Nowadays with fast-paced lifestyles it’s no wonder more and more people are seeking their own version of bucket list experiences. Below are the latest trends I’ve seen in the marketplace.
Themes:
Looking for something different to do during your next vacation? Why not try to be James Bond and partake in a more adventurous and sports-oriented type of trip? This means paragliding, heli skiing, and speedboat racing. Or perhaps this is a little too wild for your tastes, but as themes are becoming more prevalent it’s just as easy to create a James Bondesque journey in which an individual can visit many of the sites where James Bond movies were filmed. Themes may also include a “Downtown Abbey” trip in which guests can visit the actual estate where the series is filmed, wear period costumes, and be taken around town by horse drawn carriage. It’s not unusual these days for travelers to want to more closely identify with their favorite hero – fictional or real and therefore, look to recreate scenes from movies and television.
Theme for many means a gastronomy based trip in which visitors spend an entire vacation exploring wine routes and restaurants. This is specifically noted in the Western part of the United States as well as Italy and France. Still in other cases a trip may be sports, art or religious based – setting forth on a pilgrimage from Santiago de Compostela in Spain to Lourdes in France.
Villas and Castles:
History buffs or those just looking for a more local and culturally enriched experience, will most likely look for more authentic and unique accommodations such as treetop hotels, igloos, medieval castles and 18th century villas. By staying in a more traditional environment, guests are able to further embrace and understand local customs and traditions.
Yachts:
Luxury yachting enables guests to enjoy a very pampered type of vacation – sipping champagne, indulging in a massage on deck and have a catered meal prepared by a well-known chef. For others yachts are a more luxurious way to travel to assorted destinations and enjoy local scenery with the option to disembark to experience the local landscape.
Seasonal Events:
Those who are golf fanatics or die-hard football fans will often plan their vacation around an annual event such as Ryder Cup or Super Bowl. This enables the individual to not only enjoy their favorite sport or hobby, but gives the person the opportunity to add on other localized activities depending on their location.