The 12 Next Big Things in travel 2015

The results of our People’s Choice Awards told us that there are two destinations where Australians really, truly want to be in 2015 (see below), but what comes next? First we hear from you and then Australian Traveller’s editor Georgia Rickard tells you the trends and experiences that she says will affect the way you travel in 2015.

What you want to see in 2015…

Dream experience in 2015: Watching the sun set at Uluru
With the sun slowly retreating below the Northern Territory’s outback horizon, painting the blue sky in shades of ochre, crimson and violet – and arguably Australia’s most iconic landmark Uluru dominating your vision – it’s easy to understand why this was voted number-one dream experience for 2015. Watching this spectacle unfold before your eyes literally feels like you’ve stepped into a dream. Hot tip, book in for the Sounds of Silence dinner at Ayers Rock Resort for $195 per person and enjoy three courses of finely cooked bush tucker as you drink in the spectacle.

Runners Up: 2. Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, Qld 3. Swimming with Ningaloo’s whale sharks, WA 4. Cruising the Kimberley, WA 5. Doing the Top End, NT

Dream destination in 2015: Tasmania
The Bay of Fires, Wineglass Bay, Tamar Valley, Sapphire Freycinet, Cradle Mountain. Just a few reasons why our most southern isle is running through our heads as we drift into dreamland (and we haven’t even mentioned the cities yet). Tasmania has been riding the wave of popularity for the better part of the decade, and with Lonely Planet placing the island number-four on its top 10 destination list for 2015, not to mention Saffire Freycinet’s recent ‘best boutique hotel in the world’ gong, the spotlight won’t be wavering any time soon. Our must-sees in 2015, include the new Pumphouse Point hotel, the four-day ‘Wineglass Bay Sail Walk’ (in the area pictured here), the gourmet delights of Huon Valley and Bruny Island, and, of course, whatever MONA’s doing.

Runners-up: 2. Uluru, NT 3. The Kimberley,WA 4. Kakadu, NT 5.Cape York, Qld 6. The Whitsundays, Qld

Where we think you may end up…

The Gourmet bike trip
We’re all across the gourmet holiday – but what happens when you combine culinary indulgence with a guided walking trip, or high-end cycling tour? These best-of-both-worlds luxury holidays have seen enormous growth in recent years, particularly with the establishment of the Great Walks of Australia and its eight experiences, and now cycling is set to explode in a mainstream way. We’re quite pleased about this – particularly having recently experienced the ‘cycle-thru’ burrito bar and café, along the insanely enjoyable Pedal to Produce cycle route inVictoria’s High Country. Prepare the padded shorts strut.

Themed Glamping
Starry skies and fluffy beds, ‘glamping’, AKA glamorous camping, offers the best of both worlds and don’t Australians know it: the number of glampsites that popped up in 2014 alone has been staggering. From here, we’ll see glamping diversify into specific sub-categories: affordable (think Sydney’s Cockatoo Island); wilderness (Ikara Safari Camp in the Flinders Ranges); indigenous (the Kimberley’s Kooljaman in Cape Leveque), and luxury (possibly best summarised by Longitude 131 at Uluru, or the Maria Island Walk, which mixes back-to-basics wilderness with fine wine, chef-cooked meals and tent-style accommodation).

Rooms with personality
Actually, there is one more glamping category: quirky glamping. From sleeping in a tee pee to staying in a pop-up tent city (check out Daylesford’s ‘Cosy Tents’), we’re lapping up anything offbeat these days, and not just in the glamping arena, either. The success story of whimsical-luxe QT Hotels has proven that there’s a genuine market for luxury travel with a difference. Indeed ‘hotels with quirks’ are taking off in all sectors of the market: Brisbane’s Limes Hotel has a hand-painted feature wall in each room; suites at Adelaide’s Majestic Minima contain unique street art; the entire Art Series Hotel Group is a movement unto itself and even traditional chains are in on the act, with crazy-cool restaurants, pop-up bars and temporary art installations. Next up: individually-styled suites with their own cult followings, and exclusive mini hotels within hotels (think the Club Lounge level on steroids).

Super luxury
Fact: the body lotion in suites at Saffire Freycinet is blue because it contains crushed sapphires. Erstwhile at Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, each of the rooms comes with its own lap pool. These days, personal butlers, individualised menus and money-can’t-buy-experiences are all on offer atAustralia’s best retreats, and this is just the beginning. With more big-hitting international players entering the Australian market (like One&Only Hayman Island) and a customer base of increasingly sophisticated Australians, super luxury will put average five-measly-star hotels to shame. For those who can afford it, that is.

The road trip
Forget flying: the road trip is having a moment. It’s part of the ‘slow travel’ movement which, just like the slow food movement before it, is a response to the mindlessness of today’s travel culture – a backlash against mass-produced resorts, holiday McMeals, erosion of local culture and the plane trips that take you from A to B without any contextual appreciation. This kind of road tripping isn’t about burning down the freeway, though: it’s about taking the back roads. Stopping at that small village. Striking up conversations. And celebrating the uncomplicated pleasures that made you want to travel in the first place. We’re all for it.

Escapes that enrich us
In keeping with the revival of the road trip, we’re also seeking out experiences that have depth and meaning beyond some good weather and a nice pool. Top of the list are authentic indigenous experiences, educational pilgrimages to sites of environmental significance and guided tours that involve historical learnings, but this movement encompasses any travel experiences that enrich our lives, which means cooking classes, detox retreats and holidays including yoga, surfing, writing, pottery-making are all hot stuff, too.

Tech-driven travel
Take a virtual tour of your hotel room using your Google Glasses. Check in with your Apple Watch, then download the appropriate app and use your watch as your room key. Upload a flattering snap of your stay to social media and nab a discount on the room. Indeed, all things social will continue to drive travel trends – take Airbnb.com, for example, which has spawned dozens of variations including Homestay.com, which allows holiday-makers to rent a room short-term, and Eatwith.com, which allows travellers to have dinner at locals’ homes.

Air safaris
Helicopter safaris, chartered private planes, joy rides and the interstate dash – as air travel becomes cheaper and more ubiquitous, everything from scenic flights to month-long laps of the nation (AKA the ‘air safari’) are set to increase in popularity. We’d say the days when personal helicopters become common aren’t far away, either.

Wildly remote hideaways
Remote wilderness experiences are becoming more popular, and though costs of operation and sheer demand mean prices will remain prohibitively high for the majority of our population, we can expect to see more tourism products pop up in remote locations, like Tasmania’s new Pumphouse Point. On a mainstream level, expect a continued rise in localised wilderness tourism – a camping/caravan renaissance, more wildlife activities including interaction with animals (think swimming with whales, sharks etc) and a return to ‘off-the-grid’ holidays (basic accommodation or reception-free or electricity-free destinations). We won’t go so far as to say that coastal holidays have become passé, but we will suggest that, in the twin rushes to retreat from crowds and seek out new experiences, Australians are more likely to consider travelling inward these days. Hello, regional towns…

Australian cruise routes
Love it or hate it, cruising is full steam ahead in Australia – and we’re getting on board. If you hate the very idea of a big liner (we can’t understand why…), look past them – there’s a surprising array of experiences out there that just can’t be replicated on land, and many are genuinely excellent. Jump on a barge to the tropical Torres Strait Islands, board an expedition ship around the Kimberley, chase minke whales along the northern Great Barrier Reef, or board one of the boutique cruise liners, which have a much higher focus on bespoke experiences (with less people). But more on that in the next issue, maybe – for now, we think you’ve got your hands full.

Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

Sydney City is magical in summer. Warm summer evenings beg to be spent sipping cool cocktails at one of many al fresco and rooftop bars. Ferries and buses are ready to transport travellers to the best nearby beaches for salty days on the sand. National parks and rainforests are waiting to be explored. And the city’s events calendar is packed, from live music to cultural attractions. All elements that call for a Sydney staycation.

Discover where to eat, stay and play for the perfect local getaway.

Where to stay

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

Amid the bustle of the perfect Sydney staycation, one needs a place to escape to and recharge. Enter, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney . The hotel is an icon in its own right – nestled inside the 151-year-old building that was originally Sydney’s General Post Office, its heritage-listed sandstone walls and Victorian renaissance grandeur have been carefully preserved – providing a rare chance to sleep within Sydney’s history.

Despite its fascinating history, the hotel isn’t short on modern, luxurious comforts. Rooms and suites are available in both the modern high-rise with gorgeous views over the clock tower and lively city below, or inside the historical post office building itself.

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney Heritage Long Suite bathroom — Heritage rooms maintain their old-world style.

Either way, guests can enjoy sophisticated touches, including a deluxe bed and pillow menu, Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers, a digital concierge, a Vittoria coffee machine and amenities from the Balmain bathroom collection.

The team at this five-star hotel provides excellence and a quality experience for all their guests, while amenities like a gym help with a well-rounded stay. For a peaceful moment with sweeping city views, enter The Fullerton Club Lounge on level 28. This private haven for dining and relaxation is available to any guests staying on the hotel’s club floors and suites.

Add to this a central location in the CBD’s Martin Place, with easy access to Sydney’s top attractions, and convenience meets style.

Where to drink & dine

1. The Bar

the Fullerton Hotel afternoon tea at the bar — Indulge in the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

Inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s lobby, The Bar does more than sling a few delicious cocktails (although it certainly does that well). Its brown leather chairs and glass ceiling create the perfect, almost al fresco, setting for the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea .

Served daily from 12 to 4 pm, the afternoon tea is a nod to the cherished social occasion it once was during the Victorian Renaissance era. People like to dress up for this afternoon tea, and if you’re lucky, a pianist often sits down at the on-site grand piano, just adding to the elegance.

The afternoon tea is served high tea style, offering reimagined British flavours of the Victorian Renaissance era with a unique blend of Australia’s culinary heritage. A sweet layer offers delights like a Malted Milk Envelope (a milk mousse layered between two biscuits), Bakewell Pudding (a super tasty egg-based pudding), and Apple Charlotte.

On the savoury layer, expect finger sandwiches with fillings like cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. While classic pinwheels and stuffed eggs almost make the menu. And, of course, all finished off with traditional scones served with cream and mixed berry jam.

Can’t fit in a whole afternoon tea? Be sure to at least order a slice of the 32-layered chocolate cake, a decadent mix of dark chocolate crémeux, fresh whipped cream, and Valrhona Azélia chocolate sauce. ⁣

2. The Place

the Fullerton Hotel the place dining — Dine in the stunning GPO atrium.

On level one of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney lives The Place – the hotel’s restaurant, in an atrium overlooking the former GPO. Here, dine on Modern Australian cuisine – think fresh, local seafood and a Riverina steak sandwich – along with a touch of Singaporean signature dishes, like Thai-style green curry or chicken satay. All in the shadow of the GPO clock tower, enjoying the GPO atrium’s natural light.

3. Local gelato

Couple enjoying ice-creams at First Fleet Park, The Rocks — Enjoy ice cream in the sunshine. (Image: Destination NSW)

What is summer without ice cream and/or gelato? Luckily, there are plenty of options just a short walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, whether you’re craving a midday pick-me-up or an after-sun treat.

What to do/see

1. GPO Heritage Tour

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney lobby — Be awed by the building’s history.

Want to know more about the building you’re staying in? The Fullerton Hotel Sydney offers a complimentary 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Follow a knowledgeable tour guide to discover the stories, tales and legends of the former Sydney General Post Office building.

From the iconic clock tower (completed in 1891) to the black-and-white tiled staircase at 1 Martin Place, which was once the main entrance to the GPO and today serves as a prominent feature of the building to the 24 stone faces (mascarons) on the Martin Place side of the building. Part of the 1880s-era facade (designed by architect James Barnet), each represents different states, countries and continents.

2. Circular Quay

aerial of circular quay sydney — Catch a ferry from Circular Quay. (Image: Destination NSW)

An easy walk or light rail ride away from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, lies the bustling Circular Quay. Here, you can sit for a drink and nibbles at the Opera Bar, or head into the iconic house itself for a show. It’s also a major ferry port, becoming your gateway to Sydney’s beaches, Luna Park and even Sydney Zoo.

3. Royal Botanic Gardens

view of circular quay from Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden — Wander through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

Just beyond Circular Quay, discover Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Wander through this 30-hectare, heritage-listed, botanical garden – exploring its differing sections, from Australian native botanicals to garden beds of vibrant flowers to towering groves of international trees.

It’s also the perfect place for a picnic, so pick up supplies before you come and enjoy a spot on the grassy meadow looking out into the harbour.

4. Theatre Royal

Just a one-minute walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, take in a show at Theatre Royal. Built in 1976, the theatre has been offering a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. Expect a show roster that ranges from the classics (like Cats) to the modern) like Pretty Woman: The Musical).

Start planning a summer stay in Sydney worth remembering at fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-sydney.