As we reach the end of 2019, Ewan McDonald calls in the experts for a look back at the destinations that defined the decade - and the ones expected to take off into 2020.
It's like a decades-long marriage: we love the other party, even though there are times when we can't stand the sight of them.
Kiwis can't get enough of Australia. The other Great Southern Land has been our favourite holiday destination since TEAL's flying-boats first crossed the Tasman.
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House of Travel stats show that in 2013, 33 per cent of all overseas trips were to Australia. Last year 29 per cent of trips booked through its agents were over the ditch.
When we researched where Kiwis have been flying in the past 10 years, what destinations have grown - and where are we not going anymore – the data might surprise. Or not.
Fiji is the big winner. No 4 in 2013, it's now the second most attractive destination for HOT customers after Australia, an 80 per cent increase.
The US and UK are 3 and 4, with the US claiming 17 per cent growth but – we're cutting the apron-strings – Mother England has not seen "any significant growth" since 2013. Bugger Brexit: European nations like Greece, Croatia, Portugal and Hungary have come onto travellers' radar.
The Cook Islands are a steady fifth but with a whopping 20 per cent growth.
David Coombes, managing director of Flight Centre NZ, also shoulder taps the Gold Coast and Pacific Islands, noting these are ingrained in Kiwi family tradition for an affordable winter escape.
"Hawai'i has absolutely boomed over the past 10 years, with more direct routes than ever. Bali has become an unbeatable destination over the past decade, with a notable spike over the past three to five years. Thailand was the spot for the South East Asia experience, but over recent years Instagram feeds are filled with Bali, and there is no sign of this dying down."
Coombes says London has been the No 1 long-haul destination for 2019, "and the main reason for that is that it still serves as the main port to Europe. In saying that, Rome, Amsterdam, and Paris are on the rise as starting points for a European getaway."
Those thoughts are echoed at helloworld Travel, where Australia and the South Pacific are still favourites. "We have also seen amazing growth over the last 10 years in the Cook Islands, Hawai'i, Bali, Samoa and Vietnam. Travel options from New Zealand to Europe have never been better and this has seen numbers growing exponentially," says their spokesperson.
Crushing your image of Kiwi travellers as backpackin', bush-bashin', bike-ridin', kayak-paddlin' adventurers?
Sarah Clark, Intrepid Travel's Australia-NZ managing director, would beg to differ. "Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Peru and Morocco were consistent destinations for Kiwis travelling in the last five years with Intrepid.
"Turkey, Botswana, Rwanda and Jordan are becoming more popular as we look ahead to 2020, showing that Kiwis are looking for off the beaten path, culturally immersive travel experiences."
Caryn Young of Adventure World Travel has a similar worldview. "Travel to South Africa grew significantly in the last decade, partly due to unrest in other parts of the world and the strength of the Kiwi dollar as compared to the rand, which attracted travellers who possibly would have otherwise travelled to Europe.
"South America was truly opened up by Air New Zealand as they started to fly into Argentina as a renewed gateway city.
"The Arctic and the Antarctic have surged in popularity, perhaps as people have finally realised that places like this aren't going to be around for long, due to the current rate of global warming."
Contiki's Louise Levesque also sees a shift in travel styles, particularly among younger people.
"Ten years ago we saw young people taking one big multi-country OE to Europe and then getting on with 'real life'. But now - due to better flight options and pricing - young New Zealanders may go just to Portugal, knowing that in two years' time they may go to Spain, or 'do' the UK at another time in their life.
"We've seen a big shift in the way that young people want to travel. They want to stay at unique accommodation and boutique hotels with a truly local feel, to the point that we have now removed traditional camping from our itineraries."
Trafalgar's Scott Cleaver goes further. "Not only have we seen the emergence of eco-conscious travellers making better decisions on how and which companies they choose to travel with, but people are looking to truly engage with local people in destinations that aren't overrun with tourists.
"Kiwis tend to be savvy travellers and know that they can get a more enriching experience by travelling to spots of 'under-tourism' that benefit both the visitor and visited, and at off-peak times which is more sustainable for the small communities you visit."
You only have to take a look at a Trafalgar brochure from 10 years ago, he says. "Holidays are now regionally focused with a focus on personal experiences with local people, instead of ticking off a list of sightseeing."
Responsibility, too. "Travel has just exploded in the last 10 years. It used to be for a select group of people but now anybody can quench their thirst for seeing all the places we're bombarded with images of everyday. But with this privilege comes the responsibility to tread lightly on the people, wildlife and places that we visit."
So, where's the biggest loser over the past decade? House of Travel data shows it's that little dot on the map called Norfolk Island. Perhaps they might want to reconsider that petition asking to become part of New Zealand.
CRUISING
It's the biggest change in our travel habits over the past decade. New Zealanders are taking to ocean cruising faster than any other country.
Last year 112,000 Kiwis took to the high seas, the first time numbers passed 100,000, according to the CLIA global industry body.
That's the equivalent of 2.5 per cent of the country's population, and a 14.6 per cent increase on the previous year, well ahead of the US (9.4 per cent) and Europe (3.3 per cent).
Over the past decade our passenger growth has averaged 13.5 per cent each year.
Europe/Mediterranean was the most popular long-haul destination for Kiwi cruisers (12.1 per cent), followed by North America/Caribbean/Hawaii (10.6 per cent) and Asia (4.7 per cent).
Just on 27,000 Kiwis cruised local waters last year, up 18.1 per cent on the previous year.
The average age of the Kiwi passenger is 51, with around 60 per cent under 60.
The most popular cruise was eight to 13 days, attracting 46 per cent of cruisers.
The cruise sector represents about 2 per cent of global travel and is growing 6.7 per cent a year, higher than the global 6 per cent growth of tourism.
20 PLACES TO GO IN 2020
Our experts' picks for some of the countries and regions to watch – and add to your travel wish list – in 2020 (in alphabetical order)
1. Botswana
2. Caribbean
3. Colombia
4. Egypt
5. Fiji
6. Italy
7. Japan
8. Jordan
9. Mexico
10. New Caledonia
11. Northern Ireland
12. Patagonia
13. Philippines
14. Polar regions
15. Rwanda
16. Scandinavia
17. Seoul
18. Sri Lanka
19. Turkey
20. USA
