Ten Hot Holiday Trends for 20101. Pound-stretcher holidaysThere’s no getting away from the continuing economic downturn, but people would often rather give up their car or a hobby rather than holidays if they need to tighten their belts. People don’t always want the absolute cheapest when they book a break, but they do want the best value which means their money will go further. For example many resorts are giving extras in the form of “resort credits” and “sun dollars”. In Aruba recently a hotel even offered guests US$300 “conception credit” if they conceived a child during their stay. Now that’s we call bang for your buck! Where to get good value in 2010?: head away from the Euro zone to resorts in Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and Thailand to make your holiday pound go further.
2. The year of the all-inclusiveMore people booked all-inclusive holidays than ever before in 2009 and their popularity will continue to grow in 2010. The “hi-di-hi” image of pack ‘em in and fill ‘em up cheap is being shed as all inclusives move upmarket, modernise and become increasingly sophisticated with the addition of spas and fine-dining restaurants. People, in these more financially-constrained times, like to pre budget and not have any nasty surprises when they get their final bill. What better way then paying upfront with an all-inclusive and knowing all your drinks, meals and activities are right there? Although the Caribbean has been traditionally thought of as the home of all inclusives, in 2010 nearer-to-home destinations such as Tunisia and Spain will increase in popularity as well.
3. CruisingIn 2010 Cruising will be huge – literally – with new superliners such as the Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas (which can host around 5,500 passengers each) and Norwegian Epic (around 4,200 guests) leaving the docks in Florida to sail around the Caribbean. For ages industry watchers have been saying "cruising will appeal to a younger audience and lose its fuddy-duddy image" but with the addition of hip, on-board night clubs modelled on those in New York and Vegas, entertainment acts such as Blue Man Group, climbing walls, surf machines and the like, these new vessels will ensure 2010 will be the year that this prediction comes true. These superliners will have a knock-on effect making sailing sexier to all, whether it’s a trip round the Med, a more exotic journey in the Far East, or even the journey of a lifetime to Antarctica.
4. Connected HolidaysThe rise and rise of the internet will mean “connected holidays” will become more prevelant – viewing photos in real time rather than sending postcards and tweeting pictures of your hotel live to office colleagues. You can probably even geo-tag your sunlounger as you rub in the Factor 30. Before you even set off there will be a bigger array of tools available to anyone who wants to research their trip from the comfort of their own sofa a trend that will increase in 2010. Where’s the best place to by jeans in the Big Apple? Try
www.askanewyorker.com. Does Manhattan or Brooklyn serve the best pizza? Join the debate at
www.chowhound.com. And where are the five best bars to get a Dirty Martini, as recommended by locals? See for yourself at
www.newyork.citysearch.com.
5. The sports widow2010 will be the year of the sports widow. It’s not just the Ashes series that starts in Australia in November. In June pretty much everyone south of Berwick and east of Chepstow will be glued to the telly as England try and win the World Cup in South Africa. Holiday venues that promise not to have a TV will probably do well with Scottish, Welsh and Irish guests! Recent years have shown that the period during a World Cup is a great time to take a break as there are plenty of bargains around because most of the world stays home to watch the action from their living room. So if you’re not a football fan give yourself a red card and send yourself off on holiday.
6. Micro Luxury2010 will see an increase in “micro luxury” – little treats that could range from a night away with a loved one in Edinburgh to a weekend in Boston. We’re all being frugal and counting our pennies, but we are also aware there are some great deals out there, and cutting back in some areas means we will reward ourselves when we see a good-value holiday on the internet or TV in 2010.
Luxury doesn’t have to cost a fortune and it doesn’t have to mean gold taps and thick carpets – luxury 2010-style means turning off the BlackBerry and escaping from the crowds in a lovely little Lake District cottage, or a family-owned hotel in Madrid where you stumble on the best tapas you’ve ever eaten. There’s no doubt 2010 will be tough for many, so all the more reason to celebrate when we can.
7. Sun and tumBoth women and men want to come home from holiday with a tan, but in 2010 people will want that healthy glow to be accompanied by a fitter physique too. Resorts that encompass a “healthy body, healthy mind” philosophy – such as BodyHoliday LeSport in St Lucia where Amy Winehouse spent time recovering from her troubles – will see business boom next year. People don’t necessarily want boot camps – although there is an increasing number of those if the “no pain no gain” mantra is your philosophy – but to lose a few kilos while they’re away perhaps playing tennis, learning yoga or building that upper-body strength on the windsurfer. If more drastic measures are called for Cuba is well-known for its excellent eye surgeons, Hungary and Poland have great value dentists, in South Africa you could have a cut-price nose job and then let the bruises heal on safari, while for the ultimate snip trip, Belgrade is the gender-reassignment capital of Europe - leave home as Dave, return as Davina.
8.Child Free HolidaysIt might be a bit extreme – not to mention illegal - to leave the kids “home alone” like Macaulay Culkin’s character in the hit 1990 movie. But with budgets tighter than ever right now, 2010 will see an increase in parents heading off to enjoy child-free short breaks – as long as they’ve found a friendly relative to do some babysitting of course (hint hint: Thanks Granny and Grandpa). And families who enjoy some “away time” from each are even more likely to stay together, research has shown. Some top choices: Amsterdam by train (now only 4 hours and 10 minutes away from London, thanks to a new stretch of high-speed track north of Brussels), a long weekend in Barcelona (use the money you would have spent on the kids to stay at the brand new W or Mandarin Oriental hotels), or a few days in the Big Apple, which still has plenty of shopping bargains, even with the current exchange rate.
9.Status BreaksBespoke experiences and "watercooler moment" holidays will become more of a feature in 2010 as people increasingly want to stand out from their office colleagues when it comes to their precious annual vacation – it’s all about the Facebook status update! Yes people are happy to lie on a sunlounger but they also want to be able to brag about their holiday, whether it's sand dune-bashing in Dubai, white-water rafting in the Dominican Republic or learning to scuba dive in Sharm el Sheik. Ladies, why simply brag about jet skiing in Cancun on a postcard when you can tweet a picture of your hunky instructor straight back to your colleagues live from the beach?
10. More last minuteIn 2010 people will remember that life isn't a standing order that has to be the same month in month out. This will be due to the increase in technology that allows them to plan closer than ever to departure. You've only got one life so don't do Morrisons or Marks & Sparks on Saturday, do Morocco or Monte Carlo. The proliferation of low-cost airlines and the ease with which people can simply hop on a train to Paris or Brussels will also be increasingly coupled with technology that allows people to book a break not only last minute, but last second – literally tapping away on their iPhone searching for a deal on the way to the airport, before downloading a travel guide and restaurant recommendations as well.
