, adding that he's besides visited breweries and eaten astatine Michelin-starred restaurants during trips to Europe, North America and South America.

He's besides successful amended wellness ("no meds for acerb reflux") and has amended relationships successful his life.

"Family and friends announcement a calmer, kinder me," helium said.

Though the wellness and outgo benefits are plenty, immoderate travelers find that going alcohol-free comes with its ain acceptable of challenges.

For Raby, "it decidedly feels unusual to beryllium successful settings wherever the bulk of radical are drinking, and this has taken a batch of enactment connected our parts from a intelligence facet to adjust," she said.

Ayala said helium sometimes feels helium doesn't get the afloat question acquisition successful immoderate locations.

"The main downside is that successful immoderate destinations, nightlife is specified a large portion of the civilization that skipping it tin consciousness similar missing out," helium said.

He besides said not drinking tin complicate radical trips, and that reactions from chap travelers person been mixed.

"Some are supportive oregon adjacent funny astir trying it themselves, portion others are puzzled oregon presume it means I'm little fun," helium said. "I've learned to framework it arsenic a prime that really helps maine get much retired of the trip, which usually shifts the speech successful a affirmative way."

Paul Sendou, a French expatriate based successful Singapore, said astir of his friends person been knowing of his determination to trim his drinking from 4 times a week to doubly per month.

However, helium said his manner led him to cancel 1 travel with "two precise party-oriented friends," helium said.

To Sendou, the trade-off is worthy it.

"I'm much myself, much confident, clearer connected what I privation with myself and others," helium said. 

— CNBC's Monica Pitrelli contributed to this report.