Keen to know what 2016 holds when it comes to travel? We can answer that.
The top three travel trends for this year are, somewhat unsurprisingly, driven by the fact that the Aussie dollar is still much weaker than we’d like it to be. While this won’t stop Australians travelling, it may mean there are restrictions for those with international travel plans.
So, that’s the bad news out the way, and the good news is, there’s still a lot about which to be excited. Here are your top three travel trends for 2016:
1. Staycations
Aptly named, the concept of staycations – taking time off without travelling – is becoming more and more popular. The idea is to actually enjoy some downtime and relax. And when you think about your last dash across the world, and how for days after your return all you wanted to do was sleep, well, you can start to see the benefit.
It’s easy to forget how great your city or hometown really is. Often, we take for granted the things that make it special. Why not take some time to be a tourist in your hometown this year and rediscover what makes it so appealing to the outside world? Or spend some time at home doing all those things you’ve always wanted to do, books you’ve wanted to read, languages you’ve wanted to learn, sleep you’ve missed out on? You get the picture. One thing’s for sure, you’ll feel far more rested when you ‘return’!
This idea also extends to the rest of Australia. Sure, travelling the world and discovering new cultures is exciting but we’re blessed to have so much to see in our own backyard. The added bonus is that it comes without the expensive 24-hour flight, subsequent jetlag and terrible exchange rate!
2. So last season
Peak season, that is. Many travellers are now becoming more savvy to the fact that they can enjoy much better rates if they’re prepared to compromise slightly on weather. While it maybe highly desirable to go to Europe during our winter and their summer, the sky high prices certainly reflect the popularity of the season. Why not consider heading off on your holidays during the shoulder season when, while temperatures may be milder, crowds will be smaller, prices much lower and your dollar will go that much further?
On the same note, there’s nothing wrong with embracing the colder weather and booking a winter holiday. Why not learn to ski or snowboard, or just enjoy mulled wine by the fire? You could even have a very un-Australian white Christmas.
3. Outside the box
To save money, many travellers will consider booking a package holiday this year. With an abundance of booking sites around nowadays, there’s no shortage of great holiday packages that include flights, accommodation and even transfers.
There’s also an increasing trend towards choosing cities or regions that haven’t traditionally been considered must-visit destinations. Forget the done-to-death major cities when booking your next trip, and have a look at some of the other areas of countries which are more off the beaten track.
Some examples of less tourist-trap destinations include, Naples in Italy, Porto in Portugal, Ghent in Belgium, San Sebastian in Spain, Vienna in Austria, and Tinos in Greece.
Well, what are you waiting for? Spin that globe and start looking.
What are your travel plans for 2016? Has our weak Aussie dollar had an impact on them?
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