Kuoni’s latest Worldwide Trends report highlights a growing taste for experiential travel. Gary Noakes reports.
A desire for “real” experiences and value for money amid economic uncertainty will shape travel patterns in 2017, Kuoni predicts.
The operator’s Worldwide Trends report lists the rise of experiential travel among shifts for this year, while concerns over the fall in the value of the pound have led to a spike in interest for all-inclusive holidays, the long-haul specialist found.
Derek Jones, Kuoni’s managing director, said booking patterns in January and February enabled Kuoni to see what patterns were emerging.
“It’s clear that value for money is one of the key drivers for 2017 regardless of how big or small people’s travel budget is,” he said, adding that the industry was being creative “like never before” in offering “everything from stargazing platforms to dining for two on a private sandbank.
“Travel has never been more exciting,” he added.
There may be some clouds on the horizon, however. Kuoni believes currency fluctuations and general confidence will be affected when Article 50 is invoked in March and the process of leaving the EU begins.
It also suggests Donald Trump’s views on relations with Cuba, Mexico and the Middle East could affect travel patterns. However, Jones believes that despite “one of the most turbulent political periods I’ve seen in my lifetime”, the public’s thirst for travel is “still very much there”.
Meanwhile, the Maldives has retained its crown as Kuoni’s biggest seller and the operator believes that its appeal is now extended beyond just being a “fly and flop” destination.
Kuoni hopes the islands’ family appeal will increase even further after it was used as a film location for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, with “set jetting” another trend to watch in 2017.
The operator will feature two new resorts in the Maldives this year, with activities including cookery classes, tuna fishing and boat-building.
Mauritius has moved from fourth to second in Kuoni’s sales league – due, the brand says, to the island’s appeal to the “value-led” premium market.
Sri Lanka has retained third place on the list, while Thailand has fallen from second to fourth, possibly as a result of the terror attacks it suffered in 2016. The US retains fifth place, while Cuba has fallen eight places to 16th following a hotel capacity squeeze after the lifting of the US travel ban.
Elsewhere, Kuoni has tapped into the trend for smaller group tours and has seen a 17% rise in touring holiday sales. It highlights Japan as a big seller and is adding a winter tour to the country.
Another emerging trend is clients’ desire to blend hobbies and holidays. A sketching workshop in Sicily has been added and a photography course in Cambodia and Vietnam included after a previous sell-out.
Meanwhile, weddings remain key for the operator and Kuoni is raising its game in this area for 2017. From spring, a new team of wedding experts will be based in Kuoni stores to work alongside destination experts.
Mauritius remains the most popular setting for getting married, but the Maldives has moved into the number two slot, spurred by couples renewing their vows.
Honeymoons make up 23% of all Kuoni bookings, with the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka once again taking the top three spots in terms of sales.
When it comes to how clients purchase Kuoni’s holidays, the operator said its website remained “central to the whole holiday booking process” but that appointments in its 58 Kuoni shops “can easily last for more than two hours”.
Kuoni also conducted 27,000 web chats last year, an increase of 17%.
It said that thanks to 4G connectivity and bigger tablet-style phones, visits from mobile devices were up by more than 8% in 2016.