Travel Trends for 2019

As thoughts turn from tinsel and turkey to Tinsel Town and Turkey, travel experts have started sharing their 2019 destination hotspots, bucket list suggestions and top tips for travel experiences.

From staycations to package tours, DIY breaks or Instagram-friendly destinations, the Safer Tourism team have taken a closer look at some of the travel trends and top tips for 2019.

For many, the key consideration will be Brexit’s impact on foreign travel.  In December, the Government updated the passport rules for travel to Europe after Brexit:  Make it your new year’s resolution to check your passport’s expiry dates and renew in good time if there is less than six months remaining.  For more information, go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/passport-rules-for-travel-to-europe-after-brexit

Broadening the mind

Holidaymakers will be seeking greater purpose to their trips according to booking.com. Travel is already renowned for broadening the mind and in 2019, people will be seeking to learn new skills through volunteering and skills-based vacations.

Great escapes

With only 200 countries to choose from – 193 are recognised by the UN but 211 countries play in the world cup – some travellers may be looking further afield and news that NASA begins construction of its Lunar Space Station next year will be a giant leap for mankind’s holiday plans.

But until space travel becomes a reality, the chance to stay in unique and remarkable types of accommodation will become more trendy, so get those lighthouse, cave, church, and even underwater accommodation bookings in asap.

Celebrations

According to Kuoni’s 2018 Travel Trends Report, people are investing in travel as never before to celebrate life’s milestones.  Making memories while nurturing relationships and experiencing the world and its wonders first hand is the best way to get engaged or married, mark a retirement, and ring in a new decade.

Bucket list

Wanderlust.co.uk’s rarest, toughest and real ‘do before you die’ bucket list journey recommendations kicks off with an invitation raft the Grand Canyon.  Be warned, there is a long waiting list for private rafting, but commercial tour trips are more readily available.

Amazing treks to Everest Base Camp, Macchu Picchu and New Zealand’s Milford Track are in Wanderlust’s top ten, as are getting close to endangered species, from Amazonian tribes, to snow leopards to turtles.

Seeing stars – whether photographing the northern lights in Finland, Norway, Sweden or Canada, or experiencing the world’s best celestial sight in Namibia’s vast NamibRand Nature Reserve – provides and out of this world experience.

Conscientious travel

Over tourism and reducing our carbon footprint will doubtless influence people’s decisions about potential travel destinations.

The enduring popularity of some European resorts led to anti-tourism campaigns in Majorca and Ibiza, and new legislation across European cities such as Venice, Barcelona and Lisbon,  has been introduced to manage the huge holidaymaker influx and crack down on anti social behaviour. The Independent newspaper predicts there will be a trend in travellers seeking out less popular destinations and experiences that champion alternative attractions, such as Lisbon’s We Hate Tourism tours.

One off-the-beaten-track getaway is Bawah Reserve on the Anambas Islands, off Malaysia – “a luxury retreat that’s brilliantly put-together and sustainably minded”, says the Telegraph. The resort, which opened last year, boasts solar water heating and fortnightly beach clean-ups.

Sustainable tourism and responsible travel has long been high on the agenda of the travel industry and according to a recent TripAdvisor survey, nearly two-thirds of all travellers are increasingly inclined to travel green.  The question is how?

Greenglobaltravel.com suggest flying with one of the 30+ IATA (International Air Transport Association) member airlines who offer carbon offset programs to neutralise aircraft’s carbon emissions by investing in carbon reduction projects.   And booking non-stop flights makes a difference: It’s the takeoffs and landings that create most of an airplane’s carbon emissions.

You can make a positive impact on the communities you are visiting, whether signing up for a full-on voluntourism vacation, spending time on local activities to offset the environmental impact of your stay,  or working with a non-profit like Pack For A Purpose to provide much-needed supplies to local schools by using available space in your luggage to provide supplies from pencils to footballs (deflated) or medical equipment.

Length of stay

Elle magazine reports that 2019 will be the year of ‘bite sized travel’ with more curated travel itineraries squeezed into short time frames.  Over half of global travellers report that they plan to take more weekend trips in 2019, which means big business for local economies.

The combination of improved flight routes and affordable flights, on-demand car rentals and accommodation, means micro trips will become increasingly more popular and varies.

Personal safety

According to Expedia, almost half millennials (46%) compared with just over a third (37%) of non millennials worry more about their safety on holiday than when in the UK.  It’s a much bigger issue for millennials than their forerunners.

But according to Intrepid, travellers will no longer be deterred by fear mongering. In 2019, tourists are expected to ignore media reports, propaganda and fear mongering, and make up their own minds about visiting those countries seen as high risk destinations.

Personalisation and recommendations continue to play a significant part in where we will travel and what we will do while we are there.

Instagram holidays vs digital detox

While some people are choosing their holidays based on social media, such as instagrammers’ favourite the Disney Magic Kingdom Purple Wall, others are desperate to get off-grid. Some resorts are designed specically to help guests unplug from their busy lives. The Ranch Malibu, for example, offers a week-long fitness and wellness programme. Wake early to Tibetan chimes and fill your days with mountain hiking and restorative yoga.