Rand-friendly destinations set to be most popular at annual Travel Expo

Rand-friendly destinations, such as Mauritius and Thailand, cruising and all inclusive packages and tours are expected to be travel bestsellers at the Flight Centre Travel Group’s annual Travel Expo. The Expo will be held at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg on 9-10 February 2019.

“The most popular destinations at the 2018 Travel Expo, based on booking volume, were Mauritius, followed by Thailand, the UK, Australia and South Africa,” reports Andrew Stark, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) Managing Director, Middle East and Africa. “Given the current rand-dollar situation, travellers can really save by booking their holidays to 2019’s trending and most popular destinations as early as possible.”

According to Stark, global travel trends for 2019 feature off-the-beaten-track destinations, sustainable travel, cold-climate travel and even (according to Lonely Planet) ancestry exploration for travellers keen to discover their cultural roots.

“We are also seeing an increased interest in destinations like the Maldives, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. “Wellness” destinations such as India are growing in popularity as well as holidays that offer the best of all worlds – beach, culture and adventure – such as ever-popular Bali.”

The Travel Expo, now in its ninth year, will offer not-to-be-repeated deals from airlines, hotels, tour companies and tourism boards. “It’s simply the perfect place to book all your trips for the rest of the year with more than 200 of Southern Africa’s best travel suppliers and booking experts all under one roof,” says Stark.

Over 120 experienced Flight Centre travel experts will be available to help visitors plan and book their travels during the two-day event.

2018’s Travel Expo trends
The 2018 Travel Expo was so popular that the hashtag #TravelExpo18 trended at number one globally for several hours over the show weekend. Sales at the 2018 Travel Expo increased 32% compared with the previous year, with more than 22,000 visitors attending the show and R750,000 worth of giveaways.

The top three holidays purchased at the 2018 Travel Expo were an Antarctica cruise, a Mauritian holiday and a Disney vacation in the USA. Popular exhibitors at the Travel Expo in 2018 included The Travel Corporation, Beachcomber, Club Med, MSC Cruises, Emirates, South African Airways, Qantas and Flight Centre Holidays.

What to expect at Travel Expo 2019
Don’t miss this year’s Travel Talks. The event highlight was introduced last year and proved hugely popular with suppliers, customers and travel experts. There will also be fun-filled activities for visitors of any age.

“Travel Expo is fun for the whole family with a kids’ play area and a beer garden to keep you entertained and relaxed in between shopping up a storm. Save the date and book your ticket now; you don’t want to miss out,” urges Stark.

Tickets are now on sale online at www.travelexpo.co.za for R50. Entry is free for children under 18 years of age.