Corona has turned many people's travel plans upside down this year. Travel behavior and the way people travel have also changed significantly - outdoor activities, trips in one's own country and a lot of distance are now at the top of the popularity scale. With the help of numerous data analyses and comprehensive trend monitoring, the adventure travel specialist Ameropa has identified the five types of travel that will experience the strongest demand and will therefore be the trend in 2021.

Railway hiking

Combining fantastic hiking tours with the comfort of a train journey? It's possible - with the new trend "rail hiking". Holidaymakers can experience Europe's most beautiful panoramas both on rails and from the mountain summit. The routes can be planned in such a way that there is always enough time for extensive breaks. Meanwhile, the luggage is transported for the hikers, so that they can enjoy nature carefree. Ameropa now offers 15 different tours, for example to the north of Sweden. From Östersund, the Swedish inland railway takes you leisurely to Lapland. If a reindeer is in sight, the train stops so that passengers can take photos at their leisure. Among other things, unique hikes through the Abisko National Park await the travellers - away from any crowds, of course. All those who dream of a pilgrimage on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela now benefit from the highest level of comfort. For recently there is the possibility to stay overnight in a rolling hotel, the special train Expreso de la Robla, which also transports the luggage and serves as a restaurant. Rail hiking is also a truly sustainable trend and protects the environment.

Luxury Train Travel

Lots of privacy, few passengers and exceptional service: hardly any other trend reflects travel needs better in the coming year than a trip on a luxury train. Because a train journey is about much more than just getting from A to B - the journey itself is the experience. This is all the more true for a luxury train journey. The advantage: the exclusive setting on board guarantees that safety and hygiene rules are adhered to. Once built for the English royal family for journeys from Calais to the Côte d'Azur, the luxury train El Tren Al Andalus, for example, now makes its way through the Spanish countryside from Seville via Granada to Córdoba. Next year, there will even be a new route as far as Portugal. In 2021, travellers will be able to fulfil a real lifelong dream with a trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The rolling legend with its exquisite furnishings and historic charm will take passengers from Berlin via Paris to London. Attentive cabin stewards look after the well-being of the guests. The lavishly restored Rovos Rail nostalgia train travels through five countries on its 6,100-kilometre journey from Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam. The open lounge car with panoramic windows and viewing platform at the end of the train turns the journey into a safari on rails, providing a view of giraffes, antelopes and elephants. For those who long for slow travel, a trip on the "world's slowest express train", the Glacier Express, is worthwhile. The new Excellence Class offers top-class service. A concierge looks after the well-being of the maximum of 20 passengers. The comfortable lounge seating with guaranteed window seat for every passenger offers an unrestricted view of the spectacular Swiss mountains.

Time out from the city

On a city trip, the short stay is usually only enough for the most important sights in the center - there is rarely enough time to look at the surrounding area. In 2021 in particular, it makes sense to take a "time out" from the crowded city on your next city trip. Holidaymakers therefore only use the city for an overnight stay and prefer to explore the nearby nature.

Cycling holidays

Cycling holidays have already experienced an enormous upswing this year - and the trend will continue in 2021. Newcomers to cycling in particular are getting on the saddle to explore the varied landscape of their own home country. The big advantage: you don't even need your own bike, you can simply rent one. For all those who are drawn beyond the borders, a bike tour from Bolzano to Venice is a good idea. In just eight days you can cycle from the Dolomites to Lake Garda and on to the sea. The cities of Verona, Vicenza and Padua are also on the route.

Small town instead of metropolis

They will definitely be among the winners of the 2021 travel year: Small towns. Because in times of distance, nothing is more trendy than getting away from the hustle and bustle and the familiar tourist paths. If you want to walk in the footsteps of German culture in 2021, Weimar is the place to be. The list of German artists who lived and worked in Weimar is long. Today, for example, you can still visit the two residences of Goethe and Schiller, which house museums. Also worth seeing: the extraordinary Bauhaus architecture.

Picture credits: Archive HSB/ Dirk Bahnsen, Ameropa (3), Pixabay: Felix Mittermeier, lapping