Buzz
River cruises, destinations in Northern Europe, adventure travel... are among the prominent trends in the global travel industry in 2016, according to the analysis of many international tourism research organizations.
Emerging Travel Trends in 2016
Among the trends expected to rise in 2016, travel organizers are particularly interested in themed travel itineraries, solo travel (especially for women), and river cruises.
For destinations in the upcoming year, Eastern Europe and Northern European countries are increasingly attracting tourists. Previously less popular polar destinations such as Greenland, the Arctic, and the Antarctic will contribute to sharing the tourism market.
* The wave of tourism to the Nordic region * is forecasted to occur in 2016 as many airlines in the region offer extremely attractive prices right from the beginning of the year.
Major yacht companies have also introduced numerous voyages to the Arctic such as Alaska, Greenland, Spitsbergen (Norway), and the Far East region of Russia.
The allure of Northern Europe shines this year as Sweden is considered ideal for solo travelers in various exploration forms like biking, boating, hiking... or Iceland, home to many world-famous scenes like the Vatnajökull glacier river, Grjotagja cave...
* “Collaborative travel” emerges as a new trend with 60% of people aged 22-42 preferring shared services with like-minded individuals during trips, and 78% of travelers believe that having an on-site guide-friend makes trips more enjoyable.
According to Karine Miron, head of Parkour3 (an online company specializing in travel trend research strategy), in 2016, this trend became simpler based on experience sharing, home exchanges, carpooling, and even connecting locals with tourists.
PwC France stated that travel companies adopting collaboration models like the one mentioned experience an annual growth rate of about 30% and are expected to continue for the next 10 years despite increasingly stringent standards.
With this trend, travelers truly feel connected to the economic and cultural values it brings, such as understanding local customs, enjoying lower costs for services, and having more personalized access...
According to Dianne Dredge, a professor at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, the economic crisis has led people in Southern European countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece to quickly embrace this concept of collaboration.
According to a study by Nielsen, 55% of Spaniards express great interest in this trend amidst a growing professionalization of tourists and an aging travel demographic.
* Exploring off-the-beaten-path cities is becoming popular with lesser-known urban destinations taking the spotlight in the upcoming tourist season.
Unfamiliar names like Kotor in Montenegro, Quito in Ecuador, George Town in Malaysia, or Rotterdam in the Netherlands have thus become top destinations in 2016 as voted by Lonely Planet.
According to this trend, travelers want to satisfy their desire for discovering quiet alleyways, enjoying local cuisine in less crowded eateries with fewer tourists...
Another advantage is that travelers can significantly save on travel costs as the tourism infrastructure in these cities remains relatively low compared to more familiar destinations.
* Adventuring in exotic lands will be a trend among young travelers. According to Lara Lazare, Vice President of Canada's Vision Travel Management Company, sports and adventure tourism will be a top choice for these travelers because 'sunbathing and lounging by the pool are no longer appealing.'
Canadians are seeking more dynamic trips and destinations that offer a wide range of sports activities.
The most popular activities for Western tourists in exotic destinations range from horseback riding along the Caribbean coast, cycling through rugged terrain in some jungle, to swimming with sharks...
And recent statistics show that the majority of Canadian travelers consider Vietnam and Cambodia when thinking of Asia or Peru or Costa Rica in the Americas...
* Active youths and single women will travel more frequently. According to many research organizations, the solo travel segment will continue to grow strongly as trends such as being single, delaying marriage, divorce, and widowhood are increasing worldwide.
Complete freedom in choosing itineraries, the freedom to explore different cultures for a period of time, and the opportunity to meet new friends... have helped single travelers avoid boredom. Therefore, this traveler segment has increased by 64% in recent years in the solo travel booking sector.
To ensure the safety and avoid mishaps for solo travelers, the travel magazine Traver and Leisure, headquartered in the U.S. with over 4.8 million readers, has conducted a poll on the top 20 safest countries. Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden... are among the leading countries in this field.
* The majority of global travel experts affirm that 2016 will witness the boom of river tourism. Notably, river tourism routes along the Rhine, Danube, and Seine rivers in Europe will be popular among tourists.
In Asia, river cruises will be bustling along the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, the Yangtze River (China), the Mekong River in Cambodia, and the Cuu Long River in Vietnam. In the Americas, the St. Lawrence and Mississippi rivers are always the dream exploration destinations for travelers...
Additionally, sea cruising continues to grow after welcoming over 22 million passengers last year.
Currently, the sea cruising sector has made breakthroughs by offering various specialized cruise types, from yoga cruises, cruises with sports stars or music celebrities to tattoo cruises with the participation of stars in this field, along with organizing tattoo competitions.
According to Tuoitre.vn
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourJanuary 8, 2016
