The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
GREAT ESCAPES
From greener destinations to city breaks not too far from home, Sarah Marshall looks at the most likely travel trends in 2021
A lthough few people managed to pack their suitcases last year, as ongoing r e s t r i c t i o n s a n d b o r d e r c l o s u r e s caused havoc, one day – hopefully this year – holidays will be possible again.
Online travel platform Holidaypirates (holidaypirates.com) has predicted tourism recovery, when it comes, will be led by domestic and short or mid-haul as safe corridors open up. Incentives and deals promoted by destinations, hospitality operators and travel partners will also influence the places people choose to book.
Phil Salcedo, head of market at Holidaypirates, says: “We believe it will take longer for long-haul travel to recover, as passenger budgets and Covid-19 concerns make familiar destinations more attractive, whether that be at home or in Europe.
“Long-haul travel will still increase, but the recovery to 2019 levels will be a longer one.”
Here’s what else we can expect when travel opens up again...
A QUIRKY INTEREST IN NATURE
The pandemic has awoken a desire to be playful and appreciate nature, reflected in a surge of interest in hotels with hot tubs, lodges with treehouses and pet-friendly properties. Whether to fill Instagram feeds or satisfy a desire to relive childhood dreams, quirky mini breaks will appeal to all generations.
A REVIVAL OF CITY BREAKS
Cities will be looking to lure wary tourists back when restrictions lift and confidence returns, and hotels are likely to be offering some fantastic deals. Urban centres such as Edinburgh and London will appeal to visitors desperate for culture and entertainment, while a lack of crowds will pull people overseas to popular spots such as Venice and Amsterdam.
A GREEK ODYSSEY
Greece and Cyprus maintained a presence in the market through 2020, attracting summer visitors across the islands, despite dipping in and out of the travel corridors list. When travel is widely possible again, consumers are likely to feel more confident about booking both countries in advance, making them a popular choice.
A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE MED
Italy and Spain will rebound when it becomes safe to travel, driven, in part, by repeat visitors who love the countries and want to return to their favourite cities and beach resorts.
Egypt, Malta and Croatia will also benefit from Brits returning to familiar places where they feel comfortable, particularly in destination resort “bubbles” offered by trusted global brands.
A LONG-HAUL WORK IN PROGRESS
To make working life easier, Dubai, the Maldives and some Caribbean countries are offering long-stay deals and less restrictive working visas to encourage digital nomads to pack their laptops and work from a new part of the world when it’s allowed.
With working from home looking to be a long-term or permanent change in many companies’ working policies, the prediction is for more extended trips in future. Hotels are offering a range of deals including on-site IT support and personal trainers, while private homes and villas give space, privacy and minimum interaction.
A SWITCH TO GREEN LIVING
As travellers become more ecoconscious, destinations with reputable sustainability credentials are set to grow in popularity.
Website Culture Trip (theculturetrip. com) has seen interest in Costa Rica grow more than 60% in the past six months. Celebrated as a leader in environmental policy, the small Central American country has pledged to become carbonneutral and plastic-free by 2021.
Closer to home in Europe, Slovenia is flying a green flag. Declared the first Green Country by international organisation Green Destinations, it’s packed with natural wonders, including dramatic mountains and pristine beaches.
POPULAR FICTION
Can you believe it’s 25 years since Helen Fielding introduced us to the wine-swilling 30-something singleton in London, trying to make sense of life and love in Bridget Jones’s Diary, played by Renee Zellweger in the films? The new reissue (Picador, Feb 4) features 100 pages of previously unseen material.
Dipping her toes further into the water of crime novels, popular writer Adele Parks gives us Both Of You (HQ, May 27), in which two women go missing in the same week and the investigating detective has a hunch the disappearances are connected.
DEBUTS
There’s a buzz around Luster by Raven Leilani (Picador, Jan 21), already a hit in the US. It sees a young black woman navigating life in New York begin a relationship with an older white man in an open marriage; she becomes embroiled in his family as she also gets to know his wife. Leilani’s voice is fresh, sharp and caustically funny.
Another debut to keep an eye on is Girl A by Abigail Dean (Harpercollins, Jan 21), which was sold in the UK after a nine-way auction – TV and film rights have already been sold. It focuses on the eponymous Girl A, now an adult lawyer who survived a terrible upbringing in a house of horrors.
REFLECTIONS ON COVID
Legendary children’s author Michael Rosen brings us Many Different Kinds Of Love (Ebury, Mar 18), an account of his battle with Covid-19, in a sort of prose and poetry format.
For those who want to look at the government’s handlings of the pandemic, Failures Of State by Jonathan Calvert and George Arbuthnott (Harpercollins, Mar 18) offers the findings of the Insight investigative team from the Sunday Times and their reflections on the situation.
ROYAL WATCHERS
For those who loved The Crown and want to find out more about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans in royal circles, look out for royal biographer Andrew Morton’s forthcoming offering, Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World Of The Windsor Sisters (Michael O’mara, Mar 30). It will no doubt shed more light on the relationship between the Queen and her sister.
CELEBRITY OFFERINGS
There’s a flurry of offerings from celebrity names in 2021, from Mel Giedroyc’s debut novel The Best Things (Headline Review, Apr 1), a big-hearted story about a family on the brink; to The Beauty Of Living Twice, the memoir of Sharon Stone (Allen & Unwin, Apr 1); and an uplifting, empowering guide from Louise Redknapp called You’ve Got This (Mar 4, Piatkus).
And there’s a heartfelt read from the Reverend Richard Coles, whose partner of 12 years, the Reverend David Coles, died last year unexpectedly. Coles now gives us The Madness Of Grief (April, Weidenfeld), writing about how he has come to terms with his loss.
BESTSELLING NOVELISTS
Familiar names who always deliver include Kate Mosse, whose new novel The City Of Tears (Pan Macmillan, Jan 21), the second historical epic in The Burning Chambers series, is a story of love and loss, war and displacement sweeping from Carcassonne to South Africa.
The hugely popular Elly Griffiths brings us Nighthawk (Quercus, Feb 4), another tale involving forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway that finds her investigating the death of a boy whose body is found by a group of metal detectorists.
THRILLERS
There’s a huge publicity campaign for The Push by Ashley Audrain (Penguin Michael Joseph, Jan 7) which charts the experiences of a new mother who finds motherhood isn’t what she hoped for. She starts to fear something is wrong with her daughter but also that there’s something terrifyingly wrong with her.
Meanwhile former top-10 British freestyle snowboarder Allie Reynolds brings us Shiver (Headline, Jan 21) a debut set in the world of high stakes snowboarding, in which a woman accepts an invitation for a reunion in a deserted lodge in the French Alps with four fellow athletes she hasn’t seen for a decade. Soon, buried secrets come to light with dangerous consequences. This one sold after a 10-publisher auction and the TV rights have already been sold.