Hot destinations 2011
Syria
Turkey
Corfu, Greece
Sicily
Zambia
West Africa
Sri Lanka
(Source: Free Press research)
2011 top travel worries
Rising airfares
Bedbugs
(Source: TripAdvisor Getaways 2011 survey)
Where airfares are headed
Domestic fares up 2 percent6 percent
Business class and first class fares down 2 percent-7 percent
International fares up 3 percent7 percent
Overall demand still anemic, up only 2.3 percent from 2010
(Source: American Express Business Travel, CWT North America, Boyd Group International)
Lovey-dovey trend 2011
Destination vow renewals. That’s because many baby boomers are marking their 25th and 30th anniversaries this year. About 27 million Americans were married between 1980 and 1990, an all-time high.
(Source: Asia Transpacific Journeys, Info Please Almanac)
Lovey-dovey trend, Part 2
Britain’s Prince William will wed Kate Middleton in April. Expect tons of media coverage of England’s iconic travel destinations, especially London and Westminster Abbey.
(Source: )
Rooms, trains, automobiles
Hotel prices up 10 percent
Train fares up 4 percent-7 percent
Car rental rates down 1 percent-2 percent
(Source: American Express Business Travel, CWT North America)
Signs travel is rebounding
90 percent will take two or more leisure trips this year.
25 percent of us will fly more than we did in 2010.
94 percent say if they find a good deal they’ll do more leisure travel this year.
Just 6 percent say they’ll travel less this year.
(Source: TripAdvisor, Travel Ticker)
Still our top dream trip
If Americans could go anywhere, with price no object, most of us would still choose Hawaii.
(Source: Leisure Trends Group)
Best value destinations 2011
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula
Iceland
Bermuda
Las Vegas
Central coast of California
(Source: Travelzoo)
Biggest anniversary 2011
The 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War means commemorations and special travel packages everywhere from Gettysburg to Washington, D.C.
(Source: Willard Hotel)
Travelers more upbeat
61 percent of travelers are booking domestic trips at least eight weeks ahead instead of last-minute, up from last year. That indicates more faith in the future.
(Source: Travel Leaders)
Places you don’t know but will
Frommer’s travel guide editors say these are the next hot destinations, only you don’t know it yet:
Ponza and the Pontine Islands,
Italy
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Nahanni National Park, Northwest Territories, Canada
Hokkaido, Japan
Cesme Peninsula, Turkey
(Source: Frommer’s/Wiley Publishing)
Coolest cruise ship trend
The new Norwegian Epic has 128 one-person cabins, connected by a common lounge room. Reviews so far are good — “After only 2 days I was convinced the studios were ingenious,” wrote Travel Weekly’s Johanna Jainchill. The nice common room where solo travelers mingle makes up for the miniscule bedrooms.
Best cocktail-hour towns 2011
New Orleans
Las Vegas
New York City
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Chicago
(Source: Travel and Leisure)
Fate of baggage fees 2011
They’re not going away. Why? They are making airlines rich. The first three quarters of 2010, Delta alone earned $733 million in baggage fees; U.S. airlines overall took in $2.6 billion.
(Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation)
Best airline innovation 2011
Air New Zealand’s new Skycouch — a row of three economy seats — tilts back together with a footrest popping out across the seats to make a narrow but flat bed. That should make it easier for couples to sleep on long flights from L.A. to Auckland on the new Boeing 777-300ER debuting in April.
(Source: Air New Zealand)
Family travel trends 2011
Family isn’t just two parents and two children anymore; it can be any combo.
Half of families will travel with children over 18.
More family travel includes grandparents.
Adventure travel is rising even for families with young children.
(Source: FTFc Consulting)
Axis of Evil tourism trend
A San Francisco firm, Global Exchange, has carved out a niche offering “Axis of Travel Reality Tours” of pariah states — Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.
(Source: Global Exchange)
Ellen Creager: ecreager@freepress.com
