Thailand leads summer rush

Despite only now recovering from the heaving Christmas period and all of its repercussions many of us already have our eyes on those prime summer breaks.

It’s during these coldest Winter months that the UK predictably eyes up those hotter destinations around the world and this year, it appears, it will be Thailand and the Maldives that most notably take our fancy.

A prerequisite for some serious consideration on where we will spend the summer, the UK travel provider Kuoni has released its summary of 2008’s top 20 long-haul holiday destinations.

Although the USA and Dubai still feature prominently the list itself is topped by the Far East solace of the Maldive Islands.

Sean Tipton, spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), put this mainly down to the capacity of the Maldives to provide something for everyone.

However, he added: "It is still ideal as the clichéd idyllic honeymoon vacation spot and has a very exotic cache to it. That’s why more people are going there.”

The island nation, to the south-west of India, despite being more than five times the size of Greater London has a population akin only to Cardiff.

The traditionally sparsely inhabited destination bares the elusive and beautiful qualities that are sure to entice Western tourists over the coming years.

Also Thailand, described by Kuoni as breathtaking and an inspiring destination, sees more than 650,000 UK tourists travel there each year and predictions show this figure will only increase.

“If you look at 20 years ago it wouldn’t have been a tenth of that,” declared Tipton on the subject, with decreasing costs and increased package flights a key point behind the growth.

It seems despite the growing opportunities of cheap-flights and the possibilities this ensures, the long-haul flight is more popular than ever, a fact that tour operators are only too happy to capitalise on.

However, predictions show it is not only these idyllic retreats that are set to blossom over the coming year.

North America it seems is as popular as ever, and yet the familiarity that many Britons now feel towards the States persuades many of us to co-ordinate trips ourselves.

With the huge availability of various flights across the Pond many people are happy to take a long weekend out to New York and the East Coast; booking the flight only before contacting a hotel themselves.

But is this show of independence necessarily a sensible move?

It seems that despite a new knowledge meaning we can plan our own vacations it may sometimes be sensible to stick with the tour operators we’re used to.

Looking at Kuomi’s prediction of both Egypt and Kenya hitting this year’s Top Ten, it’s hard to ignore how both countries have had their own share of political conflict over the past month.

Following, in particular, the recent clashes in Kenya, Sean Tipton said: “When the foreign office changed their advice about travelling, everyone who was on a package holiday had the option of an imminent departure to another country or at the very least their money back.

"For people who had made their own arrangements that option would not have been there.”

We can all accept that the world is never 100 per cent safe, but with the possibility to cover our backs is it more or less sensible to organise our own breaks?

The rise is long-haul tourism has also effected availability for the consumer; now the tourist is not forced into a week/two-week trip.

Holidaymakers can tailor-make the package holiday that best suits their needs and, travelling to the Far East this year, may choose to incorporate a number of destinations.

Tailor-made packages alone have gone up by 50 per cent.

But doesn’t an increase in long-haul flights have direct and adverse effects on the environment, with an awareness of the effects of global warming is it thoughtless, irresponsible even, to travel half-way across the globe? Apparently not.

Given the realised scope for offsetting carbon emissions we can still enjoy our exotic holiday and stay safe in the knowledge that we’re paying our environmental dues.

Recently ABTA have set up its own online carbon-offsetting scheme - Reduce My Footprint - with the opportunity for tourists to check and replenish the environmental impact of their flight.

“Very few people will stop flying because of their concerns about the environment, so it is the industry’s job to do everything that they can to minimise the impact,” Mr Tipton said. “We are taking things very, very seriously.”

Ultimately it seems that, despite both our inclination to be eco-sensitive and a desire for independent holiday-planning, the long-haul holiday is, for this year at least, here to stay.

And with the opportunity of adventures on the Sri Lankan coast or that once in life-time trip to Malaysia it’s hardly surprising that I for one am already pencilling in my two weeks off this August.


Top 20 long haul escapes for 2008 from Kuoni are:

• 1. The Maldives
• 2.Thailand
• 3. USA
• 4. Egypt
• 5. Sri Lanka
• 6. Dubai
• 7. Kenya
• 8. China/Hong Kong
• 9. India
• 10. Singapore
• 11. Malaysia
• 12. Australia
• 13. Mauritius
• 14. Cuba
• 15. Antigua
• 16. Tanzania
• 17. Barbados
• 18. South Africa
• 19. Indonesia
• 20. New Zealand

Mathew Strowbridge