December 28, 2023 | View Online | Sign Up
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This week, between Christmas and the New Year, really tests my family members' patience with each other. It’s as if we save all our useless arguments for this week—usually over made-up board game rules, hypotheticals, and missing puzzle pieces (the dog likely ate it). Then, we mend fences over a cooked meal because nothing says reconciliation like a food-induced truce.
In today’s edition:
Kayak’s travel trend predictions for next year
Take your dollar far in these cheap travel destinations
Mexico's new train on the Yucatan Peninsula
Anyone else? Lol,
Kaylen
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| TRAVEL TRENDS
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Kayak’s 2024 Travel Trend Predictions
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With every new year comes predictions on how the year will play out, and I am that person to keep tabs and check back at the end of the year to see if they've come true. Kayak recently published its 2024 travel trends report, and here is what we can expect!
2024 travel trends
🇯🇵 Asia will be a hotspot with cities like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Osaka dominating your TikTok #ForYouPage.
🌍 Africa is heating up as a popular destination, claiming the third spot on KAYAK's Top 100 Trending Destinations list.
💻 The golden window for international travel is booking eight months in advance. Travelers can plan their 2024 trips and currently save 8-18%.
🇺🇸 Domestic travel will be cheaper with 16% lower airfares in 2024 than in 2023, meaning it will cost $461 on average to fly domestically, and 10% more to fly internationally.
💺 Economy seats are losing favor with travelers who are opting for more comfort. Premium economy and business class are expected to gain popularity for 2024 travel.
✈️ Hidden travel gems will have incredible deals like the Galapagos Islands (22% airfare decrease), Mendoza, Argentina (20% decrease), Tromsø, Norway (17% decrease), and Punta Arenas, Chile (16% decrease).
🎄 December will be an expensive month of travel. It’s probably best to avoid travel during this month, as it's expected to be busy again with many traveling home for the holidays or taking their holiday vacation abroad, and flight costs will be hefty.
"New year, new you, same wanderlust" is the motto of this new year, and this is a forewarning to all of our wallets!
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| BUDGET TRAVEL
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Cheap Destinations to Travel to in 2024
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I know your eyes probably got wide when you read ✨cheap✨, and I don’t blame you. This holiday season, as always, left many of us financially swiped, and while the desire to travel remains strong, budgeting is a must. Fortunately, there are budget-friendly destinations that could spark the motivation to save what remains, treat yourself a little, and make your dollar stretch.
Cheap travel destinations
🇦🇱 Albania: 1 USD = 93.95 ALL
🇧🇷 Brazil: 1 USD = 4.94 BRL
🇨🇷 Costa Rica: 1 USD = 525.96 CRC
🇪🇬 Egypt: 1 USD = 30.93 EGP
🇮🇳 India: 1 USD = 83.04 INR
🇮🇩 Indonesia: 1 USD = 15,556.65 IDR
🇲🇽 Mexico: 1 USD = 17.22 MXN
🇵🇭 Philippines: 1 USD = 55.89 PHP
🇿🇦 South Africa: 1 USD = 18.30 ZAR
🇰🇷 South Korea: 1 USD = 1,301.45 KRW
Other destinations include Hungary, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Macedonia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. Check out the full list of countries here with exchange rates to map out your 2024 travel itinerary!
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| TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
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Jet Lag is a Choice
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| TRANSPORTATION
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Credit: Tren Maya
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Mexico's New Train Targets Cancun Tourists: What to Know
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Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is undergoing a modern transformation to expand tourism and boost the economy in less developed states with El Tren Maya (the Mayan Train), a new $20-billion rail connecting numerous must-see attractions beyond Cancun.
🚂 Tren Maya routes
The railway, partially opened this month, is scheduled for full operation in February 2024, with 42 trains stopping at 34 stations throughout southeast Mexico, covering 904 miles, and linking Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Yucatán.
One-third of the track is completed, and the remaining portions of the route will be finished in stages. The inaugural run from San Francisco de Campeche to Cancún, passing through Yucatán, opened on December 15, and Tabasco to Palenque in Chiapas is set to open on December 31. Sections five (Cancún to Tulum), six (Tulum to Bacalar), and seven (Bacalar to Escárcega in Campeche) are scheduled for 2024.
🇲🇽 What does this mean for travelers?
The project involves building hotels for accessibility near major archaeological sites along the train's route, including Chichen Itza, Tulum, Edzná, and Palenque. Passengers can choose from three service options: Xiinbal trains for standard short-distance services, Janal trains offering local cuisine on medium and long-distance routes, and P'atal trains that provide long-distance sleeper services.
Once the rail service is fully operational, trains will run every two hours. Tickets will be released daily on the website and at the Teya Mérida train station in Mérida for purchase. Tourist class tickets from Cancún to Merida cost around $68.
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| ELEVATE YOUR TRAVEL STYLE
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Standing before your closet and contemplating what to pack is a dilemma that resonates with many—needlessly consuming valuable time. Regardless of your travel approach, Fresh Clean Threads‘ versatile essential tees not only complement every ensemble but prioritize comfort and long-lasting wear. Say goodbye to the burden of overthinking what to bring and what to leave behind.
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