Every year we look into our crystal ball and identify some of the trends likely to shape travel decisions in the years ahead. This, along with valuable feedback from our loyal guests and travel advisor partners, helps us plan new excursions, onboard amenities, menu choices and promotional offers that will best meet the future needs of our guests.
Longer vacations, active excursions, more solo travelers and multi-generational family groups all continue to be strong trends contributing to the growing popularity of river cruising. A new trend that has had a positive effect on 2024 end of year travel, and is sure to continue impacting 2025, is Spontaneous Getaways. More guests than ever are enjoying last-minute vacations, and we are excited to be very soon welcoming our 100,000th guest of 2024!
Recommended itineraries for November and December 2024: Colors of Provence, Taste of Christmas, Enticing Douro
It’s also fun to look at other sources of travel trends and see how our river cruise product aligns with their vision of what travelers are looking for. This month, Lonely Planet has unveiled what they consider to be the top travel trends for the year ahead and here are five trends that match perfectly with the authentic and immersive experiences found during an AmaWaterways river cruise and land package.
Trend #1 - Taking it Easy: Slow travel emphasizes the value of being present in the natural world, to escape from the stress and worry of an always-on digital world.
Why AmaWaterways is perfect: With our guide-led small group biking and hiking choices and more daylight cruising, our guests can truly relax and take in the beauty of the scenery around them.
Recommended itineraries: Romantic Danube, Best of Holland & Belgium, Essence of Burgundy & Provence
Trend #2 - Following the Music: Experience-based travel continues to resonate with music lovers in search of iconic venues around the world.
Why AmaWaterways is perfect: Our onboard evening entertainment showcases local musicians, and we also provide our guests with opportunities to delve a bit deeper into the musical history and traditions of a country through special excursions.
Recommended Itineraries: New! Best of the Danube - Celebration of Music departures
Trend #3 - Extreme Birdwatching: Now more than ever, bird enthusiasts are planning entire vacations around viewing their favorite feathered friends.
Why AmaWaterways is perfect: Exploring off the beaten track is an important part of our excursion options.
Recommended Itineraries: Magic of Colombia; Stars of South Africa; Charms of the Mekong
Trend #4 - Marvelous Markets: Interest in local markets continues to soar as travelers seek sensory ways to immerse themselves in local life.
Why AmaWaterways is perfect: Whether it’s the sparkling Christmas Markets along the Rhine or their less flashy cousin, the Easter Markets along the Danube, there are plenty of local traditions to discover and beautiful handmade souvenirs to purchase.
Recommended Itineraries: Christmas Markets on the Rhine; Melodies of the Danube with post-cruise in Prague (spring departures); Colors of Provence
Trend #5 - Local Flavors: Eating and travel are inextricably linked, and more and more travelers are seeking out destinations where distinctive and delicious cuisine and local food culture get top billing.
Why AmaWaterways is perfect: With a focus on farm-to-table freshness and support of local farmers, guests get to taste their way through up to five countries during a 7-night cruise or delve deep into regional delicacies.
Recommended Itineraries: Rhine & Moselle Delights; Taste of Bordeaux, especially when paired with our Basque Country land package; Flavors of Portugal & Spain; Flavors of Burgundy
For a glimpse at these wonderful destinations, here are my recommended short videos to enjoy: