Whether you’re looking to travel for an adventure, to experience something for the first time, to go-it-alone or to taste your way around a city: here are five travel trends to keep in mind for 2020.
1. Adventure travel
Travelling is an adventure in and of itself but sometimes your inner-thrill seeker may be searching for an adrenaline-spiking experience. Adventure travel is a niche form of tourism. It includes visiting remote or exotic locations that take you off the beaten track. Adventure travel can also involve doing extreme activities, like bungee jumping at the world’s tallest bridge, diving with sharks without a cage, swimming in Jellyfish Lake in Palau or simply exploring a destination popular for its hiking trails or mountain climbing. Adventure travel requires you to get out of your comfort zone and take a little risk.
2. Food travel
Travelling to a new country in search of foreign flavours is a romantic idea. Originally, food experiences were just complimentary to visiting a destination. Now it can be the sole purpose for motivating people to see the world. There are many destinations renowned for their gastronomic greatness, Italy, Israel and Japan come to mind. For some, however, the more foreign the food experience, the better. National Geographic released a list of the best food destinations for 2019 and it included:
– Sweden: Gothenburg and West Coast
– Lebanon: Beiruit
– Peru: Cusco
– South Africa: Western Cape
3. Solo travel
Travelling solo has become a very popular travel trend. It allows you the freedom to move at your own pace and to explore on your own time. Solo travelling is an experience we should all try at least once in our lives. You can go anywhere your heart desires when travelling solo but it is important to keep your safety as a number one priority. Read: Fodors ‘travel no list’
Some top solo travel destinations include Spain, New Zealand, Thailand, the Philippines and the Netherlands.
4. Train travel
Train travel is making a comeback. It’s an incredible way to experience a foreign country and allows you to marvel at changing landscapes. Travelling by train is also an eco-friendly form of long-distance travel, besides biking or walking. Even Greta Thunberg travels by train. From Belmond’s Orient Express, to the Rovos Rail to the tequila train in Mexico or Amtrak: there are many ways to explore this glorious planet by rail.
5. Eco-conscious travel
There has been a massive increase in eco-conscious tourism in recent years, with people opting to visit and avoid certain countries based on their ‘green’ status. With the rise of green tourism, ecotourism and sustainable tourism, people are taking their eco-friendly habits with them. Green-status hotels are extremely appealing to travellers who feel a sense of duty to care for the planet when booking their accommodation. People want to ensure their hard-earned money is going to well-deserving establishments.
The term eco-tourism refers is defined by the International Ecotourism Society as ‘responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education’.
People are opting for a holistic approach to their holiday adventures, in giving back to the area they will be visiting. The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as ‘referring to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development.’ As consumers’ demands begin to shift toward engaging in sustainable efforts, there are ample opportunities for tourists to explore the globe in a sustainable way.
Destinations like Palau require visitors to sign an eco-pledge in their passport promising to be environmentally conscious while visiting. Mauritius has a wide variety of green hotels. Botswana is fast becoming an eco-tourism hub, with institutions like Chobe Game Lodge implementing eco-conscious steps in all operations, including being one of the first safari lodges convert diesel game vehicles into electric game vehicles.
Image: Instagram
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