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| Food related travel vacations are increasing. Since vacation rentals have full kitchens, guest can try out new culinary delights as much as they want, and, often, wherever they want. |
By Matt Smolsky
There's no shortage of predictions for travel trends in 2013. Every travel writer on the web seems to be jumping in with their prognostications. While their crystal balls may or may not be clear, they're all certainly worth noting. After all, these are people who study the business, and 2013 has the potential to be a year of significant recovery in the economy. Here are some of the more noteworthy predictions we found.
There's no shortage of predictions for travel trends in 2013. Every travel writer on the web seems to be jumping in with their prognostications. While their crystal balls may or may not be clear, they're all certainly worth noting. After all, these are people who study the business, and 2013 has the potential to be a year of significant recovery in the economy. Here are some of the more noteworthy predictions we found.
The Dark Side of the Hotel Lobby (and no, that doesn't mean burned out bulbs)
Matt Landau, vacation rental blogger and expert, says that the vacation rental industry should
prepare for growth, citing a continuing increase in consumer demand for
alternative lodging. At Perfect Places, we've noticed that more and more people
are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of vacation rentals. This means
owners and property managers are providing great experiences. Landau also warns
that because of this rising popularity in vacation rentals, hotels will
continue to lobby in attempts to limit short term rentals, or ban them
entirely. Smart property managers will keep a close eye on any proposals that
come before their city councils or state legislatures. Even smarter ones will
be proactive and begin lobbying campaigns of their own.
A Cluck Cluck Here, a Moo Moo There
One of the
most interesting takes was regarding family travel. Matt Villano at AOL Travel
says that volunteer vacations and agritourism will all play a bigger role in
family travel in 2013. "Family vacations have come a long way since the
days of the Griswold's pilgrimage to Walley World," Villano writes. A growing
category for families with children over the age of 5 is volunteer vacations. I
can personally attest to that since my wife took our two teenagers on volunteer
trips within the past few years, though it would be a stretch to call it a
vacation. They all actually worked at day care centers in India and South
Africa. But they did create fantastic memories worthy of the best vacations while helping the less
fortunate. Cross Cultural Solutions is a great place to find volunteer trips
around the world. For families with young kids, agritourism gives the young
ones hands on, real world experience with Old MacDonald. Along these lines,
Landau's predicting a rise in experiential travel and encouraging vacation
rental owners and managers to come up with ways to show how their properties
can allow travelers to become immersed in the area they visit.
Just Married? Forget Tin Cans Tied to the Car. Give 'em Surfboards Instead
Tamar Lowell
of the Huffington Post is predicting an increase in adventure honeymoons. She
mentions she spent her own honeymoon trekking in Nepal. It seems like a natural
progression from destination weddings, and it seems like a natural fit for
vacation rentals in exotic or adventure-friendly locations.
A prediction
of our own: the trend towards group travel will continue. It's been going on
for at least a decade now, and as baby boomers get more and more grandkids,
it's a trend that can only increase. This is a perfect opportunity for vacation
rentals, since they're the perfect lodging choice for grandma and grandpa when
they want to get the whole family together for a week away on the lake, near
the ocean or in the mountains. Find ways to take advantage of group travel and
celebration vacations, and you'll likely have a great 2013. And if you're a
traveler, be sure to try a group vacation. They're a lot of fun.
