NEW YEAR, NEW VIEW
WELCOME TO 2O21. AFTER A YEAR OF UNCERTAINTY, OUR DESIRE to travel is stronger than ever, SO WHETHER YOU’RE PLANNING, OR JUST DAYDREAMING, LET ELLE FUEL your wanderlust
We predict the biggest travel trends for the year ahead – perfect fuel for your wanderlust
1. VAN LIFE
Take your next road trip up a notch by renting a campervan from the super-luxe likes of Glamper RV. For a cool conversion, head to Camptoo, the Airbnb of motorhomes. Or, if you prefer a classic 1967 VW, visit O’Connors Campers. There are plenty of incredible adventures to be had in Europe, such as driving down the Estrada rebrand, where you’ll pass through castle-crowned towns, the Douro Valley’s terraced vineyards and the pretty ‘garden city’ of Viseu, named on account of its multiple parks. Proof that sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination.
2. TAKE ME TO TRANSYLVANIA
Long-haul travel may remain unpredictable for some time. Lucky then, that we have unique, up-and-coming destinations such as Transylvania, just a three-hour flight from the UK, where newcomer Bethlen Estates is set to open in spring. Since 2OO7, the Bethlen family has quietly acquired tumbledown buildings in their ancestral village of Cris, restoring them to their former glory with stylish interiors peppered with antique kilim rugs, warming tiled stoves and Tom Dixon lighting. Carefully curated experiences will allow guests to delve into Transylvania’s historic citadels, untamed countryside and spectacular wildlife – it’s often referred to as Europe’s last true wilderness.
3. LADIES FIRST
Women-only travel is booming. Check out companies such as AdventureWomen (offering canyoning through the Utah desert and whale watching in Baja) and Intrepid’s Women’s Expeditions. Or why not join one of the upcoming retreats run by the London Girls Surf Club in
Sri Lanka, Fuerteventura or Morocco? Surfing makes its debut in the Tokyo Olympics, rescheduled for summer 2O21, so now’s the time to ride the wave. And, in Finland, there’s SuperShe Island: a scenic 3.4 hectare women-only plot. To secure a spot, you have to apply and be selected – the odds rival getting a Glasto ticket, with 8,OOO competing for just 1OO places last summer.
4. A DIFFERENT TRACK
With experiential train travel on the increase, it’s worth getting ahead of the crowds to seek out the best journeys – for example, traversing mountain ranges on the Bernina Express from Switzerland into northern Italy. In the UK, Belmond has upped its train game after a cash injection from new owners LVMH, with the Royal Scotsman featuring an onboard Bamford spa and menu by chef Tom Kitchin, while the British Pullman debuts a route along the cool east Kent coastline. Further afield is Anantara’s The Vietage: a luxury carriage for the six-hour route through Vietnam countryside between the brand’s hotels in Da Nang and Quy Nhon.
5. ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY
Say goodbye to the city break: it’s time to look towards more rural delights. Forget shopping in Milan, and instead think yoga in the Dolomites. Just-opened hideaway Forestis offers plum views of the mountains from all its suites, alongside pine, spruce and larch treatments in the spa. Across the pond, Hudson Valley has become the favoured retreat of the fashionable New
York crowd keen to escape the urban jungle. Be one of the first to book a room at Hutton Brickyards, a cool new offering from Salt Hotels, which opens in April with 31 Shaker-inspired cabins, an archery range, wildflower cutting gardens and a riverside spa. Also see
Hipcamp, aimed at wilderness nuts looking for the best stargazing spots in the US.
6. DOMESTIC BLISS
Thanks to pandemic-restricted travel, the British micro-adventure has come into its own and some unlikely hotspots have emerged. Take Herefordshire: its acres of beautiful countryside (from the Wye Valley to the Malvern Hills), network of cider farms and off-grid glamping options have put it firmly on the fashion pack’s radar. Meanwhile, Easter sees the highly anticipated launch of Three Mile Beach, a collection of 15 self-catering beach houses hidden among sand dunes on the northern Cornwall coast. Created by Audley Travel founder Craig Burkinshaw and his partner Joanne Le Bon, each hut comes complete with eclectic artwork and sunken cedar hot tubs – join the waiting list now.
7. THE NEVER-ENDING HOLIDAY
Seeking more than just a temporary fly and flop? To boost visitor numbers and jump-start revenues that have suffered because of Covid-19, several tourism-dependent nations are coming up with innovative visas, which means you can stay for longer than usual. There’s Thailand’s special tourist visa, which allows travellers to stay for up to 9O days, and other countries including Estonia and Georgia are offering a ‘digital nomad’ option, targeted at the new group of remote workers. Perhaps most tempting of all is Barbados’ 12-month Welcome Stamp Visa (£1,5OO per person), which means your next Zoom call could be taken from the beach.