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TRENDS WHAT’S HOT IN 2019 DESTINATIONS


UZBEKISTAN The ’Stans have been gradually growing in popularity as adventure operators add more


product, but the real seal of approval came in September when Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure gave the region even more exposure, with a four-part series tracing the ancient trading route across 7,000 miles and through eight countries. Add the introduction of an e-visa


to Uzbekistan for UK citizens, and it helps explain why G Adventures has seen a 72% increase in travellers to that country in the past five years. The operator has added two new tours for 2019, including Best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan (from £1,449 for 13 days), which travels from Tashkent to Ashgabat via a city tour of Samarkand, the bazaars of Bukhara, and a guided visit to Unesco-listed Khiva. Intrepid Travel has also introduced


its first Uzbekistan-only itinerary, after a 300% jump in visits to its Uzbekistan web page in October following Lumley’s series, and a 50% rise in bookings to central Asia overall. Look out for itineraries to other Silk


Road hotspots too, including Along the Pamir Highway with Explore, which starts in Tajikistan and travels through mountains and villages to Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty.


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AUSTRALIA With so much buzz around the launch of the world’s longest direct flight, the Qantas service


from Heathrow to Perth that began in


ABOVE: Rijeka, Croatia


BELOW: Samarkand, Uzbekistan


Demand for destinations outside the eurozone remains strong and Croatia is at the forefront


March, it’s no surprise to see Australia – and particularly Western Australia, chosen by Abta as a destination worth watching in 2019 – back on the bucket list for long-haul travellers. It is remarkably diverse, whether


you’re catering to budget backpackers who want to spend their days swimming with whale sharks or trekking through the wilderness, or older clients who prefer ambling from one winery to the next on a slow- paced self-drive. “The new direct Perth flight from Qantas is doing wonders for Western Australia,” says Rachel McMurdo, assistant product manager for Oceania at Travel 2. “The novelty factor of doing the trip is attracting some clients, but we’re also finding it has made people think about the state for the first time. “Perth itself has undergone huge


redevelopment and is a fast-growing city. It has new, world-class hotels such as the Crown Towers Perth, plus new entertainment districts and walkways.” Since 2012, 31 Perth hotels have opened or been refurbished, with another 10 to come by 2020. Rottnest Island also has new glamping-style resort Discovery Eco Village Rottnest


58travelweekly.co.uk20 December 2018


Island, with 83 en suite ‘eco-tents’, while nearby Hotel Rottnest will add 80 new rooms from March 1, 2019.


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CROATIA Demand for destinations outside the eurozone remains strong and Croatia is at the


forefront, offering all the coastal scenery, good food and laid-back lifestyle you might associate with France or Italy – but at Croatian prices. David Skillicorn, general manager


of Prestige Holidays, says: “Croatia remains one of our most popular holiday destinations, and we are delighted to offer even more value in this stunning destination for 2019, with bespoke offers from our hotel partners throughout the season. An increase in ferry and fast catamaran services makes it easier for our twin or multi-centre clients to explore the islands and, with the addition of lots more hotels, the combinations are numerous.” Skillicorn is tipping Rijeka, soon to


be European Capital of Culture 2020, for growth thanks to its intriguing history (it was part of Italy, Austria- Hungary and Yugoslavia in the 20th century alone), nearby beaches and good music scene – not to mention the addition of flights from Manchester and Gatwick between May and October. There’s also a new Cardiff-Dubrovnik flight, and two new hotels at Plitvice Lakes, Croatia’s most-visited attraction. Elsewhere in the region, Newmarket


Holidays has expanded its programme to offer Montenegro, Slovenia and Albania in response to growing demand.


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