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A few weeks back I was invited to the icelolly.com #blogatthebeach event in Leeds.
I know, Leeds/beach, the two don't really go together, but the sun shone and the venue ( which we found after two - ok, three circuits of the ring road) had been kitted out beach bar stylie.
The first hour of the day was an opportunity to meet other bloggers and relax with a drink or two before we moved indoors for the talks to start.
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We begin with on-trend travel destinations, after all, we know it's all about the gram. Spain, Turkey, Egypt and Norway are some of the most photographed and photogenic destinations, with Turkey and Egypt recovering from the problems of recent years. Turkey search demand having doubled. I've got a list of places I want to visit as long as my arm - ok, my leg - but sadly not the budget to match. A childhood obsession with the group A-ha first got me interested in the Fjords of Norway, I've always wanted to be on that boat you see in the photos sat in the middle of the tranquil waters of the Fjords with the stunning backdrop (and preferably Morten Harket)
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Cruises are also increasing in popularity with all ages with 9-10 ocean cruise ships launching over the next year. The perception of cruises can be misleading. People wrongly believe that they are for older folk. I went on a Caribbean cruise a few years ago and yes, whilst there are older travelers, they really are for all ages and are an ideal way to see more than one part of the world on your hols. More and more younger people are now seeing the benefit of taking a cruise. Your holiday begins as soon as you step on board.
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In terms of how consumers book a holiday, 85% of people now actually use their mobile, stressing the importance for user friendly apps.
Another trend they have seen is in the growth of booking package holidays. I know in the past I have packaged my own holiday, which means booking the plane, transfer, hotel and any trips separately. Booking a package holiday cuts the stress of worrying if your transfer is going to turn up on time to catch your flight home, whether a local taxi service is going to run up a bill by taking the unsuspecting holidaymaker the long way round the island or lugging your suitcases on hot overcrowded public transfers. Booking your trips through the agent also is likely to ensure the company are legit.
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There is a growth in 7 night holidays and short breaks due to economics - it seems people are going to the same places - just spending less time there. The length of a holiday is something I've always pondered. I never get bored on holiday, that's just not me. I can laze by a pool for hours or explore local land marks or try local cuisine. A holiday is never long enough, however, how we best utilize those all important days off work can be tricky to balance to short and it can be a bit stressful, particularly if there is a lot of travelling involved. Short breaks, for example Friday to Monday, often mean a lot of planning to sort an itinerary and if you're not careful you can come back exhausted.
The final trend noted is data sharing & processing and the issue of maintaining data privacy - with this in mind, new tools are being launched everyday
Finally, make sure you look out later this year for the new apps Icelolly Loves and Icelolly Local. Icelolly Loves will feature deal collections and is launching anytime.
Icelolly Local will compare holiday prices.
Love T xx
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