Uncertainty and innovation in travel marked 2016. The roller-coaster year saw travel impacted by the spread of Zika, terrorism, political uncertainties, large industry acquisitions and partnerships, as well as rapidly evolving trends such as wellness tourism, experience-focused travel and the rise of direct booking and online travel agencies.

The travel industry is constantly evolving, shifting gears from one week, one month, one year to the next to meet ever-changing demands and adapting to global changes, and 2017 will be no exception.

The GO Group, LLC, which provides ground transportation at more than 90 airports, found in a survey 15 per cent of travellers plan to travel more frequently for business in 2017 and 21 per cent plan to travel more for leisure compared to 2016, despite the volatility the year brought.

“An increase greater than 15 percent, whether for business or leisure travel, is significant,” says John McCarthy, president, GO Airport Express and The GO Group. “The tourism and travel industry is an important part of the U.S. and world economies, so this is really positive news.”

Booking.com also shared major travel trend predictions for 2017 after conducting a survey of more than 13,000 travellers. According to Booking.com, there will likely be a continued demand for instant gratification in the form of mobile offerings such as direct bookings and check-ins, as well as constant connectedness with apps and WiFi. While technology in the travel industry will continue to advance, it is also predicted 2017 will see travellers who want more human-to-human interaction; 42 per cent of travellers say they wouldn’t stay in an accommodation without friendly staff.

The year 2017 is expected to see a rise in exploration travel, as people grow more interested in discovering the undiscovered. Booking.com found 45 per cent of travellers plan to be more adventurous in their choice of destination in the New Year. Similarly, 58 per cent of travellers plan to prioritize spending on unique experiences and adventure, rather than material goods while on vacation.

The bleisure boom of 2016 is expected to continue into the New Year, as 49 per cent of business travellers already extend business trips to enjoy their destination and 75 per cent intend to do the same or more in the coming year. The New Year will also see more people travelling for mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Forty-four per cent of people surveyed are interested in spa and relaxation travel and 38 per cent in a health and wellbeing travel experience. Recent years have seen an increasing number of people taking advantage of vacation time, and 51 per cent of people intend to take more of their annual leave in the coming year than in 2016.

More than ever, people make travel choices based on eco-friendly offerings — 2017 will likely see continued interest in sustainable travel, with an increasing trend in travellers looking for environmentally conscious accommodations and travel options.

Booking.com’s final prediction for travel in 2017 based on its survey sees a continued interest and pursuit of untraditional travel. Forty-four per cent of people see a future where we’ll be travelling beyond our known world, as we gain increasing access to some of the most remote places in the world. Innovations such as NASA’s supersonic passenger aircraft will allow for faster, greener and quieter air travel, and Tesla’s autopilot-enabled vehicle, scheduled to drive unoccupied from Los Angeles to New York in 2017, is providing more exciting options for unconventional travel.

Tell us about your travel experiences in 2016. Do you plan to travel more in 2017? What travel industry trends are you most looking forward to in the New Year? Email us and let us know. Please include your full name and location with your email.