It’s all in the planning
The travel industry’s hot spots for next year
It may be only May but, still, we’re ready to put this annus horribilis behind us and look forward to brighter, more positive times, and that time, we believe, is 2021. Next year may seem far off, but travellers have always dreamt and planned ahead.
We also know that many of us are itching to get back out there as soon as it’s safe, which is why now may be the perfect time to cast your mind forward and consider your journeys for next year.
At the very least it will provide us with some much-needed hope in these darkest of times. So where do you want to go? What do you want to experience? What have you missed this year that you’re desperate to make up for in 2021?
To help shape our ideas and inspire a few dreams, Traveller approached a number of travel industry experts to get the lowdown on 2021: what’s new and exciting, what are the likely trends?
The experts we talked to cover the full gamut of the industry, from hotels to resorts, airlines to cruises, ski to safari, and it’s heartening to hear their confidence that people will be keen to hit the road again – beginning with domestic travel, before going further afield – as soon as they’re able.
And that opportunity will come. Eventually. Until such time we can dream, plan and enjoy the anticipation.
Escorted journeys
Here’s a number that should gladden the heart of travellers and industry figures. A week or so ago, during a time of recognised crisis, with travel banned across the world, Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com) made almost half a million dollars’ worth of sales in a single day.
‘‘It’s amazing,’’ says James Thornton, chief executive of Intrepid. ‘‘I suppose the psyche of the intrepid traveller is that they still are willing and want to get out there.
‘‘Perhaps this notion that they’re going to be cooped up for a period of time will stimulate that wanderlust.’’
Touring will continue next year and in fact, it may be stronger than ever, given the sense of security and safety that travelling with an established tour group can provide.
Thornton also envisages a rise in active travel and Intrepid next year will launch guided treks on the Portuguese Camino, the Trans-Caucasian Trail in Armenia and the El Mirador trek in Guatemala, as well as big, bucket-list experiences.
‘‘For so long we’ve taken travel for granted,’’ he says. ‘‘But if this virus has taught us anything it’s that if you have a big travel dream, you really shouldn’t wait.’’
Robyn Brown, national groups sales manager at Insight Vacations (insightvacations.com), has seen similar fortitude from travellers. ‘‘Most of our guests are keen to travel,’’ she says. ‘‘A majority of people are moving their booking to the same time in 2021.’’
Next year, Insight plans to continue its focus on local food experiences, in-depth journeys, luxury and conscious travel. The company will also offer more of its women-only tours.
‘‘Women travelling either alone or with a female friend is quite common,’’ Brown says. ‘‘So much so that we have launched a series called Wander Women journeys, tailored specifically for them. Our first trip reveals India from the perspective of local people, including many inspiring women who are leaders in their communities.’’
Dennis Bunnik, managing director of Bunnik Tours (bunniktours.com), believes travellers will be drawn next year to the security of small-group tours, particularly the company’s new range of shorter itineraries. ‘‘These will initially focus on tours to the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East, but we hope to offer them across our entire range,’’ Bunnik says. ‘‘We also had huge success with our ‘Five Stans’ and Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan small-group tours that launched this year.
‘‘People are always looking for those off-thebeaten-path countries, so we will continue to rely on our vast personal travel experiences to guide our product range.’’
Hotels and resorts
There’s plenty to be excited about for the hotel industry. Though times are tough, numerous longterm projects are set to open in the next 12 months, as well as advancements and improvements hoteliers are keen to share when patrons return.
‘‘Staycations and domestic travel will likely dominate initially, as people will explore closer to home and support regional destinations that need it the most,’’ says Leanne Harwood, managing director of IHG Australasia and Japan (ihg.com).
‘‘Flexibility will also be key, as travellers look to change plans and dates, and we are already adapting to accommodate.’’
Cruising
There’s no doubt cruise lines have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic crisis, but experts are predicting a fightback next year, led by the domestic travel market, and those who enjoy the good life.
‘‘Luxury cruise passengers show the most resilience,’’ says Adam Vance, general manager of sales and marketing at cruise specialists Cruiseco (cruising.com.au). ‘‘They’ve been cruising for many years through many challenges and are still booking now for next year.’’
Interestingly, Vance predicts that 2021 could be a bumper year for cruise holidays, provided we have a speedy recovery.
‘‘Europe, Asia and the South Pacific have pentup demand,’’ he says. ‘‘Passengers with cancelled 2020 cruises have anywhere between 100 per cent and 225 per cent of the value of their cruise to spend. Some will divide and take two cruises, others may cruise longer or move up the ship to suites and penthouses.’’
Tony Archbold, director of sales at Holland America Line (hollandamerica.com), is also predicting a strong comeback in 2021. He sees a trend for travellers to want to visit and assist the communities that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
‘‘Remote destinations such as Alaska will also have obvious appeal,’’ he says, ‘‘allowing travellers to experience the wide-open spaces of the world.’’
To take travellers to those destinations, Holland America Line is launching a new ship in May 2021, the Ryndam, which will be the third of the company’s Pinnacle Class ships.
For adventure cruisers, meanwhile, Jeff Gillies, commercial director of Coral Expeditions (coralexpeditions.com), says his company has a new ship launching in January, the Coral Geographer, with an amazing itinerary.
‘‘Its maiden voyages will explore small islands around the Indian Ocean, a first for Coral Expeditions. We’ll be traversing the coastlines of Madagascar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Zanzibar. It will then follow that with another series of small islands to the South Pacific, Japan and the Philippines.’’
Airlines
Airlines are hurting. Badly. This is a huge global industry that has ground to an almost immediate halt. But, it will be back. ‘‘The airline industry will recover just as it has from other shocks like SARS, 9/11 and the GFC,’’ says Geoffrey Thomas, editorin-chief of airlineratings.com. ‘‘Of course, this is much worse, and it will take longer for a full recovery. ‘‘But people love to travel and can’t resist a bargain, thus it may be faster than we think if airlines put amazing deals into the market.’’
The airlines likely to make it through this period, Thomas says, are those that are either government-owned or heavily supported. For those that do take off again, there are some exciting advancements afoot.
‘‘The biggest new development next year will be the 777X from Boeing, which will usher in cheaper and more comfortable travel,’’ says Thomas. ‘‘It burns about 40 per cent less fuel per passenger and that is what cheaper fares are all about.’’
Package holidays
What will 2021 look like for those keen to book a package holiday? It’s a little too early to say, according to Cameron Holland, chief executive of Luxury Escapes (luxuryescapes.com). There is, however, confidence that the industry will bounce back.
‘‘There will no doubt be a lot of pent-up demand from travellers, particularly if travel bans and lockdowns continue for some months,’’ says Holland, whose portfolio includes a swathe of luxury properties and experiences across the world.
‘‘If the situation can get under control this year, there could be quite a large number of people wanting to explore the world – and home – all at
once in early 2021. International travel will start to open up in destinations that are perceived to be closer or safer before the more adventurous locations return to normal,’’ he says. ‘‘But we may see more isolated island locations, such as the Maldives, South Pacific, outer islands of Indonesia, and even Hawaii, prove to be the favourites.’’
Skiing and snowboarding
The ski industry is accustomed to challenges. You’ve heard about climate change, right? And now Covid-19 has forced the early closure of many Northern Hemisphere ski resorts. Those in the south, meanwhile, remain in limbo for 2020, yet to make a decision at the time of writing on their coming season.
Safaris
Much like the ski industry, this is far from the first challenge the African safari market has faced. ‘‘We have weathered many a storm,’’ says Cameron Neill, general manager of safari specialists Bench Africa (benchafrica.com). ‘‘The Ebola crisis in 2014 was our most recent hurdle, when travel to Africa pretty much ground to a halt. The following year we saw tremendous growth as pent-up demand exploded.’’
Bench has a host of recently refurbished luxury properties that it’s excited about for 2021, including Jack’s Camp in Botswana, Little Kulala in Namibia, and Sayari Camp in Tanzania. ‘‘The beautiful thing about Africa is that the real star of the show is nature,’’ Neill adds. ‘‘And whether or not we are there to see it unfold, the wildlife is still there, doing its thing, and it will be waiting for us when we can all travel once more.’’
Though African wilderness trips will always be popular, Julie McIntosh, founder and director of the Classic Safari Company (classicsafaricompany. com.au), says Colombia has plenty to offer in 2021, and the more isolated reaches of Africa are opening up.
‘‘We have the wild and remote regions of the Congo and Sao Tome becoming more accessible,’’ McIntosh says. ‘‘There’s also expeditionary camping and walking safaris in Botswana and our Great Walk of Africa in Tsavo, in Kenya –
150 kilometres of walking in 10 days – is far from the mainstream and something we are proud to represent.’’
How to plan for your travel Postpone don’t cancel
This is the key message from the tourism industry, airlines included. If you can afford to, and you’re comfortable doing it, don’t cancel your plans for 2020, but rather postpone them. Help those companies that provide you with travel experiences to stay afloat by keeping your money with them.
Start dreaming now
There’s no need to stop thinking about travel now, just because you can’t hop on a plane immediately. If anything, this is the perfect time to begin the dreaming phase for your next journey, to take the time to consider where you would like to go next, and what you would like to achieve when you get there.
Revisit your bucket list
This can seem a little silly, and some people hate the idea of ‘‘box-checking’’ travel. But if the current situation has taught us anything it’s that you can’t
take travel for granted. If there are places you’ve always wanted to see and things you’ve always wanted to do, the signs are there: do them now.
Check your travel insurance
A harsh lesson learned from this Covid-19 outbreak is that some insurance providers don’t cover epidemics and pandemics. When you’re making plans for 2021 and buying insurance, be sure to read the fine print and decide the level of coverage you’re comfortable with.
Book as soon as you feel confident
The travel industry needs your support. Tour companies, hotels, cruise lines, travel agencies – they all need you. We’re not going to suggest a timeline here, but all we will say is that when you feel confident enough to book your trip for 2021, do it. Put some money into these businesses and help them survive.
Be flexible
This is a key factor for those keen to travel in 2021. At the moment, we still don’t really know what the year will look like. With the world in such a state of flux, it’s important to be flexible with your future travel plans. Be ready to change dates or destinations as the need arises.
Stay positive
There’s no other way to be right now. And anyway, travel itself is an inherently optimistic pursuit. Every time we leave the house we place our trust in the world that everything is going to be OK. Do your best to carry that attitude as you consider your options for 2021.