the latest in travel trends and a trip to lousiville

Two weeks ago, Geoff, Shauna, Kate and I attended the MAST annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky.  There we listened to travel industry speakers, learned about the latest travel trends and met with suppliers. 

All of this was wonderful, but Louisville was an unexpected pleasure.  None of us knew much about Louisville going in, but we had the opportunity to experience many things Louisville centric and we loved it!
 
We were able to visit and have dinner at Churchill Downs a week prior to the Derby.  It was fascinating to learn about the race history as well as the traditions surrounding the Derby.  We even had the opportunity for betting on a few races - I won $14,000 of fake money!
 
No trip to Louisville would be complete without bourbon!  We enjoyed both sampling and learning about it.  Shauna and Geoff visited a few distilleries and sampled even more.  We completed our lessons in all things bourbon at the Frazier History Museum.
 
If bourbon and horse racing aren't of interest, there is a Louisville Slugger museum and Muhammad Ali museum.  There are food and architecture tours which help to understand the history of Louisville.
 
Louisville is drivable from Wisconsin.  It makes for a great quick getaway! 
 
- Cindy - 

destination of the week
travel trends

Here are some of the travel trends we learned about at the MAST convention:
Travel will continue to increase - Right after Covid (or “the pause”)  travel just exploded.  People were tired of being shut off from the world and were anxious to travel again.  Travel will increase  from these percentages, but at a more steady rate.  The implications of this are;   book early, and many of the incentives to get people traveling again will not be available.
 
Women's Travel - there is a sharp increase in women only trips as women are ready to go and many travel suppliers are developing women only travel itineraries.  At Bon Voyage we have two women's trips; one that is scheduled for September of 2024 to Nice, France and the other for 2025 to Greece is in the planning stages.
 
Solo Travel - there is an increase in people wanting to travel on their own and as a result many travel companies are lowering or even eliminating their single supplements.  Cruises - both river and ocean- are setting aside more cabins for solo travelers.
 
Travelers Crave Local Experiences -  The "experience economy" is huge in the travel industry. But fewer and fewer people may be settling for commonplace vacation activities in the coming years. Instead, consumers will pursue authentic experiences, distancing themselves from mainstream tourism providers and venturing into pastimes that feel more meaningful”
 
The Travel Industry Gets Serious About Sustainability -Recent data shows that more than half of US travelers believe there aren’t enough options when it comes to sustainable travel.
Searches for "sustainable travel" are up 283% over the last 5 years. A recent poll showed:
91% of travelers see the importance of taking ethical trips
56% believe in buying souvenirs from local merchants
44% want to support local businesses at their destination
Sustainable travel involves minimizing impact on the local cultural environment.
 
Click below for more information about trending destinations:
https://unforgettabletravel.com/trending-destinations/

travel tip of the week
Lousiville slugger museum & factory

​Louisville's always been a sporty town, and one of its biggest claims to fame are the iconic, eponymous baseball bats. The factory and museum, where the company still makes about 1.8 million bats a year, has been in operation for more than 130 years. There you can find out all about the role the bats have played in baseball history, get a hands-on look at how bats get made, see versions used by the likes of Ted Williams and Babe Ruth, and see the towering 120-foot bat that marks the factory entrance.

virtual vacation of the week​

Louisville, Kentucky is a great city, right on the Ohio River and the border of Kentucky and Indiana. The city is home to the Bourbon Trail, Lousiville Slugger, and the Kentucky Derby. It also has lots of history, great museums, and good food. 
Video by Through My Lens and found on YouTube

what's next on your bucket list?

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