Here are the trends making headlines this week:
Dubai named fastest-growing sun destination
Brits will be heading to Dubai in droves this summer, according to online travel agent On the Beach. Booking data shows that while the UAE remains outside of the 10 most popular summer trips of 2019, with Spain grabbing the top spot once again, Dubai is the fastest-growing sun destination, followed by Barbados and Tunisia.
The rise of flight shame
Flying is becoming problematic for many travellers who feel conflicted over its environmental impact. Now there’s a term for it: flygskam, or flight shame. The eco-friendly trend emerged over the past year in Sweden, where the main train operator sold 1.5 million more tickets in 2018 compared to the previous year. Now, at least partly due to the growing prominence of Swedish teen climate activist and unyielding train-user Greta Thunberg, flygskam is gathering attention beyond the country’s borders and seems to be leading to more people keeping their feet on the ground.
Women lead the charge on solo travel
The number of women travelling alone has increased by 88% since 2015, with American, German and British travellers leading the way, according to a study conducted by Hostelworld. Almost a third of female respondents from the UK plan their adventures based on a desire to visit unique places, while a fifth pursue areas untouched by mass tourism. Brazil, Iceland and South Korea all feature in the top five growing destinations among women aged under 21.
