Our vacation habits are changing to “avoid the impact of overtourism, save money and make new discoveries.” Vacationers are increasingly looking for “alternatives to the most obvious vacation spots” and opting for “step-sibling” destinations that offer a similar experience.
According to British Airways Travel Trends Reportreleased last week, 31% of UK consumers said they would opt for “lesser-known alternative locations”.
This type of “off the beaten path” thinking will become more common in 2024 and 2025, as “travelers become more curious about lesser-known places, consider their environmental impact, and draw inspiration from insider recommendations on networks which could be cheaper or offer more value.
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So where are the alternative destinations that can compete with the original destinations?
Dubai welcomed more than a million British tourists last year, but there is a 'smaller substitute' nearby, said The sun. The northernmost emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, usually referred to as “RAK”, “often goes unnoticed when people think of the UAE”, but it is a great – and cheaper – alternative to Dubai. RAK is known for its “endless miles of terracotta-colored coastline, desert and year-round warm climate”, and you can swim, relax, shop, go on a desert safari or experience the longest zip line of the world.
Imagine a trip to the Maldives, and “a refuge on stilts over the water is the first thing many people imagine,” said The independent. There are, however, other “opulence on the water” options, with stays offering the same feeling of “serenity and luxury”.
On the “little Belizean island” of Cayo Espanto, there are just seven seaside villas, while at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, the villas are located on “wildlife-filled waterways “. In Malaysia, the St Regis Langkawi is “less of an overwater villa and more of an overwater palace”, while the lake villas in Thailand's Khao Sok National Park offer views of “forested mountains, dotted limestone cliffs of birds and the emerald green of the lake.” water”.
Closer to home, Europe has several double destinations for beach holidays – for a “fraction of the price”, said The telegraph. Instead of “crowded favorites,” head to “great secret beach spots” in Eastern Europe instead.
This offers serious savings, with half board at a four-star hotel starting from £35 per person per night, compared to “a similar stay in Marbella” costing over £500. Holiday spending is also likely to be lower, the newspaper said, with a sunset cruise costing £15 in Montenegro compared to £55 in Mykonos, with sunbed and umbrella hire costing £10 and £50, and cocktails costing £4 and £14.
Other recommendations include the “Ionian pearl” of Albania, the Ksamil Islands; the “fascinating emerald pool” of Kravica Waterfalls, Bosnia and Herzegovina; the “Hungarian Sea” of Lake Balaton and “21 miles of silky white sand beach” in Jurmala, near the Latvian capital, Riga.
