British Airways reveals its ‘Top 18 For 2018′ travel predictions

BRITISH Airways has revealed its annual #travel predictions for the year ahead, selecting the top 18 must-see #destinations for 2018. Highly-anticipated sporting events, new routes and TV programmes all influence the top travel predictions. The latest season of Game of Thrones has put Croatia firmly on the map, and a number of far-flung destinations rank among the top picks, including Barbados and Muscat. As one of the most desirable holiday destinations, the Seychelles is a must-see for 2018 and from 24 March 2018, British Airways will be the only airline to offer direct flights from the UK.

1.   Barbados
2.   Copenhagen, Denmark
3.   Croatia
4.   Inverness, Scotland
5.   Lisbon, Portugal
6.   Malta
7.   Mykonos
8.   Nashville, Tennessee
9.   New Orleans, Louisiana
10. New York
11. Muscat, Oman
12. Oakland, California
13. Russia
14. Santiago, Chile
15. Seoul, South Korea
16. Seychelles
17. Tallinn, Estonia
18. Toronto, Canada

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Pressure on 'safe' destinations mounts after Istanbul bombing; attack 'likely to lead to travel restrictions'

A PREDICTED shift in tourism to ‘safe’ destinations following the latest fresh terrorist attack in #Turkey could de-stabilize the market, industry experts have warned.

A suicide bomb attack on Tuesday in a tourist area of #Istanbul killed 10 people – at least nine of whom were German tourists. It came four days after suspected Islamic terrorist’s stabbed three tourists at a hotel in Egypt’s Red Sea area.

Approximately 2.5 million British citizens travel to Turkey every year on holiday. Operators fear the incidents could lead to too much demand for Spain and Greece – destinations already experiencing higher sales following previous incidents.

Industry consultant, Andy Cooper, a former head of the Federation of Tour Operators, said: ‘The danger is it that puts huge pressure on Spain, and you end up with a squeeze on beds, prices go up, and capacity runs short.’

Prior to the attacks, specialist operators had announced plans to diversify into Greece and Turkey.

Countries are likely to impose further restrictions on travel to Turkey following the murders in Istanbul's tourist district, says Kinda Chebib, a senior analyst at Euromonitor. ‘The explosion at Istanbul's most prominent tourist attraction is expected to impact negatively on inbound flow to Turkey on the short-to-medium term. The fact that the explosion occurred in the deep centre of Istanbul and that tourists from Germany and Norway were among the casualties is expected to result in further travel restrictions and flights banned towards the destination in the coming days.

‘Major source European markets are very likely to take preventive measures so as to protect their citizens traveling to the popular outbound market.’

Russia's state tourism agency had already recommended a boycott of Turkey after the country shot down a Russian fighter jet in November. So far, the British Foreign Office has not changed its travel advice for Turkey and the German government is not advising its citizens to avoid the destination, but it has issued new advice urging them to stay away from crowded places in the country.


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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45372714@N07/14129282404">Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul (Turkey)</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license)

Cuba & Cape Verde tipped as Sharm and Tunisia alternatives

ALL-INCLUSIVE #destinations such as #Cuba and #CapeVerde have been tipped as being among the 2016 alternatives to Sharm el-Sheikh and Tunisia, where flights bans exist.

The predictions come from the analysis of millions of flight searches on Skyscanner from the last three years, combined with qualitative research carried out by the company’s travel experts.

The top five hot spots for 2016, based on the percentage increase in searches from the UK over the last three years, are:

Ponta Delgada, the Azores
With more airlines flying to the Azores, including Ryanair’s new weekly flight from Stansted to Ponta Delgada, this autonomous region of Portugal is opening up as a viable budget travel destination. 

Havana, Cuba
Cuba is back on the world stage as the US restored diplomatic relations in July and continues to loosen restrictions on trade. There might be flights from the US and US hotel chains opening in Cuba in 2016 if more restrictions are lifted. Many people are booking to travel to Cuba to experience the country before it changes –or starts to resemble Miami – and before prices rise as a result.

Tokyo, Japan

Tourism has boomed under the current administration. The national tourist board is actively targeting niche UK markets by focusing on ski, honeymoon, and adventure tourism offerings. Thanks to the excellent value Japan Rail Passes and Airbnb-type accommodation, Tokyo is now 50% cheaper for UK travellers than in 2013, according to the Post Office’s long haul report.

Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is a popular choice for culture vultures and foodies. Home to the five-month long Tivoli Festival (May to September), classical music fans can expect a star-studded line-up at the Tivoli Gardens. The Copenhagen cooking festival takes place in February showcasing increasingly popular Nordic cuisine, whilst fashionistas have Copenhagen’s Fashion Week, the largest of its kind in Northern Europe.



Sal, Cape Verde
With unspoilt beaches, the island of Sal is only just emerging as a tourist destination. Thomson Airways is adding a new route from Bristol in summer 2016. Sal is also a base for exploring the rest of the archipelago, from the canyons, gorges, and valleys of Santo Antao to the Sahara-like dunes of Boa Vista.


Skyscanner travel editor, Cat McGloin, said: ‘With 50 million searches to the site every month from all over the world, our search data gives us some really robust insight in to these trends. It’s interesting to see how people’s travel interests are changing and what these destinations are offering to become even more appealing.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14812197@N00/9712732659">The Pool at Hotel Nacional de Cuba</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href=https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/>(license), Cape Verde Sal kitesurfing by Cayambe - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons