The holidays are behind us, it is a new year, and it is time to start planning your 2020 travel. This is the busiest time in the travel industry as people start thinking about their travel for the remaining year. However, you may not want to do the same old trips you have done year after year. If you are looking to spice up your vacation days this year, here are some trends that are gaining in popularity in 2020 to give you some vacation inspiration.
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Vacation Inspiration #1 – Genealogy Travel
The popularity of DNA testing kits like Ancestry.com and 23andMe has given life to the newest travel trend, genealogy travel. Many of us do not really know our roots. There are others that think they know where their family originated, but these DNA testing kits have proven many people wrong. Knowing where you are from instills a sense of wonder about that place. Enter stage right – genealogy travel!
There are travel services on the ground in many destinations that not only take you to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors but provide you with the story of your ancestors as researched by an accredited genealogist.
Vacation Inspiration #2 – Active Travel
While sitting at a beach for your entire vacation will never go out of style, many travelers are starting to crave more. Some are happy just for a few active excursions while at the beach resort, but more and more people are looking for a vacation that allows them to be active a majority of the time. There are many travel companies who focus on this type of travel with both hiking and cycling being very popular methods of travel. Whether you want a leisure activity or a competitive one, there is a trip out there for you.
A subset of this travel trend is health and wellness resorts. The purpose of these resorts is to rejuvenate clients through activities such as yoga, martial arts, meditation, water sports, training with professionals, spa treatments, acupuncture, healthier eating habits and much more.
Vacation Inspiration #3 – Undertourism
There has been a lot of publicity about some places being overrun with tourists in a way that ruins not only the charm of the destination but also the infrastructure of the destination. Cities like Dubrovnik and Venice are fragile and the hoards of crowds are creating serious issues for the residents.
There are two main tactics for combating over-tourism. The first tactic is to visit these destinations during the off-season. Many travel companies are drastically reducing the number of tours they provide in these sensitive areas during the busy season.
The other tactic used by these travel companies is diverting tourist traffic from these areas to different destinations equally as charming. Not only does this practice help protect touristy destinations, it is simultaneously helping destinations in need of more tourists. This is particularly true of destinations that desperately need tourists to return to help to recover from natural disasters such as the Australian wildfires or the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian.
Even if you insist on visiting the touristy spots, you can take the time to visit the less crowded parts. This allows for seeing what real life is like in these magical locations.
Vacation Inspiration #4 – Sustainable Travel
Much like under tourism, sustainable travel considers the greater good. Yes, taking an airplane gets you there faster, but you do not appreciate the journey like you can while seeing the landscape of a destination by train. Add to that the environmental impact of air travel, and taking the train is the obvious choice. As travelers become more aware of their impact on the world, their travel habits are changing.
Not only are the habits of tourists changing, but so are the habits of travel providers. We have seen the signs in hotel bathrooms for ages asking us to consider the planet and reusing your towels. But now hotels are going a step further. Gone are the days of little toiletry bottles. You will now find refillable bottles in hotel showers, along with reusable water bottles and signs that ask for recyclables to be left out for housekeeping.
Many cruise lines and hotel chains are making commitments to eliminate single-use plastic in the near future, and you will be hardpressed to find a plastic straw on a cruise ship in 2020. As travelers desire to make less impact while traveling, travel providers around the world are listening and readily joining in the sustainable travel efforts around the world.
Read More: A Simple Sustainable Packing List For the Eco-Conscious Traveler
Vacation Inspiration #5 – Authentic Experiences
Tourists are no longer satisfied eating pasta in Italy. They want to make the pasta in a centuries-old baroque building in Italy while sipping on Italian wine and talking to a local. People are no longer satisfied seeing the sights, they want to feel connected to a place.
This desire pertains to families as well. Families are no longer satisfied with generic activities while traveling, they want to visit the sheep herding dog experience at a sheep farm while in Ireland versus the generic fun park that could be anywhere in the world.
Many travel providers are catching on to this trend and ensuring their guests have authentic experiences that help them to understand their destination on a new level. This trend is directly correlated to the efforts to combat over-tourism. As tourists branch out off the beaten path, the natural consequence is more authentic experiences. As these travelers return from their trips elated from the amazing experiences they have had while traveling, their friends and family will soon be looking to book similar trips that allow them to truly appreciate the culture of another land.
Read More: Live Like A Local In Florence, Italy
Whether you are looking to stay active on vacation or keep your impact minimal on your destination and the earth, you are right on trend in 2020. Travelers are looking for more from their travel now. They want the authentic experience and connecting with a place, especially if that place is part of their heritage. Make 2020 the year you start traveling in a new way by following some of the top travel trends.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out “5 Amazing Things to do in Morocco” for more travel inspiration!
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