TRENDS AGE GROUPS DESTINATIONS ’T


is the season to be jolly, and while we’ve still got


all the Christmas cheer to look forward to, 2019 is scarily close – which means it’s time to start thinking about what’s hot for next year. We’ve scoured the industry to help you do just that, so read on for the key trends to look out for among millennials, mature travellers and families over the year ahead.


w MILLENNIALS EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN The closure of Thomas Cook’s


Club 18-30 brand in October pointed to a glaring trend – youngsters are shunning package holidays and clubbing trips to go off the beaten track. “We’re seeing an increase in


younger passengers booking non- traditional youth destinations, choosing places such as Chania and Kefalonia over the likes of Ayia Napa and Faliraki,” says Carl Catterall, head of marketing and communications for Olympic Holidays. It’s a trend reaching farther afield too, according to Premier


Holidays’ product manager John Parker. “Older millennials who backpacked around Thailand’s popular tourist hotspots like Phuket and Koh Samui in their early 20s are now choosing lesser-known islands such as Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi,” he says. Tour operators are adapting to the changing tides, with Contiki introducing new tours to Africa – opening safaris up to the market – and Intrepid Travel launching its 18-29 brand, offering adventurous trips ranging from surfing in


Morocco to trekking to Everest Base Camp, a far cry from the fly-and-flop that defined the ’90s and ’noughties.


ADVENTURE HONEYMOONS That craving for adventure is being reflected in millennial honeymoon choices too, according to Lloyd Boutcher, director for Sunvil Latin America. “We’re seeing a shift towards honeymoons that combine luxurious lodges with adrenaline-packed activities such as ziplining,


20 December 2018travelweekly.co.uk47


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