Hexham travel consultant shares insight into current trends

Waiting at the doctors….what do you talk about?

What do you talk about when meeting friends for a drink?

We all love to talk about holidays.

Where have you been?

Where do we want to go, and where have we just booked?

For many of us our week or two in the sun is the highlight of our year. Just another week, just another month till we get away. For the lucky, or retired ones amongst us, multiple holidays each year are the norm, but no less exciting. We all love to travel.

I have worked in travel for over 25 years now and have seen my fair share of ups and downs.

The onset of foot and mouth, various SARS outbreaks and the economic downturn in 2008 but nothing hit the travel industry quite like Covid-19 in 2020. This did not slow travel down, it stopped it completely.

We all effectively had our global wings clipped.

Fast forward a few years and we are free to travel again and I have never seen demand for travel so high.

People seem to be putting everyday worries to one side and demand is literally outstripping supply.

I think the value that people have now attached to their getaway goes far deeper than sandcastles and cocktails. It’s a chance to really enjoy quality time with family, friends and loved ones.

I am seeing the usual popular family getaways for the majority of people's annual family summer holiday. Mainland Spain, The Spanish Islands and Greece are still topping my customers' favourite lists.

Calpe, Spain (Image: Pixabay)

The beaches of Bulgaria and Turkey are also very popular as families look to stretch their hard-earned pennies that little bit further.

I have seen demand for cruises go through the roof. Once seen as old-fashioned, cruises have come full circle and are the fastest growing sector of the travel industry with 12 new mega-ships set to be launched in the next two years.

Cruises are now my number one choice for multi-generational family getaways.

Grandparents can relax for an easy-paced afternoon enjoying tea and scones in a beautifully appointed atrium setting while mam and dad can indulge in some cocktails by the pool and the kids can whizz round go-carting tracks at sea!!

Further afield twin centre itineraries are as popular as ever. Combine an ultra-modern dazzling Middle Eastern City with a luxurious beach getaway in The Maldives or Mauritius.

Maldives (Image: Pixabay)

It seems that no matter what’s going on in our day-to-day lives, us Brits love to travel and get away.

Come rain or shine we love to make our holidays happen so whether your idea of the perfect getaway is snorkelling in the Seychelles, eating al fresco on the Amalfi Coast or Snowboarding in Salzuburg or …………

I’m wishing you a Bon Voyage.

Andy Whitfield is part of Not Just Travel and works from home in Hexham. He can tailor make any itinerary from off-the-shelf package holidays to Europe to tailor-made Worldwide Holidays.

He can be contacted on 07967310480

www.njtandy.com