Experts at Jacada Travel are some of the best travelled anywhere, with their fingers on the pulse of the places and people which are set to define 2020. In this first quarterly update, they’ve revealed some of the key trends and destinations that they're tracking, from Nepal’s mountain monasteries to the haciendas of Medellin in Colombia.
Experts at Jacada Travel are some of the best travelled anywhere, with their fingers on the pulse of the places and people which are set to define 2020. In this first quarterly update, they’ve revealed some of the key trends and destinations that they're tracking, from Nepal’s mountain monasteries to the haciendas of Medellin in Colombia.
Women solo travellers: beyond wellness
Women travelling solo is nothing new, but since last year, Jacada Travel has seen a 150% increase in enquiries from Asia-based solo travellers, with many of them looking for more adventurous experiences than the typical wellness retreat. One stunning country repeatedly lauded and recommended for such trips is Nepal. Home to the world's oldest Buddhist and Hindu sites, as well as eight of the world's tallest mountains, the biggest challenge comes in choosing what to do.
Highlights could include paragliding across vast valleys in Pokhara, exploring the rich jungle of Chitwan or yoga sessions in mountainside monasteries near Pharping, one of the country's most sacred Buddhist sites set amidst jaw-dropping scenery.
Vegan travel
With responsible, conscious travel decisions becoming ever more prominent, Jacada predicts to see a rise in the number of people traveling on vegan-only trips, requesting vegan cooking classes or retreats. Countries like India, with 38% of the population being vegetarian, or Thailand where Thai Buddhists have been eating vegan for years, will benefit from a surge in travellers looking for vegan food that still packs the punch with unique aromas and flavours.
Chiang Mai in Thailand, for example, has become synonymous with the eco-conscious traveller to the point that one can simply let a waiter know you’re “gin jay” and the dish will come out vegan. Veganism is also taken very seriously in Bali, Indonesia, which houses the world’s first vegan cinema, and in Australia, which is said to be the third fastest-growing vegan market in the world.
Next level adventure travel: Siberia
For those looking for a serious adrenaline rush in largely unchartered territory, one destination couldn't be hotter - or indeed cooler: Siberia.
The unimaginably vast (it's the size of Australia), wild and empty Russian territory is home to spectacular natural landscapes, diverse wildlife and unique cultural and historical attractions, meaning that any visit is filled with adventure and discovery in equal measure. For example, there's no better way to navigate wintry trails than on a wooden sled drawn by a team of working dogs - yes, Siberian huskies - as one skims the snow in an ancient and traditional mode of travel, with the added bonus of no carbon footprint left behind. To speed things up a notch - or two - then riding a snowmobile on frozen Lake Baikal is another experience that guarantees an exhilarating ride through stunning wilderness.
Destinations to watch for 2020
Jacada Travel experts predict the following destinations will become hot travel trends in 2020:
Russia – Russia covers an expanse of over 6.6 million square miles and is home to nine different time zones. Though it’s the largest country in the world, many are unaware of the diversity it offers, from dazzling cities to silent, remote natural landscapes. Highlights include experiencing private banya (Russian saunas) for couples in the most historic spa in St. Petersburg, to exclusive opera masterclasses, caviar tastings and stargazing in the remote Sayan Mountains.
Ethiopia – Jacada Travel has seen an increase in enquiries for Ethiopia, often from guests who may have done a safari in South Africa or East Africa and are looking to explore more of what the vast continent has to offer. The country offers some of Africa’s most epic landscapes and fascinating cultures – the Omo Valley alone is home to more than 40 different tribes, each with their own unique dress, custom and beliefs. Meanwhile, the Danakil Depression is one of the lowest, hottest and driest places on earth with bubbling lava lakes, vast salt pans and hyrdrothermal fields in vibrant shades of colour unlike anywhere else. Further afield, the vast plateaus and craggy peaks of the Simien and Bale Mountains are home to much of the country’s wildlife, including the endangered Walia ibex, Gelada Baboons and the elusive Ethiopian wolf.
Colombia – Considered the gateway to South America, this colourful country has seen a remarkable transformation over the last 25 years. Bogota and Medellin are now thriving metropoles bursting at the seams with galleries and museums, while the coffee triangle region boasts an array of charming colonial towns, rolling hills and wax palm plantations, and the north is home to the impossibly romantic city of Cartagena. From visiting horse breeders in private hacienda’s outside of Medellin to learning the local game “tejo” from art gallery owners in Bogota, there are endless opportunities for unique and authentic experiences in what Jacada predicts will be the most talked about country in South America next year.