Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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Page added on January 19, 2011

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Travelaero Tips – What’s On The Horizon for 2011?

As, I was writing this article about what to expect in the travel industry for 2011, I can’t help but look back on the past year’s travel trends that will certainly impact on future travel. The travel industry had some turbulent times, such as the volcano ash, airline strikes, additional security measures, more and more airline fees, oh, and there’s the dancing flight stewardess of Cebu Pacific, and other disruptions causing anxiety among consumers.

In 2010, the cruise industry continued to grow. Major lines launched their new class of mega-ship, reaching a brand new level of floating paradise! These ships can carry over 5,000 passengers per sailing and offer the latest in entertainment, activities and dining. The best part about this major expansion in the cruise industry is that with an influx of cabins into the marketplace, prices should remain at similar levels to 2010.

The bright light is that travel will continue to increase, for the New Year; consumer confidence seems to be renewed as is the enthusiasm for getting away, particularly with this last bout of bad weather, which has pushed many to go in search of sunny, bargain escapes. People are a lot more flexible with their destinations, with trying new things, and a lot more open to new places.

The world is more open to solo travel and soul searching than ever before. The release of iconic movies such as Eat Pray Love has brought new elements to last year’s ‘Travel with a Purpose’ trend. More travelers are up to explore the world independently, and travel companies and lodging are supporting the trend with special accommodations in the solo travel category.

Given the volcanoes, strikes, and most recent snowy disruptions of the past year, the rise of travel assurance is a trend that is already in motion and set to continue in 2011. Travellers are increasingly booking with agents where some kind of insurance is guaranteed in the event of any disruption. While the UK traveller is already savvy when it comes to travel insurance, we are likely to see an increase in the number of people who take out travel insurance as a result of the incidents from this past year.

Some important points for consumers to keep in mind include:

Increased taxation and other fees charged to aviation are likely to be passed on to consumers
Airlines are increasing capacity at a conservative pace, keeping the supply/demand ratio more in sync than it was pre recession
Asian Economies are recovering well and energy demand from them is putting upward demand on oil prices — analysts expect the price to push through $100 per barrel in the near future
The International Energy Agency has revised its estimate of world-wide oil demand for this year to 2.3 million barrels a day, the second highest in the last 15 years

Many legacy airlines have turned added fees and services into a large and profitable line of business. From baggage to peak travel to flight change fees as well as in cabin services from WiFi to wine, users face a surround sound of potential extras charges. The fees battles tie to brand as well. Southwest is making this an issue with its no fee advertising campaigns while on the flipside American and Delta are playing with their sales channels, looking at ways to control how all their services are packaged and sold to consumers.

In any case, the start of a new year means that it’s time to start planning another year of holidays. We, at Travelaero would like to wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Best Places To Visit In January

Europe-the preferred destinations are France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Spain

Asia-Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, southern China, Burma and India

Africa-Kenya, Tanzania or South Africa

America-Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Travelaero Tips – What’s On The Horizon for 2011?

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