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Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider

April 12, 2008

In travel, just when one trend seems hot, another one takes over.

Case in point: Five years ago, affluent travelers, tired of staying in luxury hotels for their holidays, starting booking grand villas in the Tuscan countryside, on the beaches of Mexico and in the South of France. Now, hotels around the world are building villas, and vacationers are migrating back.

Another example: It wasn’t too long ago that renting a yacht loaded with amenities was considered a vacation only for the mega-wealthy. Today, however, with prices falling, renting a luxury yacht has become a hot summer vacation for legions of travelers.

In a vast industry that’s constantly changing, it’s not always easy to find upcoming trends, but industry experts have helped us select a few frontrunners.

Today’s biggest travel trend is eco-awareness.

"Travelers today are much more concerned about the environment than they have ever been," says Alexandre Chemla, president and owner of Altour International, a luxury travel consultancy. "A couple of years ago, you didn’t hear about this as much, but now upscale travelers want to do whatever they can to be eco-conscious."

According to research from the Green Hotel Association, a trade organization in Texas that promotes ecological consciousness in the hospitality industry, 43 million U.S. travelers say they are concerned about the environment.
And thanks to the widespread effort the travel industry is making to promote green initiatives, it’s not difficult for consumers to be more eco-friendly. Car rental companies Hertz, Budget and Avis are adding more fuel-efficient cars to their fleet, and many limo companies use hybrid vehicles. Hotel chains including Fairmont and Aloft also have new green programs.

Another trend in upscale travel is private jet charters. Aram Gesar, editor of AirGuide magazine and AirGuideonline.com, says that there are around 500 private jet operators worldwide, up from around 100 just five years ago. Prices to charter your own plane have declined to as little as $2,200 an hour for three to five people, down from $3,800 five years ago.

One unexpected development in the travel world: Despite the boom of Internet travel sites such as Expedia (nasdaq: EXPE - news - people ) and Travelocity, some upscale consumers are holding on to the old-fashioned way of planning trips for their upscale leisure travel.

"The Internet is obviously a major tool that travelers are using to book their vacations, but surprisingly, real affluent travelers want human interaction and continue using travel agents," says Bjorn Hanson, a principal in the Hospitality and Leisure Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers."

Upscale travelers often rely on luxury travel consultants who charge fees to plan every aspect of a trip, from securing hotel rooms to scoring concert tickets and dinner reservations. The agents at Altour International charge anywhere between $250 to $1,000 to plan a vacation. Last year, the company had $490 million in revenues, up from $250 million in 2003. That calculates to some 1 million customers on average per year or 3,000 a day?

Fisher Travel, a members-only travel concierge based in New York City, costs $250,000 just to join, and another $10,000 a year in fees. But you’re out of luck if you’re ready to shell out the dough; there’s a waiting list to join.

Another unanticipated trend is the growth in adults-only trips. According to the 2007 National Leisure Travel Monitor from travel marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, six out of 10 vacationers recently took a trip with a spouse or other adult, without children. That’s twice the number of adults who took a trip with kids.

As a result, hotels are increasingly segregating childless adults from families. The Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper, N.Y., has a new 25-suite, adults-only inn separate from its main lodge. And the hotel and restaurant at the Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos is just for adults.

"With the increase in the number of adults who don’t have children, this is a growing market," says Peter Yesawich, chief executive of YPB&R. "This is also a less-price-sensitive crowd and a highly lucrative one for the travel industry. So they are going out of their way to accommodate adults who want to be separate from families."

Here are 10 trends in random order

1. Yacht Charters
Wealthy travelers favor renting luxury yachts for their vacation. With a growing list of amenities such as outdoor Jacuzzis, plasma televisions, spacious staterooms, a culinary team cooking gourmet meals and the option to change your itinerary at whim (after all, it’s your boat), what’s not to love?

2. Traveling with An Entourage
Traveling with an entourage isn’t just for celebrities. Bjorn Hanson, a principal in the Hospitality and Leisure Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, says that very wealthy travelers are bringing nannies, trainers, yoga teachers and even chefs on vacation.

3. A New Definition Of Camping
Going camping doesn’t mean giving up all modern comforts. Campsites around the world are amping up amenities: KOA Kampgrounds, which has 445 sites in the U.S. and Canada, has added Jacuzzis, movie theaters and restaurants to its sites.
Note: Now here is a product development idea for the island of Tintamarre….one big camp ground!

4. Human Contact Returns
It’s no surprise that the majority of leisure travelers book through the Internet. But industry experts say that upscale travelers are relying more heavily on luxury travel consultants who charge hefty fees to plan every aspect of a trip. Case in point: There is a wait list to join Fisher Travel, a members only travel concierge in New York City. The cost? $250,000.

5. Adults Only Travel
Hotels are recognizing that travelers don’t always want kids around, and are carving out adults-only sections. Two examples: Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper, N.Y., has a new 25-suite adults-only inn, and the hotel and restaurant at the Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos is just for adults.

6. Multi-Generational Travel
Travel experts say that vacations including multiple generations of families are increasingly popular. The trend, known as "togethering," is expected to increase in coming years. The reason? Rod Cabron, spokesman for travel marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, says people have an increased appreciation of time with family.

7. Private Jet Travel
Flying commercial is becoming passé for today’s deep pocketed travelers. Aram Gesar, editor of the New York-based AirGuide magazine and AirGuideonline.com, says there are now 500 private jet companies, up from around 100 five years ago. Over the same period, prices to charter your own plane have declined from $3,800 an hour to as low as $2,200.

8. Hotel-Owned Villas
According to Scott Berman, a partner in the Hospitality and Leisure practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, upscale hotels are building villas in reaction to competition from independent villa rentals. Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Four Seasons properties and Evanson Hideaway & Six Senses in Ana Mandara, Vietnam, are a few examples of luxury hotels offering villa rentals.

9. Eco-Awareness
According to research from the Green Hotel Association, 43 million U.S. travelers say they are concerned about the environment. Now, the travel industry is making a widespread effort to promote green initiatives. Fairmont and Aloft have new green programs, and car rental companies Hertz, Budget and Avis are adding more fuel-efficient cars to their fleet.

10. Vacation On The Decline
Research from travel marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell says one out of four adult leisure travelers will take fewer vacations this year than in previous years. Why the decline? Experts cite increasing difficulty getting away from work.

Written by admin · Filed Under Travel Trends 

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3 Responses to “Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider”

  1. Saint-Martin » The Two Sides of Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten on April 24th, 2008 5:27 am

    [...] Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider“Travelers today are much more concerned about the environment than they have ever been,” says Alexandre Chemla, president and owner of Altour International, a luxury travel consultancy. “A couple of years ago, you didn’t hear about … [...]

  2. Saint-Martin » Day Trips St. Martin on April 26th, 2008 3:03 am

    [...] Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider“Travelers today are much more concerned about the environment than they have ever been,” says Alexandre Chemla, president and owner of Altour International, a luxury travel consultancy. “A couple of years ago, you didn’t hear about … [...]

  3. Saint-Martin » Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider on April 27th, 2008 3:40 am

    [...] Travel Destinations Beware: 10 Travel Trends to consider“Travelers today are much more concerned about the environment than they have ever been,” says Alexandre Chemla, president and owner of Altour International, a luxury travel consultancy. “A couple of years ago, you didn’t hear about … [...]

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