SIMON CALDER

The multi-award-winning travel writer and one of the industry’s most respected men shares his insights on how travel has evolved since our first issue. ‘Sure, the no-frills revolution has commoditised air travel and in some ways made it less pleasant, but it’s also done wonders for extending horizons and enriching experiences. Why settle for Saturday night at your local trattoria when you can meet the locals at theirs in Rome, Naples or Venice for a nominal amount? While some fretful travellers may surmise that the world has never been a more dangerous place to venture because of terrorism and other conflicts, actually the opposite is true. In the past two decades, the number of overseas trips by British holidaymakers has risen by twothirds, largely thanks to those good-value flights. However, there has been no significant increase in the average number of holiday fatalities each year. In other words, we’re safer than ever.’ For more insights visit Calder’s Twitter account, @SimonCalder.