A Hot Commodity
Multigenerational Travel
Instead of limiting the trip to immediate family, families are bringing the great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins—you name it. "Villas and larger family suites are all part of the narrative now," says Wolko. Cruise ships especially have picked up on the trend. The latest Royal Caribbean ship, for example, offers family suits plus solo cabins, says Wolko (she herself is currently scheduled to take a multigenerational cruise trip for her grandmom's birthday).
Luxe Lodging
While the popularity of staying in people's homes in lieu of hotels hasn't waned, travelers are looking for an added notch in luxury. Wolko's pick is to try One Fine Stay, where all properties are vetted before acceptance and managed by one firm. This way, it takes the uncertainty out of whether you'll be getting a condo that looks similar to its pictures and description.
Image via One Fine Stay
Travel Gear Delivered
Given the increasing costs of checking luggage, the cons of lugging your gear—from baby gear to ski gear—are quickly outweighing the pros. Rental-gear services that deliver to your destination have never been more popular (for baby gear, that would be Babierge and for ski gear, it's Ski Butlers). Heck, the trend has gone so far as having clothes valeted to your hotel room closet so you never have to bring a suitcase. (No, really. Meet DUFL.)
The Zika Effect
Media focus on the Zika virus took a hard toll on travel to the Caribbean, especially during the holiday season, says Eric Grayson, founder of Discover 7—a luxury travel concierge company in New York City. "At a time when travel to the Caribbean is usually at its peak, we are seeing a sharp decline in bookings by perhaps as much as about 35 percent," he says. As a result, travel to Hawaii has increased by about 20 percent as compared to last year; and there's also been a 10 to15 percent uptick in vacations to cold-weather destinations like Aspen, Vail and Park City, he notes.
The Disappearance of Frequent Flyer Seats
Frequent flyer miles are starting to seem like less of a good deal these days. And this year was no exception. Airlines are holding out to sell seats at full price until the last minute, so it's harder to get an upgrade or an award seat, says Roman Shteyn, CEO of RewardExpert—a free service that helps travelers find the most affordable flights using miles and points. On the flip side, the cost of business and first class seats have started to drop in hopes that they'll be purchased with cash instead of miles, says Shteyn.
Reward Credit Cards Are Increasing in Value
If you signed up for a reward credit card this year, you're in good company. While frequent flyer miles are on the decline, reward credit cards are on an upswing. "Travel rewards cards have significantly upped their game," says Shteyn. "The sign-up bonuses are at an unprecedented high, as seen with the 100k bonus for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, with an increasing list of perks for members. Rewards cards are providing more flexibility and value than ever before."
