Chris Bailey Blog – Where will your ‘why’ take you in 2018?

A new year and a whole new set of possibilities open up. There is, I’m told, a shift in people’s behaviour, away from accumulating things, and into expanding their life experiences. After all, if you’ve got a smart phone, you don’t necessarily need a smarter smart phone, whatever Apple might try to tell you.

So, what can I tempt you with in 2018? Our strap-line is “Everything starts with a conversation”. So let’s talk travel. Let’s start with the single most important question. What we refer to as “the why”?

“Why” is the beginning. Everything flows from this one crucial question. Is it a big birthday, an anniversary, or impending retirement? Have you just had a stressful year, or a massively successful 2017? Have you just met someone, or the person you’re with deserves a treat? Whatever your reason, that will influence everything else, so we always start there.

There are destinations around the world that deserve a visit sooner rather than later, for many different reasons. Some are environmental, some political, some just on the verge of being oversubscribed and some are about to change beyond recognition, and mostly not in a good way.

Take Cuba for example. This is a country that has existed in a bubble since the Revolution of 1958. Nothing went in and nothing very much came out for over 60 years. Hence, 1950’s cars still feature, and the whole place has a faded Spanish Colonial look that persists to this day. But that is now changing. The Americans are coming back, and the imminent arrival of Starbucks, Wal-Mart and McDonalds will alter the ambience and visual landscape forever. So go now, before that happens, before it’s too late.

It’s not all doom and gloom. For every destination under threat, there are hundreds more to experience. Try a river cruise in Europe, or a narrowboat around Cheshire. Spend a weekend in Barcelona or Prague. Head for the unspoilt beaches of the smaller Greek Islands, or people-watch from a café overlooking the Piazza Tasso in Sorrento, Italy.

My favourite? How about a cruise ship around the UK, taking me to places for the day that I would never think to visit otherwise? But that’s me. I’m more interested in you. What’s your “why”?