Travel trends for 2013: Norman Peires hints at St Barts

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When it comes to travel, the world really is a limitless realm to explore. And you can thank the huge number of travel companies now vying for your business for that. Globalisation has made the world a whole lot more accessible and has opened up virtually the whole world as a market for travel companies.

With the growth of package deals and the rise of budget airlines, international travel has become a common lifestyle feature. Tourism companies are now trying to get their hands on resort deals in the trendiest tourist spots.

The Middle East, in particular, has exploded as a popular travel destination in recent years thanks to its sudden burst of development and ostentatious all-out luxury in Dubai and the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Within Europe, Spain is always a popular destination for UK holidaymakers. But now, finding the country’s ultimate holiday spot is the challenge for travel companies wanting to draw in new and maintain previous customers.

This growth in competition between travel companies is great news for you, the traveller. It means great deals and massive savings.

For 2013, the trends for travel seem to be heading in the direction of personalised holidays and maximising experiences.

Personalised travel experiences are all about making holidaying as easy as possible. Travel companies are expected to put together a customised and easy-to-follow itinerary which coordinates all aspects of your trip including flights, accommodation, hire cars, day trips and airport transfers before you’ve even left the country.

With the help of the internet, people have come to expect a heightened level of personalisation. Airlines are even getting in on the trend and coming up with new ways to help their customers. British Airways, for example, begun development of their ‘Know Me’ programme last year which is expected to take off in 2013. The programme uses data available on the internet to find pictures of travellers before they arrive so staff can personally greet the VIP guests, check their onward connections, and even look at their previous meal preferences.

These efficient and time-saving services relate to being able to maximise your holiday experiences. In today’s society, work takes predominance and people are constantly on the go and constantly connected. Because of this, 28 days annual leave doesn’t seem like much and people are therefore inclined to make the absolute most of their time off. This means packing as many activities into the one holiday. As a result, 2013 should see a rise in the number of package ‘experience’ deals and a surge in the number of adventure-minded holidays.

With trends in mind, each travel company takes a different approach to tailoring their holidays to upcoming market demand. For many companies, uncovering new ‘hot’ destinations is the top of their list.

The founder of a luxury travel company, Norman Peires, is expectedly a keen traveller. But surprisingly he makes a point of avoiding his company’s own resorts. However, he has a valid reason.

“We go to places that might eventually become one of our resorts,” he said.

Instead of going to specific resorts and locations that he already knows are popular, Peires travels to the world’s most beautiful destinations with the aim of finding places to expand his business to. Most recently, Peires and his wife Lorna were holidaying in St Barts, a tiny luxurious island in the Caribbean, which the millionaire describes as the place where “Monte Carlo comes to the Caribbean”.

And if that doesn’t make you jealous enough, “after a week we were picked up by a chartered 60 foot catamaran, just the two of us,” he casually tells us.

Maybe this summer you’ll be heading to St Barts too?