Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/631317
DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2016 6 HAPPY 2016. Hopefully, 2015 brought you an abundance of wealth, health and success and you're now ready to tie up loose ends. According to numerologists, 2016 is a year for reflection as you assess, appreciate and celebrate all you've planned, achieved and amassed over the last eight years before 2017—a year of new begin- nings—ushers in the start of another nine-year cycle. It's also a great time to let go of what doesn't work for you and make room for innovative and possibly life-changing ideas. When I think about the past eight years, I realize I've written 48 of these columns and covered numerous topics. Meanwhile, on average, our magazine publishes 15 editorials on a vast array of des- tinations and travel-related subjects in every issue. That adds up to approximately 960 published editorials over eight years. From time to time, we do hear from our readers about what has appeared in print. This year, I'd like to take a more proactive approach to scheduling editorial content. I'd love to hear which destinations and travel topics interest you. Simply send me an email message with "2016 Editorial Interests" in the subject line. As we look ahead, what trends can travellers expect to see or experience in 2016 and beyond? I personally don't have a crystal ball, however it appears some travel professionals do. Here is what they have to say. Based on research gleaned from 14 million consumer requests, CruiseCompete.com recently shared some insight on cruising trends. What's in high demand? River and small-ship cruising in the U.S. on board such cruise lines as American Queen Steamboat ships and American Cruise Lines are more popular than ever. What's the hottest cruising destination outside of the U.S.? Cuba! And apparently a number of lines are adding Cuba to their itiner- aries, including Star Clippers and Crystal Cruises. Cruising to exotic Asian destinations is also in high demand. And you can expect lines to adopt an all-inclusive business model. A few issues ago, I wrote about what cruise lines were doing to attract the family and multi-generational market. It appears this trend is on the rise as more and more families experi- ence cruising. To meet the demand, ships have designed cabins and luxury suites for fami- lies and these are the hardest to book. So plan accordingly and reserve early. Cruise ships are also amping up their on-board Internet and technological conveniences by offering more Wi-Fi and apps at sea. It appears travel trends also differ from generation to genera- tion. According to the folks at RBC Travel Rewards, 26 per cent of millennials (18 to 34) prefer to discover the world in luxury and dine at gourmet restaurants while 32 per cent of 35 to 54 year olds and 36 per cent of Canadians aged 55 to 64 describe themselves as budget travellers. When it comes to popular destinations, hotels.com indicates Canadian destinations are making strides, which isn't surprising given the dismal value of our loonie against other currencies. The surprising trend is that secondary Canadian cities such as Canmore, Kelowna, Kamloops, Revelstoke and Tofino in the west, Windsor, Waterloo and Barrie in Ontario, Mont Tremblant in Québec, and St. John's, Newfoundland, are making the greatest headway. Looking for something really different in the not-too-distant future? Consider the Orsos Island. According to Hungarian-born entrepreneur Gábor Orsós, a former hotelier, his company has com- pleted the first man-made eco-friendly floating island, featuring six bedrooms with ensuites, sun deck, Jacuzzi, restaurant, kitchen, living room and more spread out over three decks, and equipped with 160 square metres of solar panels, wind generators and two small diesel engines should you ever fancy a change of scenery. The price tag? A cool US$6.5 million. Apparently hotel chains looking to branch out and try something different have expressed interest, which means any visions you may have of becoming an island cast- away—albeit in luxurious surroundings—aren't that far off. DS DS FROM MY TRAVEL BAG >> BY DONNA S. VIEIRA editor@dreamscapes.ca