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Why do you travel? To create core memories with your family, maybe, or to root down in a culture that’s totally distinct from your own and see the world through a different community’s eyes. Maybe it’s to have an adventure you’ve been dreaming of for years or to ditch adventure all together and let yourself be soothed by utter luxury. It might even be to pursue a hobby you’ve always loved or just discovered.
Whatever the reason, in 2024, luxury travel operator Carrier is putting together 50 trips to add to your 2024 wish list, each designed to go deeper and harness the power of travel to nurture the things that mean the most to us. Carrier knows that the real value of travel isn’t just in the places we visit: it’s in the people we meet. Forty years of operating among the best in the travel industry means Carrier can unlock access to some of the world’s most exceptional experiences and individuals – and it's these meaningful and personalised encounters that reinvigorate us. Looking ahead to this year’s travel adventures, the team at Carrier have set out five ideas to plant the seed in favour of living life to the fullest and getting more out of your travels in 2024.
The trend: passions and pursuits
Why it matters: prioritising our hobbies and chasing a good time are seeping into our travel plans.
The trips:
Chasing thrills and spills in the Sunshine State
So you think you know Florida? Yes, there are the theme parks – from Walt Disney World to Universal Studios – that will get hearts racing at your first stop, Orlando (all with VIP access, of course). Next stop: Palm Beach, for a taste of the high life. Finally, visit Bal Harbour to explore the area’s incredible wetlands and do as the Miami set do: while away the day on a private yacht.
Where rest and relaxation meets eco-endeavors
Gin-clear water, sand like talcum powder, not another soul in sight… the Maldives fantasy is much sought after for a reason. At InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, an IHG Hotel, set within its own natural lagoon, marine biologists run talks to educate water babies on the endangered manta rays as part of a partnership with the Manta Trust and an Ocean Conservation Programme that will leave you feeling inspired to protect our planet.
The trend: making it count
Why it matters: spending time with family, friends or a partner is more important than ever, so why not do it in a wonderful location?
The trips:
A cocktail of Caribbean islands
If you’re after a beachy backdrop for your next group trip, the Caribbean should be high on your list. Grenada is your first pit stop – this is a serious castaway destination, great for tuning out of everyday life and into the rhythms of your loved ones while being blissed out on the sand (or at Calabash Hotel). Afterwards, St Lucia – dominated by its craggy Piton peaks – is the Caribbean island for foodies. And what better way to strengthen family bonds than a trip to a working cacao farm?
Where rustic tradition meets experimental modern design
If holing up in one spot stress free is your MO, the handsome Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection in Greece is the place to do it. It feels more like a little Cretan village than a resort, stretching down the cliff front with restaurants, pools, a kids’ club, spa and private beach tucked within its winding reaches. Plus, there are hillside villas to call home for the week and a pool to take over entirely as your own.
The trend: dare to go big
Why it matters: go big or go home, so they say – these trips are once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list-worthy opportunities
The trips
There’s so much more to Fifth Avenue
If you want to be ahead of the curve when comparing travel notes with friends – or just like to be one of the first to check in to a gorgeous new hotel – the just-opened Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York should be on your radar. An intimate hotel dripping with Gilded Age glamour, all wrapped up in a 19th-century mansion, it’s the coolest spot to book right now.
Out-of-this-world special occasions
It doesn’t get much bigger than booking a trip to Necker Island, Richard Branson’s very own private island hideaway. Mr Branson, of course, hires out the island as an exclusive-use holiday destination for those seeking a serious getaway, there are 24 rooms so up to 48 adults can travel here together for a serious, larger-than-life celebration.
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The trend: seek out authenticity
Why it matters: it’s time to prioritise people – and wildlife – over places
The trips
We’d wager that most travel wish lists include a safari, but this one peeps above the rest. SkySafari’s eight-or 10-day itinerary guides you through the very best of Tanzania. First, a night among the trees at Tarangire, a national park, then time in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.
The legends about One&Only Le Saint Géran go back to the Mauritian hotel's opening in the 1970s. And travellers still return, year after year, not just to fly and flop but to really understand this gorgeous Indian Ocean island. Think cooking classes, tours of the local market and guided kayaking through mangroves to see the island’s prettiest landscapes putting on a show just for you.
The trend: embrace being pampered in privacy
Why it matters: true indulgence never goes out of style – and these ultra-luxe trips prove it
The trips
Southern Sicily's secluded postcode
Gnarly olive trees and scented orange blossoms give way to Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel in snoozy southwest Sicily. The Rocco Forte Spa might be the star of the show (for good reason – this is the place for a proper overhaul for those seeking to kickstart the new year), but there are also wine tastings and a cookery school.
A surprising sanctuary on Dubai’s Palm
Dubai may be the land of mega-skyscrapers and boozy brunches, but One&Only The Palm is a more understated affair. This might be Dubai’s most exclusive place to stay: for the palm-edged pool scene, the oodles of space, the on-hand butlers ready to move mountains to make your holiday as wonderful as can be. It’s all up for grabs.
With your holiday in the hands of Carrier, your next bucket-list trip is guaranteed to get you under the skin of your dream destination with itineraries planned by best-in-the-business experts who uncover the magic of a place by making them meaningful for you.
To find out about the holidays featured or to discover even more visit carrier.co.uk