The Travel Feature: Youth travel edition - Travel trends, stats and deals

And I mean, I love that we are focusing on youth, not just because it is youth month, but also because I think sometimes young people are not considered as a buying crowd.

So it is great that there are things that are structured because you should be traveling when you are young.

In my view, you really should be traveling when you're young.

Absolutely.

It really helps you become a global citizen to understand the ways of the world.

So 100 percent.

And I really do feel that it makes you rich in so many ways.

Indeed, it does.

So let's kick off.

What are, from your view, the biggest shifts that we are seeing in how young South Africans travel?

I think especially in the current economic crisis, we're going to see that they're definitely going to be traveling more locally and regionally rather than internationally, especially what with the increase in flight costs due to fuel charges as a result of everything that's going on in the Middle East.

I think they're also going to continue prioritising convenience and financial flexibility.

And of course, group travel is something that offers that to young travellers.

There was a research report that showed that 63% of young South Africans said that they prefer holidays where all their activities are pre-organised for them from start to finish.

And of course, group travel offers everything from accommodation to transport, local expertise and it completely eliminates any kind of logistical anxiety.

Young travellers also then have access to local guides and authentic cultural experiences and sort of like this built-in roomy or social circle experience from day one.

So I think increasingly they're going to be looking at MSC cruises, G Adventures, Contiki, Top Deck and

the likes.