The Travel Trends 2020. Where To Go Next.

At the start of the year what are the travel trends 2020?

Countries and destinations that are in the news for travellers in this coming year are the likes of Sri Lanka, Sharm el Sheikh and Nicaragua.

Selva Negra Hotel and coffee plantation, Nicaragua.

Sustainable travel and slow travel are certainly gaining a foothold with the desire of many wanting to show their awareness about climate change or prefer the staycation route and holiday at or nearer to their homes.

Rail tour of Scotland with Great Rail Journeys. The remote area in Glen Alladale north of Inverness.

Here in the UK train travel for me would be the way to go. My choice certainly the Caledonian Sleeper service that runs from London to Scotland. An overnight train will whisk you from the England’s capital to places like Inverness and Fort William.

Double bed room on the new Caledonian Sleeper.

Waking up in the Highlands of Scotland is a fairly environmental way of getting to the wilds of the mountains and the rugged West coast.

I was even speaking with Katie Martin on the BBC about travel trends for 2020 check out the interview.

Under bus security checks being made by security staff on tourist buses in the Sinai peninsula.

Terrorism made its mark in Sri Lanka in 2019 and this charming country has done much to try to deal with that and get itself back on the tourism map. A country full of amazing wildlife and culture. In fact I am heading there very soon so will be reporting back please keep checking the website for more info.

A place where you could go whale watching in the morning and then head inland and explore a wildlife park with leopards, elephants and bears in the afternoon.  Later in the twilight of a tranquil evening watch protected turtles laying eggs on a stunning Indian Ocean beach that surround the 25th largest island in the world.

Momotombo Volcano. Nicaragua.

Nicaragua in central America has had some political issues and unrest around the country and that too has been dealt with and offers so much just like its neighbour Costa Rica. There in Nicaragua they have almost identical nature, wildlife, beaches and volcanic landscape that have been offered for many years now next door.  With increased promotion and better flights, they too should be just like their neighbours!

And where could you board down the slopes of a volcano? It just has to be Nicaragua.

Diving in the Red Sea Sharm El Sheikh

The Egyptian resort area around Sharm El Sheikh has now reopened to direct flights from the UK with the Foreign Office allowing flights back into the Red Sea resort. Recent conflict with the USA and Iran has changed the advice but it is thought that overall the resort does still make one of the best diving locations in the world.

Sharm el-Sheikh airport Egypt

Other Middle Eastern countries appearing on travel trends list include Oman and Jordan.

Ar Rustaq Fort Oman.

With large countries like Canada in North America and India in the East proving popular too.

The Treasury building, Petra, Jordan.

The cruising industry is growing as are the ships that ply the oceans of the world. Carnival Cruises plan to launch 4 new ships in 2020 under different brands. This includes the Princess Cruises ship the Enchanted Princess. This brand-new designed form the bottom up ship will sail from Southampton in June and operate in the Mediterranean in the summer then operate from the Caribbean.

St George’s harbour in Grenada.

Princess say on its website ‘That its, the fifth in line of our Royal-class ships, shares all of their spectacular style and luxury, and introduces new attractions all her own. Get ready for exquisite, one-of-a-kind dining experiences. The most pools and whirlpool hot tubs ever. World-class entertainment venues hosting dazzling performances. As well as the breath-taking new Sky Suite, with expansive views from our largest balcony at sea.

Emerald Princess cruise ship in the West Indies.

 River cruises are changing with themed cruises, spas being added, the Danube around Melk is a popular trip. Even more family friendly tours are now options rather than just mainly couples.

River Danube near Vienna, Austria.

News in the airline travel industry like the CEO of IAG Willie Walsh the boss of the company that runs both British Airways and Iberia is to step down in March with his role going to Luis Gallego.

Willie Walsh CEO of IAG (International Airline Group) speaking at an aviation conference.

Over at a competitor airline Virgin Atlantic new CEO Shai Weiss is bringing the airline into profit and with many new and more lean burn aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliners and A350’s flying their green credentials should improve along with their balance sheet too!

Heathrow’s third runway is still to be built but is thought to be such a key part of the UK’s desire to have an enlarged efficient hub airport.  In order to help to compete with the likes of Paris Charles de Galle, Frankfurt and Schiphol in the Netherlands European hubs that are doing well although Heathrow is currently running at nearly 100percent and does need more options. Their CEO John Holland-Kaye says that in terms of business places we fly to then growth for those places can be some 20 times more.

John Holland Kaye from Heathrow Airport.

The Boeing 737 Max at this time is still grounded with some flights being talked about for it in February 2020 and with a change at the top for the company it is still going to be a difficult situation to resolve.

With some passengers and social media posts saying that they would be unhappy about flying in it. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing has said that pilots will have to be retrained in the Max simulators. At one time Boeing hoped that the new MAX version of the 737 plane would only require pilots already cleared to fly the older version 737’s very little extra training to fly the NG (New Generation) version this has now been changed.