The Chinese New Year is nearly here! We’ve been consulting the stars to discover 2019’s Travel Trends and which ones will be most compatible with your Zodiac. Will you be wrestling grizzlies or living the Luxe life?
Here are our predictions of the trends you’d best be getting on board with this year.
Adventure Travel
What: We have a hard time imagining a year when Adventure Travel won’t be on trend, but it is moving in a different direction in 2019. This year, adventure travel won’t necessarily be about throwing yourself off cliffs with little more than a piece of rope to save you, but getting way off the beaten track. We’re talking about losing the track entirely and burrowing into the massively underrated gems of the world.
Where: Think the Faroe Islands of Denmark.
Who: Ox, Horse and Rat
Why: The Ox will love the peace of being somewhere ‘quiet’, while the energetic Horse and the smart Rat will enjoy being amongst the first to Instagram their way around areas less travelled.
Read also: Travelling Off the Beaten Path in Asia
Appren-trips
What: We are continually acquiring and developing new skills, and now, that won’t even stop for holidays. This year, we’re expecting travellers to try and get more ‘purpose’ from their travels by learning practical skills and participating in cultural exchanges.
Where: Think art classes in Italy and Chinese lessons in Shanghai.
Who: Rat and Snake
Why: The knowledge hungry Rat and the hard-working Snake will love having chances to learn new skills. After all, the best way to attract a new beau is to make yourself seem ‘worldly’.
Dark Tourism
What: Popularised by Netflix’s series ‘Dark Tourist’, growing numbers of people are starting to visit landmarks with dark pasts. The interest in tragic locations might make you seem like a serial killer, but it helps people immerse in history and appreciate the magnitude of our past.
Where: Think Cambodia’s Killing Fields and Chernobyl’s nuclear plant.
Who: Sheep and Ox
Why: The Sheep with their keen sense of justice and the Ox who can find beauty in all things will appreciate the history of these dark places; that is if the tour guide’s attempts to catch them off guard don’t scare away them first.
Read also: 5 Haunted Hotels in Asia (That You Won’t Find on The Luxe Nomad)
Food Tourism
What: Food tourism, which is precisely what it sounds like – trying to eat your way through an entire culture – was massive in 2018. It’s looking like it will be even more significant in 2019 too as it will be the year of the hungry, hungry piggy.
Where: Think Hokkaido in Japan and the Hawker Markets of Singapore
Who: Monkey and Pig
Why: Everyone can appreciate a delicious food tour, but the Monkey who loves to indulge and the tasteful Pig will undoubtedly be all about the next great meal.
Read also: New Niseko Restaurants to Look Out for in 2019
Microtourism
What: Micro or ‘bite-sized’ travel is on the rise with stressed out millennials expected to take lots more weekend trips in 2019 to get away from mum, dad, and the day-to-day. Microtourism has become a feasible option in recent years thanks to improvements in flight routes and more camping-but-not-actually-camping types of accommodations like Bubble Tents.
Where: Anywhere within a four-hour drive/flight of you!
Who: Snake, Rooster and Rabbit
Why: Hard-working Roosters might prefer only making those short weekend trips so as to hold onto their annual leave, while the romantic Snake will want to whisk their partners away for impromptu holidays. The spontaneous Rabbit too will want to hit the road without consulting their boss!
Read also: 6 Good Reasons Why We Should All Take Weekend Staycations
Slow Travel
What: We’ve all been too busy, and a lot of us are suffering from severe burnout. 2019 will be all about going remote and unplugging from tech. It’s time to go off the grid, act out ‘The Revenant’ (hopefully, minus the bear) and see the world without that Instagram filter.
Where: Think a South African safari and remote Canada.
Who: Tiger, Dragon and Pig
Why: Tigers and Dragons are intense by nature and could certainly use the time to chill out (although they’d probably want to find the bear), while the Pig who already appreciates the slow, luxurious life will love having another reason to take a nap without judgment.
Read also: Digital Detox: Why You Need One, Beyond Just Proper Sleep
Solo Trips
What: Going solo has been popular for years, as it marks a time of exploration, self-improvement, and self-care, but this year travellers are now travelling alone so that they can be alone. Ah, the joys of not having to adhere to someone else’s schedule!
Where: Think Thailand for safety, scuba-diving and yoga, or Stockholm for Scandi Cool and easy accessibility.
Who: Rabbit and Horse
Why: The independent Horse will relish the chance to go out on their own and make their way; meanwhile, the sometimes too cautious (but also somehow highly spontaneous) Rabbit should grab onto the trend and make this their year to grow!
Read also: The safest travel destinations for solo female travellers
Wellness Retreats
What: Similar to slow travel except, instead of having to forage the bush for berries, you get to be pampered at a luxury resort, enjoying plenty of self-care, and an all-around sense of rejuvenation.
Where: Think the Maldives and the home of yoga, India.
Who: Tiger, Dragon and Monkey
Why: We’re picking on Tiger and Dragon’s intensity, but these two could really use some self-love this year, and Monkeys will enjoy having a healthy outlet for all of their pent-up energy.
Read also: The Luxe Guide: Wellness retreats for every need
Zero Waste & Sustainable Travel
What: This is one trend we hope never goes away and this year sustainable travel is going way beyond just being green. We’re seeing growth in fully sustainable boutique hotels and resorts, and a rise in the number of travellers actively looking to engage in programs that help counteract the environmental impact of their trips.
Where: Think the beaches of Bali and Sri Lanka.
Who: Rooster, Dog and Sheep
Why: These three zodiacs are particularly compassionate (Sheep), generous (Dog) and hard-working (Rooster) and will love the sense of fulfilment that comes with picking up other people’s trash.
Read also: Manuela Baron, The Girl Gone Green, tells us how to make the zero waste switch
Which travel trends will you love this year?
