Top 10 Travel Trends for 2018

​by Marcia Simon, APR, CTA
The full day conference at the New York Times Travel Show in January brought together some of the most experienced thought leaders in the travel industry to share their insights about changes in travel.
 
Tour operators, tourist boards and bloggers joined professionals from the hospitality and travel industries to share their perspectives on travel and where we’re heading in 2018.
 
 Here’s my conference takeaway about the Top 10 Travel Trends for 2018:

1. Water! River cruises and small boat cruises are on the rise.
2. Small is big, with guided vacation experiences personalized for specific and niche interests.
3. Experiential travel is in demand, especially among millennials. Why not make olive oil when you’re in Italy, sample the local cuisine in the street markets of Scandinavia or learn the Flamenco in Spain?
4. Millennials, in search of immersive experiences and boutique hotels, will further influence their elders when it comes to travel.
5. The most popular destinations continue to be Italy and Paris.
6. Emerging destinations include Colombia and Vietnam with interest continuing to grow in Africa, Iceland, Australia and New Zealand.
7. Iceland is considered both an emerging destination and an “overtouristed” destination, where the infrastructure at the main attractions struggle to keep up with the demand for hotels, transportation and other visitor comforts. Other overtouristed destinations include Machu Picchu, Paris and possibly Amsterdam. A little extra planning outside of “guide book recommendations” might enhance travel to the most popular destinations. Traveling off season is another option.
8. Travel agents will be in demand to help clients
9. Domestic travel in the United States is on the rise. However, fewer international travelers have a desire to visit the USA. Donald Trump’s rhetoric is hurting the “USA brand” in the global travel industry. (This is not included as my editorial opinion; it was reiterated by professional organizations reporting on research and metrics.)
10. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is now considered a destination “at risk”, along with Antarctica due to climate change and global warming. (A presentation by an ecologist, supported by scientific study, in Fiji last year indicated that coral reefs are dying due to rising water temperatures.)

 
Despite this crazy world, people still want to see it, feel it, experience it, and gain appreciation for people and other cultures.

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