How Group Travel is Paving the Way for 2016 Travel Trends

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

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In perhaps a somewhat underrated way, group travel is at the forefront in trip planning. The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) recently released data from its annual travel trend and forecast report.

Nine out of every 10 members are predicting growth next year, and over 50 percent are predicting that 2016 will be a “boom year,” meaning projected growth is over 10 percent.

Who’s Traveling on Tours?

Baby boomers account for more than half of tour operators’ customers, with ages 35 to 50 contributing to a quarter of customers. Millennials have yet to have a significant impact on group tours; however, more than half of the group’s members saw an increase in the number of solo customers.

The most popular categories for group travel are art and culture, then honeymoon and romance, followed by family travel.

What’s Stopping People from Traveling?

Terrorism was cited as the biggest threat to traveler confidence for the upcoming year despite expected growth. This was followed by global financial instability and political instability as other traveler concerns.

Projected Most Popular Group Travel International Destinations

Italy
United Kingdom
China, France and South Africa (tied)
Peru
India

Projected Most Popular Group Travel U.S. Destinations

New York and California (tied)
Arizona and Hawaii (tied)
Nevada
Florida and Washington D.C.
Alaska

Emerging Destinations for 2016

Cuba
Myanmar
Iceland
Colombia
Ethiopia and Japan (tied)

More from SmarterTravel:

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for more advice on travel hacks and destination ideas.

(Photo: Thinkstock/Eyecandy Images)

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