When the clock strikes midnight on the 1st January and the Christmas festivities draw to a close, booking a holiday is a must – which is fortunate given there’s little else to do but dream of tropical beaches in the gloomiest month of the year.
Ahead of planning your trips for next year, Booking.com have made their travel trend predictions. From pet-centric holidays (we can get *very* on board with this) to technology-fuelled travel, exploring the world has never looked more tempting.
Anyone else rushing to Skyscanner to book a one way flight?
The rise of the ‘second city’ traveller
Second-city travel, meaning the exploration of lesser known destinations in a bid to reduce over-tourism and protect the environment, will take a leap forward in the year ahead. Over half of global travellers want to play a part in reducing over-tourism, while 51% would swap their original destination for a lesser known but similar alternative if they knew it’d leave less of an environmental impact. Adding to that, the majority of global travellers would like destinations to be recommended based on tourism having a positive impact on the local community.
Tech-spect the unexpected
2020 will see travellers put key aspects of their decision-making process even more firmly in the hands of technology. It can be overwhelming to decide which corners of our incredible planet to visit or what excursions to choose, but the coming year will see inventive tech inspiring and enabling us to overcome this hurdle with ease. Smart, trusted tech-led recommendations will connect us to a myriad of new experiences that might not otherwise have crossed our path, while also saving time (as well as screen-time) and enabling us to max out every minute of ‘now’ while on holiday.
Slo-Mo is the new #FOMO
Instead of experiencing FOMO and trying to speed through as much as possible, travel in 2020 will be all about taking it slow. In 2020, almost half of traveller’s plans will involve slower modes of transport to reduce their environmental impact with a preference for longer routes to experience more of the journey itself. See you on a peddle bike!
Discovering the all-amusive escape
A fast-paced world means that most of us are time poor – a notion that doesn’t start or stop with a holiday. Travellers will want to be as time-efficient as possible on vacation, so instead of settling into one theme for the entire vacation, 2020 will see a rise in travellers exploring the ‘all-amusive’, by visiting destinations that offer an array of enriching experiences and attractions.
Pets in the priority lane
With our nation’s obsession with our pets (who doesn’t prefer their dog to humans?), pet-centric vacations are set to be huge in 2020. We’ll see travellers putting the needs of their beloved pets well before their own when it comes to selecting where to go, where to stay and what to do. Expect dog day beds, pet spas, dedicated room service menus and even specially designed pet restaurants.
Making great memories with ‘grand’ getaways
2020 will be the year of the ‘grand’ as more grandparents will take epic vacations with just their grandkids, leaving the parents at home. Today’s older generation is healthier, more adventurous and more keen to stay young and active than ever before so expect to see ‘grand’ vacations that offer an array of active experiences for both generations to take part in.
Race to the reservation
Calling all foodies! The coming year will see travellers put culinary experiences at the top of their priorities, with the race to snag that all important restaurant reservation truly on. For many, where and when they travel will start with – and depend on – whether they can reserve a table to enjoy highly coveted cuisine, in many cases at places whose waiting lists stretch months long. And with appetites whetted by an abundance of social media content and recommendations, it won’t just be the big-name restaurants at which travellers are desperate to nab a seat. Hidden gems – those places which have long been favourites amongst the locals and offer sought-after homegrown flavours, sometimes well off the beaten track – are the ones most likely to tickle the taste buds of travellers.
Fast track to long-term travel
As retirement looks set to become less and less about reaching a certain age and leaving the workforce, and with increasing numbers actively planning to retire earlier, we’ll see this moment become surprisingly synonymous with ‘adventure travel planning’. Put down the TV remote and glass of wine, retirement just got adventurous.
To delve deeper into Booking.com travel trends for 2020, visit http://TravelPredictions2020.com.