What can you expect from travel in the new year?
What are the travel trends for 2019?
Well, as usual it’s a mixed bag of good and bad.
I prefer to focus on the good.
But that’s because I’m a glass half full kind of gal.
So I’m going to start with a bit of the bad first — just to get it out of the way.
Then we can get to the fun stuff!
Oh the airlines
Unfortunately airfare will most likely go up a little bit.
And we’ll continue to see the cafeteria style airfare continue with airlines offering up things like “basic economy” or “economy light”.
From that you add on a carry on bag, a checked bag, choosing your seat, etc.
So they’ll keep nickel and diming you — as we like to say here in the USA.
Seats are also likely to get smaller.
Ugghhh!
I seriously hate this.
All of it.
But, as I say, the airlines have us by the huevos.
So we just have to make the best of it.
The upside is we’re seeing more ways to stay connected on airplanes with the increase of wifi availability.
Oh those small seats on the airplanes 🙁
People will travel for experiences versus seeing a site
More people are traveling to have experiences.
What does this mean?
Think shopping in the markets of Florence, Italy — learning about the food and what makes it important to the culture — then taking that food and learning how to cook a traditional dish.
You finish it all up with eating what you’ve made with the perfect wine.
Making chocolate in Belgium.
Dogsledding in Norway.
Painting in Giverny, France — Monet’s garden.
Walking the West Highland Way in Scotland.
Experiences.
Doing things versus simply visiting a site and checking it off your list.
This is one of the best travel trends for 2019.
Taking a cooking class or learning how to make cheese or chocolate is wonderful way to delve deeper into a culture. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Walking some of the many long distance trails in Europe, such as the West Highland Way in Scotland, is a fabulous way to have a unique travel experience.
The “more responsible” traveler
Of all the travel trends for 2019, this one touches the heart and the conscience.
People are beginning to think more about traveling in a responsible way.
So some folks may choose not to travel to a destination if they are not accepting of the LBGTQ community.
Others may want to visit destinations that are actively taking measures to protect the environment.
Travelers are looking to eat more locally sourced food so the impact on the environment is minimal.
We’re trying to use less plastic and be more sensitive to cultural differences.
Folks are thinking about human rights.
And many of us are trying not to add to the over tourism problem that some cities and sites are dealing with.
I call this being a more conscientious traveler – a more caring traveler.
Someone who can look at the world with a broader perspective and simply be more mindful of his or her impact.
This is an awesome trend in travel!
The rise of responsible tourism is leading to many folks traveling to destinations that are environmentally conscious.
Female solo travel will continue to rise
Solo female travel is not going anywhere as more and more women choose to travel alone.
Sometimes women travel truly on their own as I do.
I travel place to place by car, train or bus on my own without being part of a group.
Some women choose to join up with a small group of other women who are also going it alone.
I love this travel trend.
As a solo female traveler I encourage women to travel on their own as it’s so empowering.
If you haven’t tried it, 2019 should be your year.
More women will travel solo in 2019. Yay!
Dark skies
I wrote about this late last year.
This is one of my favorite travel trends for 2019.
Travelers are looking to visit destinations where there is virtually no light pollution so they can take in the night time skies.
While there is an organization that designates Dark Sky Places, there are so many areas not on the official list that are worthy of spending some time.
I hope to see the official list expand and to see this travel trend continue to grow.
There’s nothing like seeing the Milky Way and a sky filled with thousands of stars!
Dark Sky Places are one of the hottest travel trends of 2019! Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Getting off the tourist track
My absolute favorite of all the travel trends for 2019 is one that sees so many people seeking out lesser-visited destinations.
This has been a trend on the rise over the past few years as many places see over tourism — and folks getting tired of the crowds.
As a result many travelers are finding those destinations that are not so touristed.
And in the process folks are finding ways to connect more with the locals — learning more about the history and the culture of a place.
This is what Wander Your Way is all about and what I encourage you all to do — wander your way and get a little lost.
Get off the beaten path.
Explore.
This is when the travel magic happens!
One of my favorite off the tourist track places in Italy is the Valle Aurina in northern Italy near the Austrian border. I love finding spots like this!
Getting off the beaten path leads to some unique and very special places like Karia Bel’ Hotel in Bozburun, Turkey.
Slowing down
I love the idea that more people are choosing to slow down on their holidays.
This is one of the best travel trends for 2019 because slowing down means you, as a traveler, get to connect more with the place and the people you are visiting.
It leads to richer experiences.
And it means you come back from your travels refreshed and not exhausted.
Schull, Ireland where I spent 10 days in 2018. I had the opportunity to get to know the town and its people.
By spending an extended period of time in Schull, I found some lovely walks that took me to views like this.
Because I spent an extended period of time in Schull, I learned about the local musicians and was treated to some amazing music!
By spending an extended period of time in Schull, I found some lovely walks that took me to views like this.
Hot destinations for 2019
So what about some of the top destinations for 2019?
Well, Wander Your Way’s 2019 Europe Destinations compilation is almost ready.
But a couple of places on the list include the Balkan country of Albania, the Loire Valley in France and the capital of Denmark — Copenhagen.
Do keep your eyes on Eastern European countries such as Romania and Estonia as they’re growing their tourist infrastructure.
I’ve heard such wonderful stories about these countries.
And think about visiting those off-the-tourist-trail spots in popular countries such as Italy and France.
So think about visiting Calabria (the toe of the boot) in Italy or the Dordogne area of France.
The Valbuna area of Albania. Doesn’t this look gorgeous? Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
What travel trends for 2019 do you see happening?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Drop your comments below!
