By: The editors | Source: press material
Then it was Monday again, which usually means travel news here at FREEDOMtravel. As usual, we have gone through this week’s press releases on the topics of travel, camping and tourism. Have fun!
Travel bookings took off during Black Week
The number of travel bookings clearly increased during this year’s Black Week. New figures from travel agency Ticket show that the number of trips booked increased last year by 13 percent compared to Black Week, and by 19 percent compared to the week before the promotional period. The development indicates that Black Week continues to profile itself as one of the toughest sales weeks of the year for the travel industry. The most booked destinations during Black Week:
- Gran Canaria
- Malaga
- London
- Bangkok
- Alicante
- Barcelona
- Paris
- Amsterdam
- Berlin
- Threshold value
Interest in Asia’s hidden gems is soaring this Christmas
Swedes like to travel to Asia during the Christmas holidays, but what is new this year is that interest in less proven destinations is increasing enormously. This is evident from a new study from Hotels.com, which compares this year’s searches with those of last year, where cities such as Kathmandu, Galle and Ho Chi Minh City have increased significantly in popularity.
The increase can be explained by the fact that Swedes are looking for places where they can gain new experiences and cultures, preferably with a good price-quality ratio. Asian cities with the biggest increase in Swedish searches compared to last year:
- Kathmandu, Nepal (105%)
- Galle, Sri Lanka (95%)
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (65%)
- Mumbai, India (60%)
- Phu Quoc, Vietnam (50%)
- Colombo, Sri Lanka (50%)
- Shanghai, China (45%)
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (35%)
- Kandy, Sri Lanka (30%)
- Jakarta, Indonesia (25%)
One million people have seen the Polarvagnen commercial
The million mark has been reached and 1,000,000 people have seen the Polar Car commercial on YouTube. A creative collaboration between Polarvagnen and communications agency Bulldozer resulted in a specially written Dylan interpretation performed by Albin Lee Meldau.
“Traditionally, caravans are shown with images of summer holidays, sunsets and camping. For us, the feeling of freedom is important – just as much as the actual travelling. This is the perfect soundtrack to that story,” says Tony Ekström, CEO of Polarvagnen.
SAS launches SAS Holidays – a brand new all-in-one travel product
SAS expands its offering with the launch of SAS holidays. The new concept reflects the increased demand for integrated leisure travel solutions and gives customers the opportunity to book the entire trip in one place.
By combining flights with accommodation, transfers and tailor-made add-ons, SAS strengthens its position in the growing holiday market. SAS Holidays covers almost all destinations in the SAS network and travelers who book through SAS Holidays earn EuroBonus points on the entire package.
These are Europe’s best destinations for wine lovers
France, Italy and Spain are Europe’s best destinations for wine lovers. This is evident from a new study by travel organization TUI. The top list is based on factors such as vineyard area, wine production and international awards. The wine tourism index was developed by TUI Musement, the tour and activities provider of the TUI group.
Advertisement
France stands out with the most international awards and well-known wine regions such as Champagne with cellars on the UNESCO list, Burgundy with more than 1,000 unique vineyard areas and Bordeaux with its world-famous castles. Top 10 wine destinations in Europe (index 0-100):
- France (85.2)
- Italy (77.1)
- Spain (73.8)
- Portugal (17.0)
- Greece (11.2)
- Germany (9.9)
- Romania (9.3)
- Hungary (7.3)
- Austria (6.3)
- Bulgaria (5.2)
Transformative travel experiences shape 2026
Amadeus presents its travel trends for 2026 – an in-depth analysis of the driving forces that will influence the way we travel in the coming year and longer term. In collaboration with trend analysis firm Globetrender and based on Amadeus’ extensive data and insights, the report identifies six key trends that are expected to shape the travel market in 2026:
Advertisement
- The pawprint economy – the role of pets in future travel and experiences. Pet-friendly train journeys and long-haul flights with pets in the cabin.
- Travel mixology – the next level of travel planning. How smart travelers combine platforms and technologies to create the perfect trip, such as language models, YouTube and AI assistants.
- Point-to-point precision – a new era for long-distance travel. Innovations in aviation technology are reducing travel times, including new fleets of long-range narrow-body aircraft.
- Cultivating doll – brands are driving the next wave of travel. Interest in cultural brand giants, from Labubus to Bridgerton, is growing, as is interest in fandom events.
- Choose ‘n’ remains – tailor-made hotel experiences. New technology gives hotel guests the freedom to choose room details, from pilates machines to blackout curtains.
- Innovation Tourism – the journeys of the future. Chrome robots that track connecting trains and tickets purchased with a wave of the hand in tunnels glowing with holographic projections.
This week’s reflection
Yes, the future of travel is here! New technology creates new opportunities and can help the traveler in many ways. At the same time, you may need to be “well informed” to use and combine technology in the best way…
Did you miss the previous travel news? Read Choice of caravan, gastronomy and travel experience
#Travel #News #Week #Asias #Hidden #Gems #Wine #Destinations #Travel #Trends