To help you better target where travelers want to go to, Zicasso has examined the recurring preferences and interests of this past year’s travelers and identified three travel trends you can expect in 2020.
3. Travelers are Ready to Discover Something New
It’s safe to say that popular destinations like Italy, Greece and France will always hold a special allure for U.S. travelers. However, Zicasso was surprised to discover that travelers are now looking for new and different experiences in the destinations they know and love.
For example, Italy remains one of the most popular destinations but regions like Tuscany seem to have given way in favor of lesser-known Umbria. As Stacey Sullivan, director of partnerships at Zicasso, says in press materials, “We all want to explore new regions first, so visiting before this region takes off is a wise move for any traveler. Beautiful scenery and authentic culture combine for a fantastic vacation, (which will) likely feel a bit more relaxing than many of the better-known regions.”
Likewise, Greece is a long-time favorite of American travelers, but in addition to popular stops like Athens, Mykonos and Santorini, Zicasso has “seen travelers begin to step out of the expected destinations and find their way to different Greek islands. With more than 200 to choose from, the right trip planner can bring you to places unknown by others,” says Tom Skalka, director of client relations at Zicasso. Among the Greek islands that have recently captured the attention of Zicasso clients include Naxos, Paros, Rhodes and Crete.
France is also seeing a similar distribution of travelers with more “stepping outside of Paris and into the countryside to explore Provence, the Loire Valley and the French Riviera,” according to Skalka.
2. “Newer” Destinations are Coming into their Own
Once frequently bundled with Spain or other European neighbors, Portugal has seen an increase in interest as a destination worth exploring on its own. “The travel industry saw a significant increase in trips to Portugal over the past two years and Zicasso began a concerted effort to increase our network of trusted travel partners for this country,” says Stacey Sullivan, director of partnerships. “Demand continues to accelerate as travelers move away from the ‘expected’ European destinations and into new gems on the continent.”
1. Group Touring Can Still be Exclusive
While group tours are often associated with mass tourism, small group tours can play an important role in easing the stress that comes with traveling for major international events. Zicasso’s new small group luxury tours to Japan, launching in 2021, will help travelers navigate the famous Cherry Blossom Festival. These tours are being designed to help guests secure highly sought-after accommodations and maximize time on the ground during this trip of a lifetime.
“Zicasso has seen incredible demand to visit Japan during Cherry Blossom season” says Zicasso founder & CEO Brian Tan in press materials. As January comes around each year, our travel partners have consistently seen demand far exceeded availability. For 2021, we decided to proactively create an additional avenue for Zicasso travelers by arranging these exclusive small group tours”. Dates for the small group tours will be announced later in 2020.
For more information, visit Zicasso.com For more on agent tools to help you sell, click here. Also, check out “The Deeper Value of Travel.”
