5 new travel trends: But which one is for you?

With spring just around the corner, the focus for many people naturally turns to where they’re going to travel to next. And, pretty much every travel company and industry commentator has a prediction about where we’ll all be heading. Here are just some of the destinations and experiences which could be on your travel compass this year:

All roads lead to Rio (and nearby)

Much of the world’s attention is turned towards Rio at the moment with the impending World Cup and the Olympic Games. And, with Brazil’s prices expected to rise because of these huge sporting events, other Latin American destinations are set to bask in a little reflected glory. Uruguay, Nicaragua and Peru are all set for increased visitor numbers. You could pick up original art and eat in one of the many parillas, or steak restaurants, in Uruguay’s Mercado del Puerto or head to the tropical Pearl Keys island chain in Nicaragua.

 The best of British food

A VisitEngland survey found that food is becoming an increasingly important part of our travels. Hotels and locations which focus on gastronomic delights are set to gain in popularity. Devon, in south west England, is renowned for its fresh produce, with fresh bread, cheese, meat and seafood on offer at fairs and markets throughout the year, including the North Devon Foodfest, which usually takes place in October. Opting to stay in self catering accommodation like one of Parkdean’s Ruda Park lodges means you can cook up all these delicious goodies in your own kitchen, before enjoying them on the verandah. Or you could take a picnic hamper and spread your blanket on the golden sands of Croyde Bay.

 Honoring the fallen

With the centenary of the First World War falling this year, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to mark the sombre occasion by heading to famous battlefields in Northern France and Belgium. To remember the fallen, you could visit the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres which has invested in a new interactive experience which poignantly sets out the stories of individual soldiers. The Memorial Museum of Passchendaele 1917, in Zonnebeke, has also added new displays and there’s an outdoor trench reconstruction which gives an idea of conditions on the frontline.

 Taking to the rivers

While sea cruising may be seen as the preserve of the older generation, river cruising is set to come into its own during spring and summer. New river cruise lines have launched and fleets have expanded to cope with the expected demand. Another centenary due to be marked this year is the opening of the Panama Canal so you could choose to cruise the world’s most famous canal. Or you could travel down the Nile to see Egypt’s famous sites, take a Yangtze cruise through China’s spectacular Three Gorges or sail between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City on the Mekong. A river cruise can give you a view of a destination which is completely unique.

 Get us to the Greek

Greece may have had its fair share of financial woes, like so many other countries across the world, but it seems visitors are now starting to flock back, with numbers from Britain alone predicted to be up by 11%. And, given there are so many stunning destinations to choose from on the mainland and the islands, you’re sure to find a part of Greece that you fall in love with. You could follow in the footsteps of the cast of Mamma Mia and head to Skiathos or Skopelos, although since the movie was released in 2008, it’s become harder and harder to find your own piece of paradise there. Instead, you could choose to get completely off the beaten track, heading to Yialos on Lefkada, which is practically deserted apart from in high season, or to Nas on the north-west coast of Ikaria, which has quirky rock formations and a tiny pebble and sand beach which you will probably have to yourself.

Whether you choose to follow the trends or make your own, there are a world of adventures just waiting to happen and destinations just waiting to be discovered.