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Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative and the country’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry, has identified ten top travel trends for 2017.
The company said it’s seeing many new trends as travel continues to become more customized, engaging and accessible to all. Cruise Planners also notes that it’s seen an increase in travelers booking vacations further out.
Cruise Planners’ top ten travel trends:
Accessible Travel: Travel is becoming more accessible for guests of all abilities and ages. One example is Royal Caribbean International, which was the first cruise line to receive Autism Friendly Certification by Autism on the Seas for inclusive programming designed to accommodate children with autism.
On shore, excursion offerings catering specifically to guests in wheelchairs or with other needs are increasing in availability and Cruise Planners has made the commitment to train travel agents on the best way to help service clients through its relationship with Special Needs at Sea.
Cruise Planners agents can now offer mobility equipment rentals right at the departure facilities to simplify travelers’ needs. Some worldwide cruise ports are being designed with inclusiveness in mind to ensure an easy boarding process for all guests.
Inclusive Pricing: Cruise lines are streamlining guests’ booking experience by offering more inclusive packages. In order to meet a travelers’ desires for unique and customizable vacations, cruise lines generally offer a variety of add-ons including shore excursions, specialty dining, internet bundles and premium beverage packages.
Customized and Themed Travel: Travel is a very customizable experience, and themed cruise and travel itineraries are becoming more and more popular among travelers. Some ocean and river cruise lines, for instance, now offer brewery or vineyard hopping versus simply bar hopping.
River cruises bring travelers right to vineyards to sip wines while larger cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line now have partnerships with popular venues such as RedFrog Pub and Pubbelly Restaurant Group to tie the travelers’ brewery journey together. Overall, customized itineraries connect cruisers with like-minded travelers while ensuring each day complements their interests. Other popular themes include retracing battles of the Civil War along the Mississippi, golfing through Europe and family-friendly themed sailings.
Top Destinations – the Three I’s: Iceland, Italy and Ireland are some of 2017’s most popular destinations. After decades of being off the travel grid, Iceland is the hot new adventure destination. Iceland’s isolation from travelers was solved with easier and cheaper flights from North America.
Now, travelers can explore this exotic, untouched destination. Italy is another hot destination and popular for the holidays because it conjures up warm images of freshly baked food, morning espressos and stylish vineyard tours. Italy covers the romantic aspects of travel, as well as the adventurous aspects. Finally, Ireland is enticing for 2017 since it’s a land where legend and reality mingle; travelers can visit a historic castle, tour a brewery or distillery and make a new discovery around every corner.
New Private Islands and Ports: With exclusive suite experiences and new private islands and ports, cruise lines are giving cruisers a glimpse of a life in paradise. Royal Caribbean International’s new Royal Suite Class, which even includes a butler, is luxury that’s anything but boring.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest port of call, Harvest Caye in Southern Belize, features the world’s second largest barrier reef. Carnival Corporation is now sailing to a new private port, Amber Cove, in the Dominican Republic and guests can sip cocktails poolside, shop for souvenirs and rent private cabanas. MSC Cruises will begin sailing to the new Ocean Cay in late 2017, an exclusive 95-acre island in the Bahamas with an emphasis on cultural authenticity and marine conservation. MSC ships will dock overnight at the island, giving guests a chance to enjoy evening entertainment and nightlife after a day of relaxing on white-sand beaches and snorkeling the clear blue waters.
Electronic Communication and Check-In: Mobile check-in allows travelers to skip the lines and access rooms as soon as they’re ready. Walt Disney World Resort and Royal Caribbean International have combined guests’ room keys, activity passes and charging capabilities into a wristband so that guests needn’t carry a room card.
Royal Caribbean’s new SMART Check-In system enables travelers to take care of all necessary documentation online at home, even upload their photo and go from sidewalk to ship in ten minutes. Cruise Planners expects that even more travel brands will embrace technology aimed at making it easier for guests to enjoy their vacation.
“Buddymoons” – Honeymooning with Friends: Couples who ask their guests to fly into town or to an exotic destination for their wedding are now inviting them to do a little more—stay for the honeymoon. “Buddymoons” allow couples to spend more time with family and friends while enjoying a celebratory vacation. Buddymoons are also being planned close to home, giving out-of-town guests the opportunity to extend the wedding weekend and spend more time with the bride and groom.
Land and Sea Packages: Travelers are looking for pre- and post-cruise packages, making the arrival and departure ports a more prominent part of their itineraries. Instead of going directly to and from the airport, they are booking overnights in hotels and shore excursions, giving them more time to immerse themselves in a destination.
Fitness and Wellness: For the health-centric traveler, there are trips dedicated to fitness and wellness. Many travelers now use wellness apps while traveling to track their progress so they can stay on track and have a healthy vacation.
MSC Cruises offers the new Wellness Experience. Powered by Technogym, the cruise gives travelers access to state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a comprehensive one-on-one health assessment, a personalized fitness program, and a selection of healthy food and drink options to choose from. Travelers who want to vacation, but not pack on the pounds, can also sign on for a wellness-themed vacation.
Social Networking on the Go: Checking in and snapping selfies isn’t new, but sharing travel experiences with Facebook Live and Instagram Live have become increasingly popular since travelers can share their vacation with the world every step of the way. Social sharing and boasting on social media will continue to dominate the way travelers use social media while on the go.
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