Predicting travel trends is never an easy task and with the pandemic news changing on what seems to be a daily basis, it’s especially hard to make sense of the shifts at a time like this. However, it is important to be optimistic about travel and to focus on the opportunities that might crop up in the year ahead, such as the roll out of the Coronavirus vaccine hopefully opening global travel up once more.

Now that we are officially one month into the new year and while we patiently wait for travel to resume once more, GEC PR has pulled together its top five predictions on what will be big in travel for the year ahead.

1.Bucket List Blowouts
In 2020 we all became restless at home, fantasising about our next big adventure and dream holiday destination. To make up for lost time, travellers will be looking to tick off ‘bucket list’ adventures and ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trips to long-haul destinations such as the Maldives, which is offering holidaymakers their own private island takeovers, or Kenya, a trusted favourite among adventurers. Kuoni has already reported seeing more people upgrading their holiday for 2021 with business class flights, helicopter transfers and extra experiences, such as hot air balloon rides, for unforgettable experiences and magical memories.

2.Domestic Delights
On the other hand, the pandemic has also created an air of caution around travel, especially with the added requirements in place, which may increase the demand for domestic experiences. Thanks to more time spent in the UK over the past year, we’ve all discovered the beauty on our doorstep. This new-found appreciation will continue to grow in 2021 with boutique, quintessential hotel offerings like The Newt in Somerset and The Pig hotels leading the charge and tour operators including Explore and Cosmos expanding their UK programmes.

3.Digital Nomads
Queue the rise of the Digital Nomad – Always OOO, laptop in hand and permanently a gorgeous shade of tanned. Thanks to the shift to remote working in 2020, this year we will see the rise of people swapping home offices for ocean backdrops and beachside workcations in far flung tropical locations. Those looking for a more permanent lifestyle change, can even apply for year-long ‘work from paradise visa’ for countries such as Bermuda, Barbados, and Croatia. Where do we sign up?

4.The Re-Birth of the Travel Agent
Over the past year, we have seen time again the value of booking holidays through trusted travel agents, with many making national news in their efforts to ensure guest safety and payment security. According to ABTA, people are 20% more likely to use a travel professional to book their holidays now than before the pandemic, with over 40% citing the security of a package holiday and the travel professional’s up-to-date advice as the main reasons for this.

5.Leave Nothing but Footprints
Even before COVID, the desire to travel more responsibly was becoming increasingly popular and one of the joys of the UK’s lockdown was seeing the environment flourish and wildlife thrive. This enforced pause has given travellers and operators time to think about the impact they have on the environment. With many of us pledging to be more eco-conscious in 2021, sustainability will play a big role in determining the destinations travellers will visit, how they will get there and the activities they embark on once they’re in a destination.