Last year wasn’t the best year for some luxury travel experiences, more specifically, for African safaris, but 2015 luxury travel trends look positive, according to Zicasso. Zicasso is an online travel referral service that matches travelers with travel agents, and it has released this travel trend information in its Luxury Travel Trends Report. Zicasso has analyzed the African safari market and has also discovered some upcoming travel trends for 2015.
Top 2015 Travel Trends
This past year 89 percent of travel specialists reported growth, thanks to a strong dollar. More luxury travel will be booked in 2015, and it’s possible that this year the luxury travel market will see the most growth compared to the past five years.
Zicasso also discovered that most travelers visit destinations with partners or families, and they want exclusive access and unique experiences during their trips. Forty percent of travelers want to take a cooking class, wine tour or experience a top restaurant when they travel.
Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Greece are some top international destinations for luxury travel. Meanwhile, Peru, Argentina, Japan and Thailand are expected to grow in popularity for upcoming luxury travel, according to Zicasso.
African Safari Tourism
2014 started out strong for the African safari market. In the first-half of 2014 the safari vendors saw a 21 to 40 percent increase in bookings, says Zicasso. However, when the Ebola outbreak grew, safaris saw fewer bookings. But Zicasso explains that starting in December 2014 safaris saw a recovery of more than 50 percent year-over-year growth in inquiries.