One of the oddest statistics to come out of the pandemic is how people are baring their souls —and a few other things — on the subject of nudism. Apparently, more people than ever are stripping off their clothes and walking around naked.
As a result, nudist associations around the world are seeing a sudden uptick in memberships and interest in “nakations,” especially clothing-optional cruises, is growing at a rapid pace.
Which brings up the question: If, like the rest of us, nudists are required to wear a mask, are they really naked?
According to a report in Forbes magazine, naturist associations in Britain, France, Italy and the United States have reported a significant membership increase in recent months — 31 per cent in Ireland, alone.
Andrew Welch, the commercial manager for British Naturism, told CNN: “The number of new people joining us has almost tripled since the beginning of the U.K. lockdown at the end of March (2020).” And Because more people are working from home, Welch, whose group has signed up 370 new members since the pandemic began, surmises “fewer people are worried about what to wear — or haven’t bothered with clothes at all.”

Above: During the pandemic, many people walked around naked and now they want to holiday in the nude.

Another factor contributing to the rise in nudism, according to experts, is climate change. With rising temperatures and heat waves engulfing most of Europe in recent years, more people on the continent are stripping off their clothes at home and on beaches.

Tourism boards in many countries are reporting increased interest from foreigners regarding where they can find nude beaches, nude camp grounds and nude resorts in those countries.
While the majority of nakationers are 45 and older, the pandemic has brought more nudists out of the closet.
Mary Jane Kolassa, media relations representative for the American Association for Nude Recreation told the Chicago Tribune: “The demographics are shifting. We’re seeing more millennials and gen xers opening up to the joy and freedom offered by the nude travel experience.”
Before the pandemic, nude tourism was one of the fastest growing segments of the industry — Florida, the global capital for nakations, claims that nude recreation contributed $7.4 billion (U.S.) to the state’s economy in 2019.
Globally, some reports peg nude recreation and travel’s impact at $400 billion annually.
While there are plenty of nakation options out there, nude cruises apparently tops the list. According to Texas-based Castaways Travel, they expect to book about 7,500 passengers on clothing-optional cruises being organized by Celebrity and Royal Caribbean in 2021.
Oh, and don't think that nakations come cheap. Research by hotel booking platform, Hoo, reveals that hotel room rates near Britain’s nudist beaches cost 57 per cent more than the U.K. average. Hoo looked at the average room rate of hotels surrounding 41 of the best beaches to bare all in the U.K. and the research shows that when booking a seven week stay the cost of a hotel room per night came in at £115 ($196 Cdn) on average — 57 per cent more than the room rate of the average U.K. hotel.
 Lymington’s Taddiford Gap in Hampshire is the most expensive of the lot, according to Hoo. On average, a hotel room close to this nudist beach there comes in at £181 per night, 148 per cent higher than the national average. Hotels close to Dorset's nude Knoll Beach in Studland charge as much as £175 per night, 140 per cent more than the U.K. average.
Nude resorts in Jamaica, Mexico, Texas and Florida, citing pent-up demand, are also expecting an increase in traffic as more North Americans get vaccinated this year.

Above: Nude beacges around the world are getting lots of inquiries about availability this summer.

However, even people who have been vaccinated are being urged to wear a mask and continue social distancing for the faceable future by national governments. No exceptions — not even nudist camps. And most are complying.
That, apparently, has nudist purists up in arms. The Wall Street Journal reports many nakationers are voicing their opposition to covering their face while the rest of their body is bare. One Connecticut clothing-free resort, whose motto is “no tan lines” says the masking order has resulted in some cancellations.
With most North Americans claiming they’ll be staying close to home until the pandemic is completely conquered globally, RV  rentals are soaring as Canadians and Americans head for the great outdoors, where social distancing is much easier to accomplish. So, expect more RV camps to offer clothing-free zones so they can capture that growing audience.
If you’re planning to bare all when you travel, here’s some places where nudists are more than welcome:

Cap-d’Agde, France: This charming village tucked away along the French Riviera between Nice and Toulouse is considered the nudist capital of Europe. You can walk around the highly regulated village without a stitch of clothing. You can also go grocery shopping in the nude, get your hair cut in the nude and sunbath on the beach in the nude.

Miami: Nudists are celebrated in America’s sun and fun capital. And while there are many topless beaches in Miami, those looking to bare all must travel to secluded Haulover Beach in a nearby county park where nudists are welcome and celebrated during National Nude Recreation Week each July.

Vera Playa, Spain: This beautiful Costa de Almeria town offers an entire zone where nudists can walk around free of clothing and prying eyes. The zone features long stretches of pristine beach, apartments, resort hotels, restaurants and even promenades that are the exclusive domain of nudists.

Little Beach, Maui, Hawai'i: This Mākena State Park nudist haven does not offer many facilities, but connects the naked with nature. Nude swimming and wildlife watching in the buff are the preferred activities at this secluded clothing-optional beach. The beach’s weekly Sunday Sunset Drum Circle event, featuring naked fire dancers, is very popular.

Florianoplois, Brazil: It should come as no surprise that this enfant terrible of South American countries has one of the most sought-after nudist destinations in the world. But Praia do Pinho is not easy to reach because it’s cradled in the mountains and is relatively inaccessible, which makes it even more appealing to nudists.

Byron Bay, Australia: The clothing-optional areas of this town’s Tyagarah Nature Reserve and Belongil Beach are some of the most popular spots Down Under. Nudist volleyball and the annual Anzac Day Nude Cricket Match — it  gives the sport’s popular phrases “sticky wicket”  and “leg stumps” a whole new meaning — are the big attractions here.

Sylt, Germany: Even staid Germany rolls out the red carpet for nudists and the one place they are encouraged to roam sans clothing is on this secluded North Sea island. Every beach on Sylt has a clothing optional policy and its one of the most popular vacation spots in the country.

Vernazza, Italy: The seaside resort in its Cinque Terre has some secret beaches that require going through dark tunnels to reach. But once you get there, you are not required to wear clothes and you can soak up the beauty of the area without having to fight for space with pesky tourists.