By Lisa Monforton, Calgary HeraldJanuary 10, 2009
Suddenly, it's fashionable to be frugal. This is just as apparent in the travel world as it is on Wall Street, Bay Street and everywhere in between. There's no shame in holding out for the best bargain; has there ever been?
This year, prognosticators insist, people will reap the travel rewards amid the economic doom and gloom -- if they have the stomach and the cash to spend. Re-sole those walking shoes, instead of buying new, pack the faded bikini and bring your own snacks on the plane or to the ski hill in the interest of saving your pennies for what really counts -- the destination or the experience.
And if you're spending big bucks on a vacation, keep it to yourself. Inconspicuous consumption is also in vogue.
Some trends on the slightly hazy travel horizon include: frequent mini-holidays, cheaper and greener cruising, belt-tightening business travel and sustainable travel on a budget.
Most importantly, airlines, hotels and entire cities built on tourism are begging for our business, and that gives the travelling public an edge.
A good time, not a long time
Simon Hudson, tourism professor at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business, accepts it's going to be a lean year.
Calgarians still have money, but the economic malaise has affected our psyche, so we're playing it cautious with our cash. Just as the previous decade's good economic times precipitated the mini-break trend (no time to play), the lean times are having the same effect (play at the risk of a job loss?).
We're travelling more like Europeans, so what we'll see is more frequent short-stay trips, three or four days maximum, says Hudson. All while soaking up the experience, Blackberry in pocket, of course.
"There's a demise of the package seven-day holiday."
Alberta's travel industry is already seeing the upside of this trend and is adapting. For example, says Hudson, the heli-skiing outfit Canadian Mountain Holidays, as recently as last year offered only four-day trips. This year, you can go for one day.
Other destinations have cottoned on to this trend too, says Sean Shannon, managing director of Expedia.ca.You no longer have to be locked into a seven-day all inclusive resort holiday; it could be done in half that time, says Shannon. "People are looking for a number of unique experiences," says Hudson.
"Last-chance" and ecotourism
Costa Rica, the Galapagos and Antarctica have been the darlings of sustainable, or "last-chance,"tourism movement, but watch for India, West Africa and Dubai, says Hudson.
Ecotourism is expected to remain strong with boomers, says Hudson, though they may choose more wallet-friendly eco-destinations, like Costa Rica or Ecuador.
As an aside, Hudson adds consumers are more attuned to greenwashing, and everyone from hoteliers to airlines need to be more careful about throwing around the G-word. "If you promote yourself as the greenest destination in the world,"says Hudson, "you darn well better be."
Belt-tightening in business travel
Joe Brancatelli, editor of the business traveller's website joesentme.com said he was having trouble "separating the fear and anxiety from business travel." Since Labour Day, there has been a tremendous drop in business travel, and he likened it to the post-9/11 world.
As we all know, when the U. S. sneezes. . . .
Business travel is "the first thing you cut and the last thing that gets restored to your budget."
For American companies that will still be travelling this year, Brancatelli says they'll be looking to find cost savings, staying at cheaper hotels and finding cheaper flights. Brancatelli imagines many Calgary businesses are talking to their suppliers, looking for discounts. "This time, business travellers have the hammer. They're saying, 'You want my business, you'll have to work for it.' "
The same goes in reverse: "Airlines (that) have resisted discounting in the front of the plane; they won't anymore," which means there'll be sales in business class.
Shelly Lewchuk offers a western Canadian perspective as a board member of the National Business Travel Association in Canada, echoing Brancatelli.
"In terms of approaching suppliers looking for discounts, I would say that companies are definitely being more selective in their choice of preferred suppliers, particularly when it comes to their hotel spend. . . . I am seeing some companies reduce their number of preferred suppliers in order to better consolidate their spend and negotiate deeper discounts."
As for travel cutbacks, Lewchuk adds, it's not as drastic as in the U. S.
"Most oil and gas companies began to re-evaluate their travel programs a year ago, following the Alberta government's announcement of changes to its royalty regime. Thus, at least at this point in time, we are seeing minor refinements to their existing programs to maximize value, rather than drastic, across-the-board cutbacks."
cruising to the deals
We started to see some of the big trends in cruising in 2008, but many of them will gain momentum this year, says Vancouver-based Phil Reimer, who writes a weekly column called Ports and Bows for Canwest newspapers, including the Calgary Herald. He also has a website ( portsandbows.com).
While automakers are being pushed to make smaller cars, the cruise lines are taking the tack that bigger is better. In 2008, Royal Caribbean floated three new mega-cruise ships (Liberty, Independence and Freedom), each with a carrying capacity of 4,000 passengers. In December, Oasis of the Seas is set to sail with room for 5,400. "They're trying to entice people who haven't cruised before."
The idea of a floating resort has mass appeal, especially among families travelling together, another trend that will continue unabated, says Reimer. Disney is launching two more ships this year and several more larger ships will be docking at Port Canaveral to capture the Disney World and Orlando crowd.
other cruising trends - More dining options on board. Reimer was on the Celebrity Solstice cruise recently and had the choice of four restaurants, including Italian, Asian and bistro. Of course, it's not included in the cruise price, but Reimer says it's pretty good value. On a recent Carnival cruise, he dined for $30, which he said would have cost him $60 in Calgary or Vancouver. - Exclusivity is something more cruises are offering, with options such as "Spa Class" staterooms. Examples include Holland America's Eurodam, Carnival's Splendor, Celebrity Solstice and MSC Fantasia with it's Yacht Club. You'll pay extra for your cabin, but you get full use of a spa retreat complete with your own private pool. You can choose to mingle with the rest of the cruisers or not. - Best cruising value in the coming year: the Caribbean is still the biggest and most popular, but Europe is where the deals will be found, even though you have to pay for your flight and at least a one-night hotel stay. Reimer says with the faltering economy, that might be a prohibitive, but the water versus land value can't be beat because they're at about half price, and you're paying for the cruise in Canadian dollars, not in euros.
Greener ships and skies
Those behemoths of the sea aren't exactly held up as the greenest modes of transportation. However, the industry has made a few eco-friendly baby steps, says cruise specialist Reimer.
San Diego became the first port of call to provide onshore electrical plug-ins to cruise ships capable of using them. That saves about 10 hours of emissions from those chugging engines. The next port to go green will be Vancouver in April, where three ships a day will plug in, among them Princess and Holland American lines.
"We're gradually going to see more of that," says Reimer.
Recycling efforts on board have also come a long way on the newest cruise ships. Ships are being redesigned to separate waste for recycling, and many new and old ships are being tarted up with non-toxic paints.
You'll be hearing a lot more about a couple of bio-fuel-based aviation test flights in the coming months.
Meanwhile, on Dec. 30, Air New Zealand successfully conducted what it says was the first commercial jet flight during a two-hour test with one of four engines running on jatropha oil. Jatropha is a poisonous plant that grows in harsh climates in India and Africa and was chosen because it doesn't negatively affect resources with food crops. By 2013, Air New Zealand hopes to be using bio-fuel for 10 per cent of its fuel consumption. Next up with a bio-fuel test is Japan Airlines, expected in March.
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