With Christmas now a distant memory for most of us, now is the time for daydreaming about summer getaways and leisurely staycations.
But what are the main travel trends for this year? While no one would turn their noses up at a few days in Spain or Greece, there's endless kinds of trips out there for the taking if you're looking to try something new.
There are also new airline routes, offering travelers even more destinations to visit.
Travel writer Thom Breathnach joined Drivetime to share his pick of holiday inspiration for this year, from active trips to a glamorous spin on 'nomad' travel. Listen back to the full interview above.
Runcations and Hyrox holidays
If you're eager to get on top of your fitness goals this year, an active holiday might look pretty attractive at this time of year, but Breathnach says that trips that combine activity with relaxation have been booming in recent months.
Destination marathons, half marathons and 10ks are exceedingly popular, in addition to scenic hikes. But Breathnach says that Hyrox - the indoor tournament events that have taken off on social media - are also giving travellers something to plan a trip around. "People are simply not partying as much anymore", Breathnach explains.
Quiet-cations and hush-pitality
With wellness still a key priority for many people, holidaymakers are looking for new spins on the wellness break, with even more focus on detoxing and unwinding. "We've heard about digital detoxes for a few years now but with the barrage of news and social media, people aren't actually posting on social media anymore", Breathnach says.
"People want those kind of unplugged getaways in the wilderness where they can just switch off." Ireland has drilled down into the 'cosy-cation' aesthetic, he adds, with comforting facilities, self-catering properties and enjoying the natural world.
New routes
A new route brings with it a flurry of excitment, but two new routes? We're spoilt for choice.
Aer Lingus has launched two new transatlantic routes this year, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and to Raleigh, North Carolina, as part of its plan to turn Dublin into a transatlantic hub for fliers. Breathnach adds that Ireland now has more transatlantic flights than any other nation in Europe, per capita. Dublin Airport is also running new flights to Albania for 2026.
Shannon Airport is offering new routes to Rome and Madrid while Cork is offering flights to Nice and Santiago. Belfast is also running new flights to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
Fabulous Fermanagh
If it's more exploring around Ireland you're looking for, there's no better place to start this year than in Fermanagh, which has become the first of the six Northern counties to be incorporated into Fáilte Ireland's Hidden Heartlands network.
With scenic lakes dotted across the county, it's an ideal spot for nature lovers. "I'm often surprised at the amount of people from the Republic who've not been to the North", Breathnach says. "Fermanagh might be an easy opener there."
It's also notable for a number of excellent hotels, such as Lust Beg Resort, the 5-star Lough Erne Resort and Finn Lough, renowned for its Bubble Dome accommodation.
Gaeilge getaways
As many of us rediscovered a love for Gaeilge last year, this has carried over into an appreciation for the Gaeltacht regions, with travellers wanting to immerse themselves in communities rich in language and culture, Breathnach says.
"I've seen so much of a revival in the language in the last year, it feels like it's going month to month", he says. "There's such a demand now to speak the language and to have an opportunity [to speak it]."
He flags that certain Gaeltacht courses are only open for a few weeks, giving travellers a limited window of time to book, but plenty of planning can go a long way.
Some areas Breathnach shouted out include Oideas Gael in Donegal, Daingean Uí Chúis in Kerry and Inis Meáin in Connemara.
