More Travel Predictions for 2011

Below are a few more favorites of the 2011 travel predictions by our friend Steve Glenn.  Over the past eight years, 70% of his predictions have been accurate. If you missed the first set of predictions, or would like to see Steve's full list, please email enews@aladdintravel.com.

#1  Killing the goose that lays the golden egg - Taxes, taxes, and more taxes  Hidden taxes continue to be dumped onto travelers without them even knowing. A recent domestic airline ticket had over $59 in taxes, fuel surcharges, and fees added onto the price. International travelers will be shocked to see that on a simple European ticket, you can pay an average of $155 in taxes and fees. Ricky's thoughts: Agreed and further, I believe some taxes and fuel surcharges are nothing other than window dressing for higher fees masked as taxes!
                                                                                                                                                                 
#2  Luxury travel is now for the middle class.  The difference of staying at a 4 or 5 star luxury hotel/resort versus a 3 star run-of-the-mill hotel is now only about a $100 - $200 a night. Most vacation travelers take only one major vacation a year. People are now realizing that if they are going to travel, they are going to do it up right and go first class. This is one area that will set the whole tone of how much you enjoy your vacation. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Move up to a luxury hotel on your vacation. Ricky's thoughts: Yes, yes, yes. New Charlotte Ritz Carlton is very nice for $250 for a Saturday night. Great property, great service and great location for a short get-away.
 
#3  All-Inclusive resorts will be launched in Hawaii and the U.S.  Twenty years ago, resorts in Jamaica, the Caribbean and Mexico were struggling to stay alive and compete with Hawaii as the tropical destination of choice. So, they launched the concept of an all-inclusive resort where people could leave their wallets in the room safe and enjoy food, drink and fun that was included in their hotel tariff. Now, more and more,  resorts are jumping on the all-inclusive rage. Even luxury 5 star resorts are offering this preferred service. I predict that in 2011 you will start to see some hotels in Hawaii and in the continental U.S. offer all-inclusive pricing. Ricky's thoughts:  Maybe Steve is correct but he was on an overnight flight when he wrote these!     

#4  People will start to leave their laptops at home and take their iPads and PDA.  Even when people want to get away they want to stay connected. You can find wireless even on the beach. However, more and more business travelers I talk to say they are tired of lugging around the laptop computers. Today, a good PDA (Blackberry) or iPhone can do almost everything a 10 pound computer can do without breaking your back. iPads are also rapidly becoming the replacement for laptops. Ricky's thoughts: Agreed that people want to lose the extra weight, but I bought an IPAD to evaluate for our company needs, I rate it more toy than tool.
 
#5  Cruise prices are just the tip of the iceberg (sorry for the pun).  Even the cruise lines have copied the airlines and hotels with hidden fees and surcharges. Now you have a fuel surcharge along with fees for special dining venues. It used to be that a cruise included all your food, room and entertainment. Not any more. Most people do not realize that you will probably spend more money onboard the cruise ship (drinks, food, internet, shore excursions, etc) than you did for the cruise. To add further insult to injury many ports are charging port taxes that sometimes add as much as 50% to the price of the cruise.  Ricky's thoughts: Agreed but based on the cruise line you choose... more can be included. If the trip is $300 for 6 days... what do you expect?
 
#6  Cell phones on cruise ships - Most cruise lines will add cell phone service to their ships this year as the cruisers are demanding access at a reasonable cost. I was recently cruising the Mediterranean and my cell phone had better reception than driving 10 miles south of Lincoln.  Ricky's thoughts: Steve cannot help some opinions as he is from Lincoln, Nebraska. The string broke between the 2 cans he was using!
 
#7  Hawaii is your best tropical vacation for those without a passport.  Travel to Mexico , Canada and the rest of the world now requires a passport. For those looking for a vacation without the hassle and costs of securing a passport, Hawaii will be the perfect vacation. During the recession, Hawaii suffered as the Japanese and American travelers stayed home. I don't think I have ever had one person complain about their vacation to Hawaii in my 25 years in the business.  Ricky's thoughts: Don't forget that U.S. citizens don't need a passport for Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands either!                                                                                                                                                                                   #8  Family travel will continue to explode in 2011.  Simply take a look at all the Christmas cards you received this year and notice how many people took vacations with their family this past year. Traveling with your family is the IN thing. It provides families with a focus to organize the whole family and creates a powerful reason to get the family together even with hectic schedules. People are moving from possessions to experiences. Traveling as a family is one of the few times that family members get to talk to each other today. Family reunion travel is one of the hot new trends.  Ricky's thoughts: Agreed and why not!           

#9  Weddingmoons replace honeymoons.  More and more people realize they can pay to have all their family and friends travel with them to be married in a resort in the Caribbean for about the same cost as a big wedding and reception back home.  Ricky's thoughts: No doubt cost can be less but only if you are determined to have a small wedding. Not everyone you know likes you enough to pay big bucks to travel to see you get married!

#10 Airports become great shopping and entertainment centers.  International airports around the globe were the first to realize that travelers often have several hours to kill waiting for flights in airports. Some of my favorite shopping ironically is found in many airports throughout Europe and the globe. Often I am too busy with business to go shopping and all the new airports and stores make it a fun experience when traveling. Airport spas will invade U.S. hub airports this year offering easy massages and facials. Expect more companies to step in with, movie theaters, pools, upscale shopping, karaoke, and even amusement parks to keep the delayed masses from rioting. Ricky's thoughts: Maybe, but I don't want to spend any more time in an airport than I absolutely have to. Maybe airlines and airports should concentrate on flight control and not entertaining us when we are stuck!
 
#11 Pillow fights are the next battle for hotels.  What started in 2009 and 2010 will continue in 2011. Many hotels will ask you to select what kind of pillow you want at your next stay. Even mid-priced hotels will add these luxury amenities to make you feel at home.  Ricky's thoughts: Agreed and thank you!

#12 Travel blogs and social networking sites will explode in 2011.  2010 was the start of the snowball. 2011 will continue into a full blown avalanche of social networking related to travel. 2011 will be the year travel blogs, twitter, YouTube and Facebook will all have a big impact on the travel industry .  Ricky's thoughts: Agreed but I have no clue what the impact will be. If you need vacation ideas try our blog (Travel Treks) at http://aladdintravel.com/travel-treks.html