It’s always satisfying to be ahead of the curve, so what are the travel trends and rising destinations for 2014? Sport is a big story for this year, there’s the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from February 7, the Tour de France starting in York on July 5 and, if you hadn’t heard, the FIFA World Cup in Brazil from June 12.
What’s changing in travel?
Luxury travel is a growing sector and seniors are an important part of it. And forget Generation X or Y. Millennials aged 18 to 30 are ‘of obvious and growing importance’ and more interested in urban destinations, according to travel experts Resonance Consultancy.
As Chris Fair from the company said: “Millennials are a much more ethnically diverse group than other generations and so are more interested in international travel.”
The rise of social media and the chance to show off photos has affected people’s travelling behaviour too. The affluent are more keen to show off wealth of experience rather than simply buying consumer goods.
Unusual and cultural experiences are social currency and so the holiday is not simply a break but can be a chance to demonstrate how interesting, cultured, leftfield or sporty you are. If this sounds a somewhat cynical view of motivation, it’s not meant to be. Most of us don’t take a holiday simply to show off, it’s just the web has shown us the world is our oyster, and it’s quite fun to share the pictures of us eating it. Whatever your age or motivation for a holiday, here are five of the hot spots for 2014.
York
With the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in the city, the spotlight will be on this beautiful setting, which has been attracting visitors since the Vikings.
The gorgeous timbered Shambles area has been voted most lovely street in the UK. As visityork.org says: “Renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets, iconic York Minster and wealth of visitor attractions, York is a flourishing city, just two hours by train from London.”
Don’t miss Clifford’s Tower, Jorvik Viking Centre and, of course, York Minster, Europe’s largest Gothic cathedral.
The Azores
Doesn’t the very name sound romantic? The Azores is an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal. One little island, Ilheu do Monchique, is the most westerly point in Europe, beating Ireland and Iceland to the title.
It’s green and gorgeous with great food (seafood is excellent as you might expect) plus spectacular whale watching, hot springs (from those volcanos), charming fishing villages and white sand beaches. In late spring you can’t move for flowers.
There’s a lot to see but the Daily Mail recommends: “Historic and beautifully picturesque, Angra is a real treat to explore. And, when you’ve finished, head to the crest of Monte Brasil, the neighbouring (mercifully extinct) volcano: now a country park, it offers stunning views over Angra bay to the city’s Renaissance churches and mansions.”
Waikiki, Hawaii
For another island, how about Hawaii? Blogger Rosemary McClure on travel.yahoo.com thinks Waikiki, the famous beach resort of capital Honolulu, is due a renaissance. She says: “After the recession and the 2011 Japanese tsunami, visitor numbers dropped precipitously. Government bodies responded by pumping money into a revitalization program, with more than $3 billion spent at last count. The result is a much nicer Waikiki with a wider beach, pretty pedestrian walkways, upgraded shopping and safer tourist regions. For those seeking more luxurious digs, check out the elegant Royal Hawaiian or Moana Surfrider, both of which have undergone multimillion-dollar updates.”
Don’t miss: climbing Diamond Head, to see the lights of Oahu glittering below you. And you can’t miss surfing on the famous beach. There are plenty of teachers, the friendliest is called Ashford.
Cruising down the river
The Rhine, the blue Danube, the Moselle, or go in Seine… river cruising in Europe has never been more popular and the only way is up – or rather along.
As Travelzoo reports: “Cruise lines are expanding their river fleets in Europe at a record-breaking pace. At least 20 vessels are scheduled to debut in 2014, including those from Viking River Cruises, Avalon Waterways, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Tauck River Cruises and AmaWaterways. With more cabins to fill, this can mean only one thing: great deals for travellers.”
Blogger/reviewer cruisewithmike.wordpress.com rates Tauck as the top experience, saying: “The Swiss Emerald is the best riverboat on the Danube. Luxury Suite cabins are just over 300 square feet. Wines are included and Tauck offers the most comprehensive and best-managed sightseeing programs. Four Tauck Directors accompany each sailing. Pre and post hotel stays are part of the package.”
Don’t miss: Tauck’s 15-day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest if you really want to sample Europe from east to west.
A great great lake
And art, beaches and brilliant beer are all to be found in western Michigan. Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second-largest city, has more than 25 craft breweries in the area. But before you imbibe, check out the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Rodin works in the Frederik Meijer Gardens.
Lonely Planet urges visitors to check out Lake Michigan’s gold coast nearby. “Some argue that these shores rival Hawaii’s and Southern California’s. Along 300 miles of seemingly endless beaches lie sugar-white dunes, wineries, antiquing, U-pick orchards and berry farms, cider houses, Hemingway haunts – you can even go surfing. In Michigan! So if you never thought you could head to the Midwest for a Cape Cod-esque beach vacation, think again.” If you’re not into surfing, visit in February for the Cool Brews Hot Eats and the Winter Beer Festival.
Don’t miss: Oval Beach. Better than the ocean, honest.
Featured images:
License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://photodune.net/- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://photodune.net/
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://photodune.net/
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://photodune.net/
Experienced travel and lifestyle writer Kitty Hastings is planning trips to both New York and York in 2014 and has the Azores on her wishlist. When going abroad, Kitty always uses her Tuxedo Prepaid currency card which can be pre-loaded with money to make travelling abroad simple and stress-free.
