Travel trends change every year. In 2019, tourists were heading off on more eco-conscious holidays and swapping a traditional spa massage for CBD treatments.
But what are the 2020 travel trends? Where - and how - will we be travelling?
According to Original Travel, there are some pretty exciting hotspots and travel trends that you'll be hearing about more often in the new year. Let's take a look...
Travel trends
Places to visit 2020
Looking for holiday inspiration? Time to think outside the box and book yourself a flight to one of these destinations.
Israel
The new Ramon airport has created an international gateway to the Red Sea and Eilat, and a new Six Senses property will open in the Negev Desert in February 2020. Head to the trendy Tel Aviv, take a guided tour of Jerusalem's Old City or visit Masada's magnificent mountain top ruins.
Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan is growing in popularity as a tourist destination, but more and more people are turning their attention to neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. The country is 95% mountains and home to the newly-minted Issyk Köl Trail Network. The Kyrgyz way of life is often nomadic and there's the option to sleep in yurt homestays for the full Kyrgyzstan experience.
Nicaragua
It's set to welcome international visitors again since being removed from the FCO travel warning list this year. It is said to embody the best bits of Costa Rica - with fewer tourists. It's the largest country in Central America, with plenty of opportunities to get off the beaten track. Zip-lining, volcanoes, turtles - it's also famed for it's beautiful beaches.
Portugal
It feels like everybody was heading to Lisbon last year, but 2020 will be all about the less-visted Portuguese hotspots. The boho surfing vibe of Comporta is sure to attract many visitors next year, and the surrounding coast channels the beauty of Brazil and the Azores (which has been compared to a 'warm Iceland'). The dramatic volcanic landscape is a haven for adrenaline junkies, with diving, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, canyoning and whale watching just a few adventurous activity options.
Top ways to travel
Philantourism
Philanthropic tourism - or Philantourism, is the act of choosing a holiday or experience in order to support a destination. It's all about enjoying the culture, vibe and activities that the country has to offer, boosting tourism economy for the place in question.
Tom Barber, Co-founder of Original Travel, says: 'We first recognised this as a trend when Sri Lanka - which recently introduced free visas for 48 nations, including the UK - was taken back off the FCO's 'advice against travel' list following the tragic Easter bombings.
'Our clients were really keen to book again and we have noticed a strong sentiment, particularly among British travellers - who are a fairly hardy bunch - to support countries that are dependent on tourism and whose economies are suffering from the aftermath of terrorism or natural disasters.'
Top spots for philantourists include the Northeast Coast of Japan, the Michinoku Coastal Trail, and St Barts.
Me-cations
Couples will be holidaying separately in 2020, according to the report, with me-cations rising in popularity. More and more people will be opting for a kid-free break, taking special interest holidays such as diving, skiing, fishing or golf.
Tom Barber says: 'City breaks, where one is free to shop, linger over long lunches and spend hours in museums and galleries are particularly popular for me-cations, as are walking holidays.
'Little legs aren’t cut out for marching up hill and down dale (and teenage legs tend not to be incline-inclined), but for parents, the chance to stride out at their own pace, without the need to cajole and bribe a reluctant party along is, well, bliss frankly.
'The fresh air and headspace are pretty conducive to coming home feeling restored and rejuvenated, too.'
Tagskryt (train-bragging)
Hygge was the Swedish buzzword of 2016, and now Tagskyrt is taking over. It's used to describe those who prefer to travel by train in order to move about cleanly and greenly. It has been gaining momentum for the last few years, but with more and more people opting to live and travel sustainably it looks like it will take off in 2020.
This follows huge recent investments in rail travel – including a £150 million overhaul of the Caledonian Sleeper, news that The Orient Express is to double the number of its grand suites, Austria’s recently-launched and phenomenally-successful Nightjet service and the Swedish government’s £4.3m pledge to research new overnight routes into Europe – plus the popularity of the TV series, Race Across the World.
So there you have it - the travel trends of 2020.
Where will you be heading?
