A new year and a new decade have just started, and with them, a plethora of marketable travel-related trends sporting varying degrees of promise have once again surfaced. With approximately 4 million tourists visiting Cyprus every year, it is not surprising that tourism is one of the biggest contributors towards the country’s economy. In order to keep the industry moving forward, it is of vital importance that marketers are not only familiar with the latest travel trends, but to know how to fully embrace them as well. While not all of the trends will make it to the end of the year, there are a few that travel marketers should definitely keep an eye on when creating their marketing strategies for the year ahead.
Local experiences become the norm
Gone are the days when travelers sought out luxury resort accommodations with food and facilities that remind them of home. This year, local experiences are going to grow in popularity as many travelers aim to swop their luxurious travel experiences for something a bit more authentic. Instead of taking photos of their surroundings from a hotel balcony, travelers will seek out local experiences that involve them living as the locals do. In Cyprus, a local experience will entail steering clear of the tourist hotspots and spending time in villages, such as Kakopetria, Lefkara and Lofou. Travelers will also be giving international chain restaurants a miss, instead indulging in traditional delicacies such as sheftalia, souvlaki and afella. Astute marketers can cash in on this trend by shifting their focus away from hyper-touristy destinations and activities, and instead highlight authentic accommodations, traditional food and customary cultural experiences.
All-inclusive family travel becomes the norm
Family travel will continue to rise in popularity this year, with all-inclusive vacations in particular becoming exceedingly trendy. The biggest appeal of all-inclusive family vacations lies in the fact that you basically make one upfront payment that covers everything including accommodation, food and activities. All-inclusive packages are especially popular among families with small babies. With all the basic expenses taken care of, traveling families have a lot less planning to do. They do, however, still need to ensure that they have the correct travel gear, such as strollers and car seats, that will make their journey easier and safer. With clever marketing tactics that address these needs, increasingly-exclusive vacation packages can become one of the most profitable trends of the year for the tourism industry.
Luxury eco-travels become a hit
Sustainable tourism will once again trend this year, although it will enjoy a bit of a makeover, becoming exceedingly more luxurious than what we have experienced in recent years. During the course of 2020, an increasing number of travelers will choose to say at upmarket eco-lodges and boutique hotels that offer luxurious accommodations, top-of-the-range eco-friendly facilities, and curated experiences. Travelers will also be more inclined to make use of sustainable service providers as far as air and road travel, tour operators, and even restaurants are concerned. Thanks to a global shift towards sustainability, marketing eco-friendly travels have become significantly easier of late, which allows marketers to experiment with new creative methods and tactics.
As a travel marketer, it is important to stay abreast of all the latest trends. Although many are fleeting, it could prove to be extremely beneficial to embrace those that have proven to have a certain degree of staying power.
