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By Joe Maloney 
Vice President Travel for AAA Colorado

Over my 30 years in the travel industry I have seen many changes, both in types of travel and in types of traveler.

The first change starts with how people travel. Yesterday’s traveler (speaking in generalities of course) seemed to mostly prioritize particular sights with cultural immersion being a nice by-product. Today, we see almost exactly the opposite. Savvy travelers go to great lengths to find authentic and genuine cultural experiences, all-the-while doing it in fabulous places.

Today’s traveler seeks something  deeper than we used to see, and increasingly look to “do.” The retiring Baby Boomers are far more active than previous generations.  The axiom “70 is the new 50” applies to many more of us than in previous generations. Today’s travelers insist on active and “experiential,” which generally refers to a more immersive and in-depth travel experiences than  20 years ago.

Examples include themed trips like hiking, bicycling, culinary focus, but also just getting off the beaten path and activities that involve locals and cultural events, lectures and activities.  Millennials are accelerating much of this  trend, but it really applies to most of us “Boomers,” and especially in Colorado, where people love the outdoors and are fairly active as a whole.

Another change revolves around value.  Everyone’s definition varies somewhat, with price being paramount for some while it means over-the-top luxury for others. At AAA Travel, we define value as more than just cost savings. We want you get as much as possible out of every trip. Yes, we can save you money, but we can also help you achieve your hopes and dreams.

 Here are the hottest travel destinations we see out of Colorado for 2019. Our agents have expert knowledge of all these destinations:

  • Italy. It’s always near the top of the most popular destinations, but  our agents  can serve as an “insider” and arrange parts of your trip that include the most popular sites and hidden gems like restaurants, wineries, landmarks and hotels.
  • Iceland. Coloradans have started traveling to this land of geothermic wonder in droves the past few years thanks to direct flights from DIA to Reykjavik. It’s a beautiful land with friendly people, but an agent can help optimize your experience here. 
  • River Cruises. River cruises provide some of the most immersive cultural experiences in places around the world. Rivers were the original highways and that means today’s traveler arrives in the heart of many historic towns and cities. And a river cruise’s small ship means an intimate setting where you only need to unpack once. 
  • Canada. There’s no doubt Coloradans love their Rocky Mountains, and it extends to ranges north of the border. Eastern Canada, with its windswept terrain, is very popular too. AAA Travel can get you any place in Canada from British Columbia to Newfoundland. It’s a big country, and we can help you find the most beautiful and awe-inspiring places throughout.  
  • Europe. After Italy, travelers continue to flock to the United Kingdom, France and Spain. AAA Travel stands ready to make sure your visit to these destinations—all rich in history and culture—are as active and authentic as can be. 


As bookings fill up fast for 2019 and 2020, I’d invite you to let one of our travel agents help you get a get an invigorating cultural experience you won’t forget.  

 

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