Trazee In-Depth: Travel Trends for 2017

Travel predictions for 2017 began appearing in December 2016, and many have already come to fruition. Despite various worldwide events that could deter travelers, 2017 is expected to see a significant rise in tourism.

According to IPK International and the ITB Academy, 6 percent of the U.S. population will travel out of the country this year. Consumers started putting more focus on wellness by vacationing more, which will affect the travel industry.

Continuing Rise

The travel market will continue to see bucket-list and resolution travelers making their way across the globe. This trend began early this year and consumers are expected to keep up the pace.

This dedication to experiences and broadening horizons through travel has become a trend for consumers of all ages and is expected to gain more momentum throughout the year. According to a recent AAA survey, approximately one third of Americans plan to take more time off from work with the sole purpose of traveling. According to IPK International, 30 percent of workers look to use more vacation days, dispersed through foreign and beach destinations.

As Americans are expected to travel more outside the United States, Europeans will likely continue their steady travel numbers to different destinations. Many European travelers have their top spots within the European Union, but this year the travel market will also see a wider variety of destinations.

Asian travel markets will continue to see a rise in tourism, as 2016 was one of its most-traveled in recent years. Asian travelers have been traveling to foreign countries more often and for longer stays than other nations and will continue to do so in 2017 as well.

Experiences:

Younger generations tend to gravitate toward locales with a vibrant culture, looking for unique experiences while being less interested in touristy destinations. The millennial generation puts experiences and culture above possessions, reflected in this year’s top travel trends.

The success of accommodation search engines such as Airbnb, FlipKey, Tripping, VRBO and HomeAway are mostly attributed to the growing generation of travelers looking to experience the destination as a local. Consumers can choose vacation rentals all over the world, from unique stays in igloos, tree houses and yurts to upscale townhomes and beachfront properties.

Affordability

Expansive travel options give travelers broader vacation opportunities all year-round, many of which are more affordable in the off-season — another growing travel trend.

Taking a vacation at an “off-time” in the travel industry may actually be the perfect time for most travelers. Depending on location, fares, accommodations and activities, a particular destination may be at its most affordable and least crowded during the off season. Getting the most bang for your buck is a must for most millennial travelers and will greatly affect travel patterns this year.

Whether traveling by plane, train or automobile, the shorter the travel time, the better. Millennial travelers will make the most of their weekends this year with less time spent traveling to the destination and more on vacation.

Business Travel

Business travelers are not always able to dictate their travel destinations, but they’ve become more inclined to mix business with pleasure, partially due to our society’s growing tech mobility. Having a device with GPS navigation and location information at the ready, travelers can enlist the help of devices to find ways to get the most out of their location.

With the booming travel app industry, most tech users will find themselves playing travel agent, booking everything from the car to the airport via mobile phone, which means travelers will be much more self sufficient this year.

Destinations

If 2016 travel trends are any indication of what we can expect for this year, chances are Iceland, Cuba, Ireland and Canada will continue to see booming tourism numbers. According to National Geographic’s Top Destinations List for 2017, Morocco, Spain, Alaska, Columbia and Finland are also highly recommended to visit this year.

In the last few years, Vietnam has seen an increase in vacationers for their growing foodie scene and culture. This is expected to continue into this year along with growing favorite Poland. Poland’s tourism popularity steadily increased in 2016, as well as Norway’s, since these destinations have a less-traveled reputation.

Topping most of IPK International’s lists, beach destinations will continue to draw a crowd in 2017. The only aspect that may change will be the variety of foreign beaches visited.

For those traveling or interested in the travel industry, expect more people to take their vacation and actually use it this year. Affordable and diverse travel trends are on the rise along with unique experiences and bucket-list journeys.