Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Marilee Crocker
    • Paul M. Ruden
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Lonely Planet Releases Best in Europe 2019 List

by Cheryl Rosen / May 30, 2019
Lonely Planet Releases Best in Europe 2019 List

The list includes destinations still undiscovered by American tourists, so they still feel authentic. Photo: Ink Drop/Shutterstock.com


When Lonely Planet published its Best in Europe 2019 list last week, it offered up some interesting insights into hip destinations on the rise that travel agents might consider.

Indeed, history has shown that just being named to the list makes a destination hot. Lonely Planet’s readers, who vote for their favorite destinations each year, are wealthy and well-traveled, with annual household incomes of about $135,000 and an average seven trips a year. Almost all (96%) have passports; 83% are college graduates; 95% have taken a vacation in the past 12 months.

For 2019, they voted for the following destinations: High Tatras, Slovakia; Madrid, Spain; The Arctic Coast Way, Iceland; Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bari, Italy; Shetland, Scotland; Lyon, France; Liechtenstein; Vevey, Switzerland; and Istria, Croatia.

While some of the travel agents with whom Travel Market Report spoke questioned who the respondents were and what exactly went into their decisions, others agreed that some of the destinations are wonderful, if not magical.

Travel agents respond
“These are the top destinations according to what criteria? Beauty remains in the eye of the beholder,” said Teri Hurley, owner of Endless Love Travel. But still, “there is much on the list to be excited about. If only we had enough vacation to see them all, and compare!”

Susan Williams, owner of Where2Now in Toronto, noted that despite the more “common” choices, she will be taking a second look at those that are “more off the beaten path and might inspire adventure and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Gwen Kozlowski, at Exeter International, said: “Those are some amazing destinations that are off the beaten track. High Tatras are gorgeous; Istria is a gem. Both are pretty undiscovered by American tourists, so they still feel authentic.”

As the destinations are incredibly different, choosing where to go is always going to be a personal vacation style issue, Hurley said. “Do you want to be in a big city like Bari, second to Naples as a busy seaside location; or would you prefer the remote beauty of Shetland (I am fascinated by this island) with its rugged coastline, abundance of wildlife and Viking history? Madrid, always a winner; and where in Switzerland do you not like? Croatia, people are still discovering; and Lyon has its share of devotees.”

While Betsy Bouche of Largay Travel Inc. agreed that the Shetlands is a great choice — "I'm a knitter and it's a hot spot for wool and knitting” — she would call Madrid “an old standard, not a Top 10,” and nothing else on the list interested her, she said.

Old or new, Madrid is a favorite of Dillon Guyer, owner of Guyer International, who said: “Madrid is one of those cities you can soak up in 72 hours, or spend 3 weeks there. The food is beyond anything else; the culture is localized and comforting; and the scenery within the city is historic and intrinsic in value. I would go back in a heartbeat.”

Just returned from “an amazing couple of days” in Madrid, Nancy Barkley, owner of Honeymoons and Getaways, recommended the Museo Nacional del Prado, which is celebrating its bicentenary — it contains 8,609 pianists, 700 sculptures and 54 masterpieces — and “an absolutely magnificent day trip to Toledo. My personal splurge is on professional tour guides; they make all the difference. The food and wine were wonderful as well, and the nonstop flights out of Philly are also a plus. I wish I had more time there.”

At Hometown Travels in Minneapolis, meanwhile, owner Sheila Michels reported that she has seen an increase in requests for Bosnia, Slovakia and Serbia this year, and has booked a few escorted tours there.

Limor Decter, of Ovation Vacations, also has seen “a great interest and value in the Balkans, Slovenia and Slovakia,” as well as the upscale luxury markets of Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia; Malta, Norway and Switzerland; and in Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Namibia and Uganda/Rwanda.

During a custom three-week, self-drive from Venice to Montenegro that Lori Molesky Foster booked this fall, her clients spent a good amount of time in Istria, specifically Rovinj. “It is a romantic town with vineyards, crumbling buildings, meandering streets, a strong history and a Venetian influence right on the shores of the Adriatic.” Her agency, Luxury Travel Associates Dream Vacations, also has had a lot of inquiries for the Balkans this year and will be broadening her knowledge of the area by exploring it herself this month.

Diane Frisch Destinations has had several requests for Madrid this year, and owner Diane DeWitt Frisch went there herself. “I love that it is a major European city with world-class museums, a beautiful park containing the Crystal Palace, a gorgeous castle, historic district, great food and culture … but generally at a lower price point than the other major European cities in Italy and France (my other big sellers),” she said. “I also love getting out of Madrid, for the easy trek down to beautiful Sevilla, and if at all possible, to visit the Alhambra. Usually we work in a side trip out of Madrid to see Sevilla and Granada ... and if time allows, of course, Barcelona. Trains are a great option in Spain for getting around.”

But Stef Katz of The Travel Superhero noted that the choice of a destination is a personal thing. “How is London not on this list every year? As Samuel Johnson said, ‘When a man is tired of London, he’s tired of life’ and I’d add ‘especially in the summer!’ An individual travelers’ preferences and interests are what determine his or her own hot list, nothing else.”

In short, Hurley said, “The world's a big place; I think everyone should make their own lists. And for travel advisors, as a profession, it should always be about properly matching the client to the right destination. That's part of our core skill set and responsibility.”

  2
  0
Related Articles
The Most Instagram-Worthy Places in Central Europe
Where to Go This Winter Season: Mexico or the Caribbean?
Airline Ticket Prices Reached Record Low This Month
Royal Caribbean Announces Plans for ‘Perfect Day’ Private Island at Lelepa
Adria Airways Files for Bankruptcy
Air Italy Partners With Finnair and El Al
Charleston Remains at Top of Travel + Leisure’s Best U.S. Destinations
Flybe Will Be Rebranded After Connect Airways Sale
Nine Places to Visit Before Seeing ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’
10 of the Most Romantic Destinations Around the World

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. Princess Cruises Forced to Adjust Alaska Sailings After White Pass Rail Road Decision
  2. River Cruise Lines Prepare to Deal with Low Water Levels on the Rhine
  3. Updated Cruise Line COVID-19 Vaccination, Booster, & Testing Requirements
  4. Water Levels on the Rhine Are Expected to Reach Critical Levels This Week
  5. The Ten Unwritten Rules of Travel
  6. Here Is Some of the New CDC Guidance on Cruise Ship Travel

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. Updated Cruise Line COVID-19 Vaccination, Booster, & Testing Requirements
  2. River Cruise Lines Prepare to Deal with Low Water Levels on the Rhine
  3. Southwest Airlines’ Flight Credits Will No Longer Expire
  4. Viking Cruises' New Octantis Is So Much More than Just a Cruise Ship
  5. New DOT Rulemaking Goes Off the Rails on Refunds
  6. Princess Cruises Forced to Adjust Alaska Sailings After White Pass Rail Road Decision
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Intrepid Travel
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=9909dea1-a71c-ed11-b00b-005056a8720b&Width=350&Height&250

Antarctica: Truly Beyond

For advisors who do not regularly book this type of travel, it might seem like an intimidating task. But with the right training and support, any advisor can become a polar travel specialist. 

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
U.S. State Department Boosts Mexico’s Travel Advisory
U.S. State Department Boosts Mexico’s Travel Advisory

The warning differs for the various Mexican states

Read...
Hong Kong Cuts Hotel Quarantine to Three Days
Hong Kong Cuts Hotel Quarantine to Three Days

Travelers will still have four days of home medical surveillance after the hotel quarantine. 

Read...
WestJet Adds Service Between Penticton and Vancouver
WestJet Adds Service Between Penticton and Vancouver

Penticton is the 11th destination for WestJet link.

Read...
Canada is Now Allowing More Travelers to Complete Customs and Immigration Forms Ahead of Time
Canada is Now Allowing More Travelers to Complete Customs and Immigration Forms Ahead of Time

CBSA is expanding ArriveCAN's immigration functions to seven other airports “in the coming months.”

Read...
France Drops Remaining COVID-19 Requirements for Travel
France Drops Remaining COVID-19 Requirements for Travel

Travel to France is back to normal. 

Read...
British Airways Is Suspending Sales of Short Haul Flights from Heathrow for One Week
British Airways Is Suspending Sales of Short Haul Flights from Heathrow for One Week

The move will limit ticket sales for flights from Heathrow to some other short-haul U.K. and European cities until Aug. 8. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
Distribution Outlook (1)
New to Cruise Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/J_wmGlymwpc/0.jpg
Video: A Quick Intro to Instagram Reels for Travel Advisors
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|Well-Being|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2022 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy