TRENDS what’s hot 2018 destinations

nother year over, a new for 2018. Ryanair and Jet2.com Zante, Aone just begun . . . well, are introducing more flights Corfu, not quite. We might be yet to from regional airports and Air Skiathos devour the turkey, prance round Malta will reintroduce its weekly and Kos the Christmas tree and down all service from Manchester on May have seen an the brandy, but there’s no time 1. In anticipation, Super Break increase of more like the present (excuse the pun) has increased its hotel offering than 25% year on to start thinking about where’s on the island by more than 30% year. New hot next year, so we’ve rounded for 2018, adding Mellieha and Turkey is showing up the key destinations to watch St Julian’s to its programme. promising signs of out for in each region – prepare Elsewhere, is coming recovery too. Jet2holidays yourself for some crackers. up trumps. Kuoni is introducing has increased capacity by 165% Kos and Corfu to its portfolio for summer 2018 following cheer w EUROPE to meet surging demand, while a “huge rise in demand”, Old favourites: European Saga’s quality executive, Julie according to Zoe Towers, head Laura French looks ahead to the escapes are still going strong, Dent, says: “ and Rhodes of product. destinations in demand for 2018 and whipping up a buzz is Malta’s are going crazy.” Sunvil is tipping Looking to northern Europe, crowning glory, Valletta, named Kefalonia and Paxos for 2018, there’ll be a swathe of battlefield @laurafrench121 European Capital of Culture and Olympic Holidays says tours to mark 100 years

44 travelweekly.co.uk 21 December 2017 21 December 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 45 TRENDS what’s hot 2018 destinations

RIGHT: since the end of the First World War. Japan Leger Holidays’ four new itineraries are already selling well, while Insight BELOW: Vacations is adding a four-day Kos battlefields tour through northern France and Belgium to mark the anniversary of the armistice. Rising stars: Heading east, Croatia and Slovenia continue to steal the show, according to Balkan Holidays, while Shearings says bookings to both destinations have risen more than 70% this year. Osprey Holidays has added Croatia for 2018, while Prestige Holidays is introducing Vis, which is set to garner attention next summer as the location for the forthcoming Mamma Mia! sequel. The region’s lesser-known countries are gathering steam, too. Saga will offer for the first time, while KE Adventure Travel will take even more adventurous visitors beyond the mainland to Sazan Island, a secret Oriental will launch new tours to the military base that opened to visitors country, while Intrepid will push the for the first time in May. Explore, The Croatian island northern regions with its new hike, meanwhile, says Kaliningrad, Belarus, bike and kayak tour, which visits winter Macedonia, Ukraine and Moldova are of Vis is set to garner festivals and takes in the country’s the ones to watch. Intrepid Travel attention next summer more mountainous areas. has added a trip visiting the last two, as the location for the Rising stars: In February, all eyes together with Romania. Mamma Mia! sequel will be on South Korea thanks to the You can’t talk about 2018 without Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, with a mentioning Russia, where the spotlight new terminal at Seoul’s Incheon airport likely to give further traction. It follows will be on the football World Cup. other development in the capital such G Adventures’ bookings to the as the Seoul Skygarden, a leafy stretch destination have risen 57% in the of shops, cafes and cultural venues, past two years, while Kirker Holidays which opened earlier this year. reports similarly strong sales. That’s set Taiwan is tipped to be the next to mushroom further as the Russian big thing, with the launch of China embassy waives visa fees for those Airlines’ non-stop flights from Gatwick attending the sporting event. Kuoni to Taipei on December 1 making the has introduced the destination for mountainous island more accessible 2018, in anticipation of the surge. than ever for us Brits. Over in Vietnam, Phu Quoc is w ASIA making its way onto the tourist Old favourites: Asia is booming, with map, with new air links including Tui sm

uri India and Japan on everyone’s lips. In Airways’ weekly non-stop charter o India, Cox & Kings says demand for service adding to regular services from an t p Kerala is rising, while Wendy Wu Tours Vietnam Airlines and Bangkok Airways. ; ja has introduced the fort town of Bundi International arrivals to the island ck o t to its best-selling itinerary, as bookings surged 77% in the first half of this s to the country continue to soar. year, and a new mega-hotel, the JW utter For Japan, it’s all about the Rugby Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, has ; sh

tt World Cup 2019 and 2020 Summer cemented its place-to-be-seen status – o

rr Olympics. Premier Holidays product think beaches and year-round sunshine manager John Parker says: “We have without the need for a visa. n Pa i v e already seen considerable growth into the country and this is only going to w INDIAN OCEAN AND increase further with the additional AUSTRALASIA

PICTUREs: K exposure for these events.” Western & Old favourites: The Maldives and

21 December 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 47 destinations what’s hot 2018 trends

LEFT: The Seychelles

RIGHT: Botswana

BELOW: Perth

Mauritius are showing no signs general manager for the UK Thomas Cook having recently of a slowdown, especially as and Europe, says: “Traditionally, launched direct flights from the latter celebrates 50 years of Those looking to Western Australia has been Gatwick and Birmingham to independence. Those looking reserved for second or third-time the latter. to combine paradise-like sands combine paradise-like visits, but this has the potential Elsewhere, South Africa will be with wildlife and culture, though, sands with wildlife to put Perth on a first-timer’s marking the 100th anniversary of continue to flock to Sri Lanka, and culture continue itinerary.” Nelson Mandela’s birth in July with which aims to double tourist to flock to Sri Lanka a series of events and exhibitions, numbers to five million by w AFRICA adding to the existing string of 2020 and has invested heavily Old favourites: North Africa Mandela landmarks – such as the in new infrastructure. Sheena is getting back on track with Mandela House Museum in Soweto Paton, Kuoni’s senior product tourist arrivals to Morocco up 13% – and building on the tourist and purchasing manager, says: options are also expanding, with between January and August, board’s ‘five in five’ strategy, which “Road transfers are quicker and a Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and Marrakech welcoming the aims to increase arrivals by five easier now and the network of opening at Desroches Island on Yves Saint Laurent museum in million in the next five years. Cinnamon Air transfers means it’s March 1. October. But the star here is Rising stars: Tucan Travel and less difficult to get around.” Over in Australia, it’s Perth : UK visitor numbers rose Explore report strong forward Rising stars: The Seychelles could that’s getting the attention. by more than 25% in the first bookings for Namibia and be hot on their heels, however, Qantas’s non-stop flight, which six months of 2017, with overall Botswana, as travellers look to with a direct BA flight launching starts in March, will fly the 9,000 arrivals up more than 50% travel beyond the better-known in March. Matt Rushbrooke, head miles from Heathrow to the year on year. And the trend is safari destinations. But Zimbabwe of product for ITC Travel Group, Australian city in 17 hours – with expected to continue. is the real standout, as it hails a says: “New flight routes always the option to continue on to Amr El Ezabi, UK and Ireland new political era following the play a major role in boosting Melbourne – making the west director for the Egyptian State resignation of Robert Mugabe. particular destinations, so for coast and wider country more Tourist Authority, says the resort Interest from the UK has already 2018, we’re expecting increased accessible than ever. Denise von towns of Hurghada and Marsa been growing, according to Ross interest here.” Accommodation Wald, Tourism Australia’s regional Alam have fuelled this rise, with Kennedy, chief executive of A LI A TR S U A URI SM O PICTURE: T PICTURE:

48 travelweekly.co.uk 21 December 2017 destinations what’s hot 2018 trends

Africa Albida Tourism. “Pre-2000, RIGHT: the UK was Zimbabwe’s biggest New Orleans market,” he says. “In the first 10 Zimbabwe is the BELOW: months of this year, the UK has Patagonia gone back up to the number-two real standout, as it spot, and with this latest news I hails a new political predict it will be our number-one era following the market again within two years.” resignation of Mugabe Improved infrastructure, including the expanded international airport at Victoria Falls, is likely to bolster its credentials further. from increased airlift, as BA w THE AMERICAS launched a non-stop Heathrow Old favourites: Canada has taken flight earlier this year – upping the crown this year with its 150th departures from four to five times anniversary. Premier Holidays per week in October – marking says year-on-year bookings are the first direct flight from the UK from January. Passengers pass rise in demand. Tucan Travel is up 21% and Insight Vacations to the city in more than 20 years. through the Strait of Magellan extending its programme here predicts the boom will continue, In Latin America, Costa Rica and stop at Cape Horn, navigating to Tatacoa, a sprawling expanse with Ontario celebrating the continues to shine. Kuoni says some of the world’s narrowest of desert, and Tierradentro, a 125th birthday of its provincial the Costa Rica Explorer is the fjords and glacial channels. remote archaeological park home parks and the 40th anniversary most popular escorted tour in Colombia continues its march to pre-Columbian tombs and of Ottawa’s Winterlude festival. its portfolio, while Intrepid has into the mainstream, with other excavations dating back Despite fears of a ‘Trump reported an 84% rise in forward operators reporting a sizeable more than 1,000 years. slump’, the US is also faring bookings to the country since well, with Western & Oriental last year, making it one of the reporting an increase in bookings operator’s top-three destinations. for fly-drives, multi-centre trips Rising stars: Patagonia – the Ones to watch and ranch holidays. sprawling, mountainous region Among the destinations to in southern Argentina and Chile – St Helena, South Atlantic: In look out for in the year ahead is on the up, according to Cox & October, flights began from is New Orleans, which will be Kings, with new expedition ship Johannesburg to the remote, rugged celebrating its 300th anniversary Ventus Australis sailing four-night British island of St Helena, which with a series of festivals, events itineraries from Punta Arenas was previously accessible only via a and exhibitions. It’s benefiting in Chile to Ushuaia in Argentina five-day boat trip from Cape Town. Dive Worldwide is already offering an eight-night trip to explore its untouched shores.

Porto, Portugal: “Porto is starting to emerge from the shadow of Lisbon,” says Patrick Millar, marketing manager for Kirker Holidays. RD “With direct flights from several SSA U

O UK airports and delicious food and wine, it might be the next big UL BR A thing.” It’s also home to the Lello

RD; P Bookstore, which inspired the OA magical settings in Harry Potter. T B S URI O Greenland: Iceland has long been

NA T the star of the Nordics – Rentalcars

ELE Connect reports that bookings T H have trebled in the past three years – but fellow North Atlantic island

ETTLER; S Greenland is emerging as a quieter LF H

A alternative. Wild Photography : R

S Holidays is among operators introducing a tour there for 2018. PICTURE

50 travelweekly.co.uk 21 December 2017