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Travel specialists revealed their top travel trends, including the continued growth of trends that have been building steadily over the past year. Though some emerge out of this year’s economic downturn, others show travelers determined to create new and fulfilling travel experiences despite the economy.
Second City Travel— Visiting smaller, lesser-known cities within a destination can yield a more affordable, though equally enriching, vacation experience. For example, visiting Birmingham, England instead of London; or vacationing in Montreal instead of Toronto.
Tried and True Travel— Travelers are expected to return to destinations that they know and love in greater numbers. Not only is it a safe way to ensure an enjoyable vacation, it allows travelers to explore destinations more thoughtfully, while giving them a true sense of costs.
Closer to Home Travel— Expanding beyond this year’s “staycation” trend, travelers are expected to seek “closer to home”, affordable alternatives to overseas destinations. For example, visiting Montreal instead of Paris.
Vacation Home Rentals Support Multi-Generational Travel— Vacation home rentals and villas that offer multi-generational families a “home away from home” experience while on vacation, will continue to gain popularity.
Value Vacations Expected to Grow— Value oriented vacations, such as all-inclusive resorts and cruise lines that continue to expand their offerings will become more appealing to travelers that had not considered them in the past.
Other trends indicating that some consumers are moving forward with their travel plans regardless of the economy are:
Climate Sightseeing— A growing number of travelers are moved to visit destinations threatened by climate change such as the Galapagos, Machu Picchu, Alaska and Canada’s Churchill, an area whose polar bears are threatened by extinction.Authentic Travel and Niche Tours— According to American Express travel agents, demand for vacations driven by special interests will continue to rise in 2009. Among these, agents named both “authentic travel”— experiencing a destination more intensely through longer stays and deep cultural immersion— and niche tours, where groups of people with like-minded interests travel together.
Solo Travel— Travel agents expect to see a rise in solo travel due to lifestyle factors, and the rising age of couples getting married.A survey of members by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives underscores the caution prevalent in the industry. Only a quarter of respondents said they will spend more on corporate travel next year, while about half will operate at 2009 levels.
The outlook:
Airlines
Airlines, with their ability to quickly add or remove seats, could be on the cusp of a slow recovery. American Express Travel estimates domestic fares in North America will grow 2% to 7% next year. Business-class fares will grow 1% to 6%.
Low-cost carriers already are seeing more travelers. JetBlue's September traffic was up 10% from a year earlier as it, unlike other airlines, added capacity. Southwest's traffic rose 9% in September, and the percentage of seats filled reached nearly 75% vs. 63.4% a year ago.
Hotels
It's been an ugly year for hotels. In the second quarter, revenue per available room, the industry benchmark of measuring performance, fell 19.5% from a year ago, says Smith Travel Research.
The decline will continue for much of 2010, analysts say. Room rates will fall 1% to 6% in North American hotels, and upscale properties will offer deeper price cuts, American Express says.VENEZUELA'S afterglow from winning yet another Miss Universe crown has not only illuminated national pride in its Latin beauties - but also its women's widespread recourse to cosmetic surgery.
Surgical enhancement of the body has become such a norm in the South American nation that it has emerged as a top destination for “scalpel tourism” by foreigners looking for a lift or new contours at a cheaper price.
”There are patients who come from Colombia, the United States, Ecuador, the Caribbean islands... They have surgery and then spend a few days on vacation,” explained Rosi Oyon, head of a French subsidiary selling silicon breast implants.
The passing of the Miss Universe crown from one Venezuelan to another, from 2008 winner Dayana Mendoza to Stefania Fernandez a week ago, could spur an uptick in a plastic surgery sector already booming, several participants in the industry said.