Top Travel Trends and Destinations for 2012 Part 1

Jan 10, 2012 by Grace

If you are a travel addict like me you’re most probably looking at your calendar and you’re already planning where to go this year. So to make your life easier (and for travel inspiration), I asked a few of the top indie bloggers what they think the top travel trends and destinations are for 2012. Below were 3 of the questions I asked and here’s what they answered.

 1. What do you think are the top travel destinations for 2012?

2. What travel trends do you see becoming popular in 2012?

3. If you focus on a specific travel niche (ex. adventure, solo, family, budget, food, etc) what emerging trends (for that niche) do you see coming out in 2012?

Jeremy of Budget Travel Adventures

1. I think people will want something different.  So while cruises and backpacking and vacations will still happen, expect people to explore more countries that aren’t traditional tourist destinations.  For me, one of my favorite places is Slovenia so I think eastern Europe will continue to see more people.  Also, places like Turkey could be popular as well.

I think one factor that still is affecting many people is the economy.  So many places close to home may see an increase in tourists.  While I don’t like the term “staycation” I do believe many people will explore beaches, mountains, and towns near home.  For me, that has been a travel revelation – discovering places right where you live.  Personally, I hope that trend continues to grow.

2. Without a doubt, technology will continue to play a huge role in travel.  From travel apps for maps, downloadable guides, and more to audio and video tours right from people’s phones and computers, technology is a vital part of traveling these days.  One trend I would like to see increase this year is more free wifi in hotels and airports.  For many people, this is becoming one of the biggest draws when finding somewhere to stay or making that long layover a little more enjoyable.  You will also see this in restaurants and tourist attractions as well.

So more technology to keep people connected in their travels and free access to do so should continue to grow in 2012.

3. For budget travel or any other travel, I see an increase in people looking to blogs and other independent resources for travel information outside of the traditional guidebooks and media.  You look at things like tripadvisor where people seek opinions from real people who have gone to places.  There is some skepticism that companies are trying to influence those who post the reviews.  So rather than trusting well-intentioned sites like that, I think independent travelers and blogs will be an area that continues to grow for all types of travel.

In the budget travel area, I think there will be a continued push for deals.  People want to save money more than ever before and I think there is a market for it.  So discounts and travel deals could be huge.  With some uncertainty about the summer travel season right now, expect some good deals early in winter and spring before the planning for summer travel really peaks.

Jeremy Branham is a budget traveler who seeks unique adventures and engages people with his stories and ideas on travel.  He talks about destinations, travel deals, travel tips, and experiences and wants to help travel passionately, spend wisely, and experience more.  He also has a travel series called the College Football Travel Tour which travels the country bringing together the world of college football and the local culture of college towns and cities.  Follow him on his Budget Travel Adventures.

Flipnomad

1. Due to endless news about recession, poor economic performances and other related stuff, I think the “affordable countries” such as Southeast Asia, India and South America will remain to be the destination of choice. I think the Philippines will also become one of the “must see” destinations this 2012. A lot of articles have been written and a lot of pictures have been shared by various travel bloggers which I think will entice a lot of people to see our home country.

2. Budget Travelling and backpacking would probably be the norm this 2012. A lot of people now knows that they don’t have to wait for their retirement nor to save a million bucks to be able to travel for a few months outside their respective countries, thanks to the information shared by various travel bloggers. I used to think that travelling was really expensive until I tried backpacking and found out that it does not need to cost you that much.

3. I think career breaks will also be an emerging trend. A lot of people who are just thinking about quitting their careers will now do so and kick start their travel this 2012. They’ve seen a lot of helpful information from people who left their jobs and travelled last 2011.

I’m A Filipino long term backpacker currently on his 9th month roaming around mainland Southeast Asia. Check out my blog at www.flipnomad.com.

Julia of Turkey’s for Life

1. Thinking from a British perspective, we think Turkey and Eastern European countries will be the top travel destinations. Many Brits who usually travel abroad will also choose to travel within Britain because of the economic climate.

2. Again from a British perspective, we think there will be more independent travel. Britain is famous for its package holiday companies but a lot of these haven’t survived the recession. Maybe more niche tour companies offering adventure breaks and the like will become more popular.

3. We focus on Turkey and tourism to the country is growing all the time. 2012 will see more visitors, especially from the UK. We think that while the coastal resorts will remain popular, more travellers will head inland to increasingly well-known places like Cappadocia. We think activity breaks will also become more popular. Turkey has many long-distance trekking routes that people are starting to take notice of and there are more companies offering guided treks along these routes. These are becoming more popular with Turks as well as foreign visitors. We’re also predicting an increase in domestic tourism for Turkey as Seker Bayram (Eid ul-Fitr) and Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) are in the summer months this year. Many Turkish families will take a holiday then.

Barry and Julia arrived in Turkey from the UK 8 years ago with the aim of travelling around the country for 6 months. Within one month, they had moved into a house and still live there now. They write the blog http://www.turkeysforlife.com/

Dave of Dave’s Travel Corner

1. Top domestic travel destinations historically include big name locations that are popular for long weekend getaways. These destinations will continue to see more visitors especially as the economy continues to improve. Places like Hawaii, Las Vegas – where you can find extremely reasonably priced rooms because of the casino industry – especially during the weekdays – New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco are going to be busy in 2012.

There are other lesser known destinations that are a good value – the Gulf Coast specifically parts of Florida and Alabama have bounced back nicely since the BP Oil Spill and 2012 should be a good year for this region. Pittsburgh, PA has a surprising amount of world class museums and the Napa Valley in northern California for wine tasting (Napa has a reputation for being crowded but its very easy to get off the beaten path and explore some of the lesser known 900 wineries/producers). These are  just a few domestic destinations that quickly come to mind.

Internationally I think Europe is starting to appeal to travelers more because of the ongoing improvement in the exchange rate  between the dollar and the euro. Eastern and South Eastern Europe definitely deliver value for the dollar – especially some of the Balkan states including Serbia and Montenegro. Slightly closer to home is Puerto Rico – with big investments in tourism, not to mention outdoor and historical attractions – this island is primed for tourism in 2012. Pluses for domestic travelers are no passport needed, no immigration or money exchange.

2. I think people are starting to spend more on vacations and venture a bit further out compared to vacations taken during the past several years when the economy was down. As always people are looking for a good value, opinions from travelers who have already “been there” and destinations that can deliver relaxation as well as a variety of activities. Social networking will continue to play a role in people’s travel decisions – first hand knowledge and opinions are often the most valuable. As a result, interest in online travel communities where the focus is on networking and sharing of information – will continue to increase.

3. More domestic travelers will be visiting Europe this summer as long as the exchange rate remains favorable. Old World wine destinations will see additional visitors as a result – especially Burgundy and Bordeaux. Lesser known European wine regions producing stellar wine are the Mosel in Germany (partly borders Luxembourg) and Tokaj in Hungary. Wine is produced in all 50 states but I think wine enthusiasts will continue to flock to prominent wine regions such as Napa and Sonoma. The trend has been to visit larger more well-known wineries but I think people will also make time to visit smaller lesser known wineries which often can deliver a more personalized experience.

Dave is an International travel writer who founded Dave’s Travel Corner in 1996. He runs a website promoting currently undefeated WBA World Super Middleweight champion, Andre Ward and is a partner in MyVideoVisa.com – a personal travel video sharing site.

His latest endeavor is The Napa Wine Project  which has taken more than 5 years to date and is expected to be an initial 8-10 year project that involves wine tasting at all Napa Valley commercial wine producers. He has personally visited, tasted & reviewed 650+ commercial Napa wine producers to date. His first book titled ‘The Freeways of Los Angeles’ was published in 2010.

Ted of Traveling Ted

1. I am sure it will be the same old same old: Thailand, India, Jordan, Egypt, Australia etc. . .

2. I see an increase in adventure activities. Travelers are wanting to be more active on vacation these days. More kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and scuba diving.

3. Not only are travel bloggers wanting more adventure, but I also think the same is true of the average traveler. I would like to think it is partly due to the influence of adventure travel blogs.

Traveling Ted has been adventure traveling since he was ten years old. He has hiked, canoed, and skied through the Midwest, the United States, and the world. His favorite places include Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, Everglades National park in Florida, and Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. http://travelingted.tv