A look ahead to 2018

With Jan. 1, 2018 just days away, PAX is looking ahead to the trends and tastes of the next 12 months in the travel industry. For more about the year ahead, check out the recent feature in the December-January edition of PAX magazine.

Trafalgar CEO looks ahead

Trafalgar Global CEO Gavin Tollman recently revealed his forecast for 2018, dubbed ‘The Seven to Anticipate.’ These include:

• Off-Season Travel: “Re-adjusting our mind-sets to embrace year-round travel as a genuine prospect allows travellers to fully enjoy every moment and not have that sinking feeling of worrying about battling crowds at each turn. Lack of crowds means lack of frustration of time and space lost as you embark on the same bright idea to travel to the same place at the same time as everyone else.”
• True Sustainability Will Become A Requisite, Not A Nice To Have: "For travel to remain true to people and place, we must ensure that we work to grow tourism in a sustainable manner – assisting local communities to celebrate who they are, respecting their uniqueness, as a prelude to building their economy and protecting their environment.”
• Technology, Enriching The Travel Experience: “From AR and VR and IoT (internet of Things) they are all becoming integrated into daily life. In 2018, I envision them further assimilating into the traveller experience, making them an integral part of the journey to the ultimate destination.”
• It’s All About Personalization: “When travelling, personalization is no longer a pleasant surprise for customers, it is an absolute expectation. There is no reason at all why the power of touching one should be lost to the masses. Today’s connectivity means that consumers are rightfully expecting, and demanding, more.”
• HDD – Holiday Deficit Disorder: “Today, ‘Holiday Shaming’ is rapidly becoming an ideal of the past. Encouraging personal time out is the evolved way of looking at employee wellbeing, on and off the job. At the same time, travellers recognize that regularly recharging, refreshing and rejuvenating is part of a healthy work-life balance.”
• Off the beaten track destinations: “Discovering the mysterious and the new remains vital to travellers. I continue to see more and more people visiting cities that were, until recently, overlooked, unheard of or inaccessible. There is no doubt that the proliferation of low-cost airlines is having a profound, positive impact on these lesser known places. Regional low-cost carriers continue to proliferate globally, making discovery of somewhat unexplored destinations a delightful reality.”
• Bragging Rights: “If there is one thing that is going to distinctly differentiate this travel generation compared to those of years, and generations, past, it is the articulation of feedback – posting, rating, bragging. Today’s travellers are more ambitious and adventurous, both in their travelling, and in their travel-sharing. It’s no longer about checking boxes. Travellers want adventurous, participatory experiences. Sight-seeing is important but not enough.”

Egypt is one of 10 countries G Adventures has listed as its top destinations for 2018

G Adventures: 10 destinations for 2018

In an annual tradition, G Adventures recently revealed their top 10 destinations for 2018. These include:

• Egypt
• Portugal
• Sri Lanka
• Colombia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Morocco
• Hawaii
• South Africa
• Bolivia
• Oman

The tour operator gave a final ‘honourable mention’ to The Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of independence from Bolshevik Russian rule.

An estimated 27.2 million travellers will take a cruise in 2018, according to Cruise Lines International Association.

CLIA: cruising into 2018

In its 2018 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, Cruise Lines International Association outlined a series of forecasts for the coming year, during which a projected 27.2 million passengers are expected to set sail on a cruise vacation, up from an estimated 25.8 million passengers in 2017. CLIA member cruise lines are scheduled to debut 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships this coming year.

CLIA's top nine cruise travel trends for the coming year include:

• All Budgets Will Cruise – The soon to be released, 2018 Cruise Travel Report found that almost all income brackets are cruising. In fact, a third (33 per cent) of the cruisers surveyed who have taken a cruise within the past three years, have a household income less than $80K. While the data shows cruising does skew a bit more to the affluent consumer than other types of vacations, the report indicates almost all levels of income enjoy cruise vacations.
• Transformational Cruise Travel – The next evolution of experiential travel sees travelers taking a step further and seeking “transformational” experiences. From cultural immersion and voluntourism to extreme adventures, those returning from a cruise will have shift in perspective and a sense of accomplishment.
• Sustainability at Sea – In the coming year there with be an even greater focus on sustainable tourism. Travelers can look forward participating in sustainable practices both onboard and off from recycling and waste management to popular voluntourism initiatives that focus on creating a positive environmental and social impact at destinations around the globe.
• Millennials Take to the River— River and small ship cruising continues to gain traction among travelers, specifically the Millennial set. With ever-expanding itineraries and destination experiences that reach far beyond walking and coach tours and endless options for the perfect “Instagram moment,” the younger generation is embracing river cruising.
• Skip-Gen Cruising – Multigenerational cruising is projected to increase in popularity, as forecasted by CLIA’s Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook in April 2017. But there’s a twist: “skip-generation” trips, with grandparents and grandchildren traveling together without their parents, are predicted to be highly popular in 2018 and beyond.
• Travellers Warm to Chilly Destinations –The coming year is projected to see an increase in popularity of colder climate destinations including the Baltics, Canada, Alaska, and Antarctica. With an array of unique excursion options, from penguin watching to ice fishing, these winter wonder destinations are drawing in both new and repeat cruise travelers.
• Healthy Doses – Travelers are seeking health and wellness trips more than ever before and the cruise industry is responding with services and experiences for the mind and body. Today’s cruise travelers can participate in onboard health wellness seminars led by popular health experts, custom fitness programs, stress management, and spa services.
• Smart Travel Technology — The coming year there will be a rise in traveler-friendly onboard technologies. Several cruise lines are introducing wearable technology for cruise guests that provide a personalized and seamless experience while onboard.
• Tapping Travel Agents – Travel agents continue to see a steady demand from consumers in planning and executing vacations. Some of the largest factors behind continued popularity of travel agents include ease of planning, valued expertise, and affordability.