Cruise Lines Alive and Well

Hot Travel Trends

Travel specialists revealed their top travel trends, including the continued growth of trends that have been building steadily over the past year. Though some emerge out of this year’s economic downturn, others show travelers determined to create new and fulfilling travel experiences despite the economy.

Travel Trend Tidbits

Here are some projected travel trends for the coming year:

* Eighteen percent of travelers said they are taking a "staycation" this coming year. 
* Twenty percent of travelers have taken items from a hotel, such as towels, flatware, or decorative pieces.
* Fifteen percent of respondents have been to a clothing-optional or adults-only resort. 
* Fifty-two percent of travelers said it takes them less than one day to unwind. 
* Thirty-four percent of travelers are uncomfortable with the new full body scanners used by some airport security. 
* Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said they spent more than they budgeted on travel in the past 12 months. 
* Fifty percent said unfavorable exchange rates will prevent them from or limit their travel to Europe in the next 12 months. 
* Sixty-one percent of travelers will visit a beach destination in 2009, 60 percent will go city sightseeing.

Back to Classic Travel

Travelers are returning to traditional destinations and old-fashioned manners, seeking out comfort and serenity and quiet. What’s old is new again this year.

The shaky economy has lead to some drastic changes in the ways people travel, creating new breeds of travelers, like flashpackers. The flashier version of the backpacker values the same low-cost methods of traveling as the traditional backpacker but would rather steer clear of group accommodations in lieu of a private (but affordable) room.

Cruise lines are reinventing themselves. Take the launch of Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice, the first of five in a new class of ships, intended to change the way people feel about cruising by putting a modern spin on the glamour of ocean liners past. The luxury ship exceeds the average ship’s accommodations and level of sophistication-and even adds a touch of eco-friendliness, like its heat-absorbing half-acre lawn, where can guests picnic and play croquet.

2010 Travel Projected to Grow

The U.S. Travel Association today announced that projected modest 2010 increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel will enable the industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs. Leisure travel is expected to rise 2.0 percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by nearly 3.0 percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000 combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009.

Domestic leisure travel is expected to increase 2% in 2010 with a corresponding increase in leisure travel spending of nearly 5%.  Domestic business travel will also grow 2.5% next year and business travel spending will increase 4%. Dr. Susanne Cook, a senior official of the U.S. Travel Association, stated that projected growth in leisure travel is an indicator of rising consumer confidence and disposable income. Business travel will increase, she added, based on pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings that drive growth and productivity.

Even international bound travel will increase nearly 3% in 2010, though overseas travel is projected to remain stable at 1%. Overseas travelers usually contribute much more per capita to U.S. coffers than Canadian or Mexican travelers, so there is a concern there. However, overall, travel is looking to pick up a bit next year.

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Business Travel Tight This Year

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