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Travel Trends

London, July 2006. Travel experts at Opodo have identified the 'Top 10' up and coming travel destinations, as well as some interesting trend-based insights for travel in 2007.

Neil Mott, UK Country Manager at Opodo commented, "2006 has seen a strong rise in travel to Eastern European countries since whilst being accessible, they still hold a certain 'mystique' for the traveller. Bookings to Bulgaria have risen by 40% in the last 6 months and with the prospect of joining the EU in January '07, we expect to see a significant increase in the number of tourists heading there to take advantage of the euro. Russia will also continue to grow in popularity for those looking for their next Eastern European adventure, an insight which is apparent from the 24% increase in bookings so far this year."

"Morocco will also become one of the biggest tourist hotspots of 2007, with so many beautiful and affordable boutique-style hotels springing up. Flight prices have dropped dramatically and the country is much more accessible than before. It's a reasonably short flight and the country is so vastly different that tourists can quickly immerse themselves in another culture, something that is very appealing in this day and age. The stunning hotels and diverse people, combined with general easier access, mean that the country is now appealing to the cash rich and time poor."

Opodo is the only major European online travel provider who sells Cuba as a destination and has already monitored a steady growth in bookings over the past 6 months. The country's unique beauty will ensure that this rise continues into 2007, making Cuba an increasingly popular tourist destination.

With the forthcoming launch of the A380 looming, the capacity of tourists heading to Australia will rapidly increase and there will be fierce competition amongst airlines that travel to this country. This will naturally bring prices down and make Australia a more accessible holiday destination. Brazil has also seen some great publicity recently through its high-profile sporting hero's and the northern parts of Brazil still remain undiscovered and unspoilt, qualities that intrepid travellers are searching for.

Opodo also predicts that bookings to India will increase as the flight capacity grows and airlines offer lower, and more competitive, prices. The country will become popular as both a holiday and short break destination, as will Dubai - already proving to be a popular destination for the high-spending jet-setter.

Anticipation of the 2008 Olympics will draw tourists to China, while the impending 2010 FIFA World Cup will lead to higher awareness of South Africa, enhanced further by a particularly strong Pound against the Rand.

FULL TOP TEN HIT LIST FOR 2007:
1. Bulgaria
2. Russia
3. Morocco
4. Cuba
5. Australia
6. Brazil
7. India
8. Dubai
9. China
10. South Africa

www.opodo.co.uk, July 2006

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