The rapidly growing demand for destinations in Asia is endorsed by Riksja Travel, market leader in sustainable long-distance tours. ‘There is a growing interest in travelling to far-flung destinations during the Christmas period. The number of bookings to Thailand has increased by 98% compared to last year,” says Riksja. Christmas destinations Thailand and South Africa are showing a remarkable revival after the corona crisis. In 2022, Thailand recovered to the level of 2019. The impressive 98% increase in bookings for 2023 represents almost a doubling compared to last year. South Africa is showing a similar trend, with popularity in 2020 similar to that seen in 2019, and a predicted 73% increase for 2023 compared to 2022 Lapland is also a popular travel destination for Rickshaw, where demand is five times higher than in 2020. Lapland already grew relatively well in 2020. This trend has continued in recent years. “Especially the snow security at this destination means that Lapland is on the rise,” says Fenny Koppen, CEO of Riksja Travel. The number of bookings to travel by train at the destination has increased by almost half (46%). During the corona period at Christmas 2021, Iceland and Costa Rica were good alternatives to the ‘closed’ destinations in Asia and Africa. ‘Nature destinations have been on the rise in recent years,’ says Koppen. In 2021, Iceland experienced a demand spike that was seven times greater than in 2019. But in 2023, it has decreased by 45% over the Christmas period. Costa Rica saw a 50% increase in 2021 compared to 2019 and even grew by 82% in 2022. Now, Costa Rica’s popularity at Christmas has decreased by more than a quarter (27%) compared to last year. Both destinations remain popular with around 5% growth in 2023, but no longer during Christmas. Sustainable travel is becoming increasingly important to travellers. This can be seen in search volumes for words such as sustainable holidays, which are up 22% compared to 2022, and in the number of bookings. ‘We notice that sustainable travel is becoming increasingly important,’ says Koppen. ‘For example, we are seeing a 46% growth in bookings on our train offer compared to 2022. We expect further growth in 2024. Apparently, people who are going to travel increasingly want to do so in a way that takes the environment and all facets of sustainability into account as much as possible.’ (Photo: Shutterstock).
