Where in the world will we go?

Stephen ScourfieldThe West Australian
Camera IconA couple enjoying cycling in Europe Credit: Getty Images

The Trends of 2020 ... where will we go and how will we go there?

Travel Trends 2020, How Will We Get There

trends2020 FLIGHT EFFICIENCY

It’s wired into the human DNA to move and explore, but we have become (or are becoming) more acutely aware of climate change, and so are aircraft developers. The current generation of planes is more efficient than the last and the next will have to be even more so. This year should see a test flight for ACCEL, Rolls-Royce’s electric plane (although it is expected only to fly at 480km/h, while Boeing’s 787 can do 900km/h, it’s a good start). Developers are testing biofuels, and continuing to work on lighter airframe components.

trends2020 CHEAP AIRFARES

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... But not in Australia.

International airfares look like keeping their competitive edge throughout the year. In 1990, a return airfare to London was just under $1100. Now, 30 years later, we will find deals at about the same price for an economy return. Yes, it looks like there will be “specials” that even dip under that. But the economy return trend of the year will be a solid offering of fares around the $1400 mark, if you can fit in with dates and conditions.

Look out for London.

trends2020 PREMIUM ECONOMY

It only just fits into the 2020 trends, but Emirates chief executive Tim Clark has said new premium economy seats will roll out across the mega airline’s Airbus A380 fleet in December. The postponement of the launch of its premium economy class coincides with the anticipation Boeing’s new 777X wide-bodies will not be delivered as scheduled by June.

But generally, expect more premium economy.

Singapore Airlines’ exclusive, spacious 2-4-2 cabin Premium Economy Class cabin configuration gives a seat that’s nearly 50cm wide and 96cm in seat pitch (measured from the spot on one seat to the same spot on the one behind or in front). Brilliant. Oh, and there’s champagne. A week ago yesterday (January 10), I was looking at the front window of a Flight Centre store with a board showing premium economy returns to London or Paris from less than $3500, New York from $3600 and Los Angeles from less than $2500.

trends2020 BUSINESS CLASS

As a rule of thumb, a business class seat is roughly seven times the cost of an economy seat on an aircraft. One trend this year will be moments when business class seats are on sale at five times the cost. Look out for these little bursts.

trends2020 CYCLING

It’s mainstream. From the slick cycleways of Europe to the back roads of Vietnam, cycling has become a part of — or the main reason for — many holidays. There are packaged-up cycle holidays, with bikes and accommodation, from Tuscany to Croatia to Sri Lanka and Rajasthan in North India. But here’s my pick — Intrepid’s 11-day cycle holiday in Japan which includes time in Kyoto, Kanazawa, and four days riding the Noto Peninsula before returning to Tokyo.

Noto Peninsula embodies the Japanese concept of “satoyama” — society in harmony with nature — and cycling is a beautifully appropriate way to experience and absorb this.

The peninsula’s coastal people have a strong connection with the sea, which provides the livelihood of many. At Myojoji Temple, there’s an introduction to Japanese Nichiren Buddhism. Expect quiet coastal roads, ocean views, and “riding back in time” through fishing villages and farmland. It is available on many dates throughout the year — ask at Flight Centre stores.

trends2020 CRUISING SALES

Look out for cruising sales. Watch for included wi-fi — it can be costly otherwise. Look for tips and gratuities included, or you could find $US10 ($15) per person per day taken off your credit card. Look for drinks packages that suit your specific tastes. There will be interesting itineraries in Japan (Tokyo, Kushiro, Korsakov, Otaru, Hakodate, Tokyo over eight nights) and good cruising out of Singapore’s great facilities (short trips up the Malacca Straits and back and one-ways between Singapore and Fremantle, calling at Bali). For good-quality, all-inclusive regional ocean cruising in an ocean-view cabin, I’d be expecting to pay a bit more than $200 a day per person.

Camera IconCruising on the Douro in Portugal

trends2020 RIVER CRUISING EUROPE

We tried broadening our river cruising horizons (and the likes of the Douro in Portugal have become a set part of the scene), but, increasingly, the trend among our readers is to refocus on the “original and best” ... the classic ... the only and only ... river cruise on the Danube, specifically between Prague and Budapest. Historically, it set the standard for good value, good variety, good excursion river cruising in Europe, and it still does. It lends itself to at least three days in Prague (Czech Republic) on one end of the trip, the same in Budapest, (Hungary, and don’t miss the baths) on the other. Then there are perhaps 10-14 days on the river, which will include visits to places such as the rococo monastery church at Engelhartszell, Austria, and Salzburg and Vienna, of course, and Durnstein, with the ruin of a castle where England’s Richard the Lionheart was held hostage during one of the Crusades. Guests might ride a bicycle beside the river through the Wachau Valley. It might include Bratislava, Slovakia.

And it can include all touring, drinks and meals.

trends2020 PS: RIVER CRUISING EUROPE

Whoops ... one stand-out addition to this are the short cruises east from Paris on the Seine, adding perhaps a four-night cruise to Honfleur, and bolting nicely on to a stay in the French capital.

Paris is set to remain the most visited city in the world in 2020.

trends2020 EXPEDITION CRUISING

As more and more purpose-built expedition ships are launched (and built), competition increases. What looked like an easy run for sales on some fancy ships now looks a bit more daunting for companies. We won’t see “sales”, but we will see “inclusions”, right down to business class flights, for advance bookings.

trends2020 US SELF-DRIVE

I’m going to be footloose in the US in 2020 — on the road, in a hire car, stopping in cities and small towns, edging lakes and taking in the landscape. While it can be as easy as getting a travel agent to put together a package with flights, car hire and a bit of accommodation, my pick is Flight Centre’s California Food and Wine Luxury, a seven-day self-drive package. It includes days one to three in San Francisco, staying at the Fairmont (San Fran has more restaurants per capita than New York City, and there’s the Bay Area and The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market); days four to six on the road in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, staying at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, and day seven driving back to San Francisco (about two hours).

The package is from $2102, which includes six nights in five-star accommodation and four days of standard car hire.

I’d aim for somewhere between the start of August and mid-October.

For couples and families, there are also campervan holiday deals which include 160km a day, kitchen equipment and bedding.

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