It’s been a big year in the world of travel, so as the team here at Cheapflights look forward to 2013 we thought you deserved a bit more than our regular five travel trends for the year ahead.
So here are six new ways of holidaying that our travel experts think we’ll be seeing more of in 2013.
1. The ‘Parental Piggyback’ holiday – join forces and save
With cash tight and no end to austerity in sight, most people are still going to be watching the pennies.
Our experts are predicting 2013 will see the ‘bank of mum and dad’ move into the holidays market with the rise of the ‘parental piggy back holiday’ – extended family groups jetting away together to save cash.
“Be very afraid” some will say, and ok, this might not exactly be everyone’s idea of a getaway, but for overworked parents, and grandparents complaining that they never see their grandchildren, this could be the only way to get an affordable full two-week break in the sun.
Group bookings, splitting the cost of a rental property, sharing on the catering, getting maximum value out of all the seats in your hire car and making group bookings all mean savings. And with your funds stretching that bit further, you can go further too.
This may have some people gritting their teeth, but with a few simple ground rules and the right environment, it can be a good option for everyone, particularly new parents who want built-in babysitters they can trust.
For grown-up kids with active parents a shared ski trip or activity can work too. A social family breakfast and some early skiing and you might even be able to ‘slope off’ in the afternoon, letting everyone get some ‘me time’.
Just remember to be considerate if you’re getting into the après ski – and that goes for the parents as well!
Whether you opt for a timeshare, rental property or hotel room, if you are considering ‘parental piggybacking’ do make sure you think it out well in advance. Go for a destination that caters for kids, parents and grandparents and make sure that there’s sufficient room, outdoor space and scope for timeouts so you don’t get under each other’s feet.
2. “Friend, Share, Like!” the Facebook “place-book” holiday inspiration trend; your virtual holiday album for 2013.
You’ve had a good browse through some seductive pictures of blue skies, bronzed bodies and white sandy beaches, seen the pictures of the hotel you fancy, and even picked out things you might like from the breakfast buffet.
Switch to twitter to get a running commentary on that sightseeing option; take a look at dinner options on Pinterest or check out some alternatives and take a look at how fellow travellers got on checking-in to the five-star resort you’ve always wanted to visit.
300 million images are posted to facebook every day and holiday photos are a major generator of ‘likes’ – and envy. Little wonder that surfing social networks can be a handy way to get holiday inspiration, get a genuine opinion on that hotel, and perhaps find that out-of-the-way boutique hideaway in the sun that (almost) no-one else knows about. In many ways it’s like having your own personalised guide; the ultimate try before you buy.
For these reasons the travel gurus at Cheapflights think “place-book” holidays will be all the rage in 2013. Just be careful which friend requests you accept…
3. And on the flipside….Digital Detox
Ok, so you may have found your holiday on Facebook and you may be a social network junkie, but there’s only so much liking, friending, trending, tweeting sharing and pinning anyone can handle before they’re in tech-overload.
In 2013 digital detox is increasingly on the travel to-do list.
As technology and social media become increasingly pervasive, so too does our need to make a conscious decision to turn them off from time to time. With Wi-fi access on planes and mobile data networks covering more and more of the world, tuning out and taking a break from the steady stream of information is harder to do, but more important than ever. Many resorts and cruise ships are turning off their wireless signals and satellite dishes and attracting waves of visitors, whose thumbs twitch for a day or two but who, in the end, recharge themselves like never before.
So if you feel like you’re always on, this may be the time to take a short break; turn that stream of social media off, kick back, relax your thumbs and go cold turkey in the world of the real for two weeks.
4. The bag-a-bargain abroad (‘BABA’) holiday. Combine cheap holidays with bargains from abroad to save.
With cash-strapped travellers looking to get maximum bang for their buck in everything they do, we predict an increasing focus on BABA holidays. For the uninitiated, that’s “bag a bargain abroad”.
Savings on duty frees and electronics in the Far East are just the start; consider made-to-measure suits in Thailand and Hong Kong, prescription glasses in China, leather goods in Spain and Portugal, and well-known fashion brands in the States from Abercrombie and Fitch to Kenneth Cole to DKNY.
At the more radical end of the scale, consumers are increasingly looking at the prices of any number of goods and services abroad, including laser eye correction and cosmetic surgery. We’d stress that you need to research thoroughly and look at your insurance options if you wanted to consider this ensuring your chosen provider is well-regulated and legitimate.
Botox and beach break, anyone?
5. Sports and events tourism
The 2012 Olympics in London opened a lot of eyes to event tourism; the once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience a huge sporting spectacle, take in your favourite band in a unique location, or watch your team in that crunch match abroad.
2013 sees the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France – a great opportunity to witness this incredible sporting spectacle. In football there are some juicy cup ties in The Champions League, with Manchester United facing Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and Celtic lining up against the mighty Juventus.
If you’re more musically-inclined there are tours from a host of famous acts from the Rolling Stones to Justin Bieber, to Kaiser Chiefs, Muse, Springsteen, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
For a different spectacle outside the everyday, how about visiting London and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first underground railway by witnessing a steam train run along a section of the line?
6. The “shove the triple dip – I’m going a proper trip” holiday splurge surge
We’ve identified four groups who may be opting for a bit more of a ‘holiday splurge’ than the rest of us this year.
- The ‘let’s not wait until it’s too late-ers’: Got something big coming up in your life? If you’re a parent-to-be like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now might be the perfect time to get away and have a chilled-out break to somewhere exclusive – with plenty of pampering and me-time included. Also in this category are holiday-makers who want to visit destinations before they change significantly: Rio before the Olympics and the World Cup, Croatia before it joins the European Union, or perhaps Myanmar before it becomes an established destination.
- The ‘pent up demand demanders’: They’ve had no foreign holidays for three years, but after being frugal with their funds, 2012 was a trigger. Like an Olympian out of the blocks we expect to see people sprinting for the line to destinations that made the headlines in 2012 – with London key amongst them.
- The ‘lump sum-ers’: recently retired or made redundant, on a career break, maybe they’ve just downsized their house, or just decided it’s time to get out of a rut. Either way they’re in the market for a big ‘once in a lifetime’ trip; off on safari in Kenya or a visit to the spectacular Iguazu Falls.
- The ‘let’s go do before they’re two’ crowd: Travel becomes a bit trickier to travel after your children turn two; suddenly it’s pricier, they’re more mobile and that’s before we even mention the ‘terrible twos’. Given the significant difference in cost once the second zodiac rolls around, many parents are grasping the nettle and deciding to make that trip to see relatives in Australia or the old country.
Main image by Martin Lopatka
