The buzzwords for travellers in 2009 are "green", "lean" and "smart".

Ecotourism booms

Holidaymakers are increasingly conscious about the environmental impact of their vacations, both in terms of the destinations they choose and how they get there. Today's top green hotels do more than just provide a water-saving laundry programme.

They place a premium on energy efficiency, offer organic food and drinks and recycle their waste.

Ever-growing numbers of tourists are offsetting the climate impact of their holiday flights by buying carbon credits from organisations that invest in tree-planting and renewable energy projects.

South Africans are blessed with a wide variety of planet-friendly travel options and are expected to spend more time in our beautiful national parks and game reserves.

Outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking, wildlife trekking and authentic bush experiences in luxurious tented camps are at the top of the list for local vacation trends.

Online booking

Booking an all-inclusive holiday online is one of the smartest vacation tips this season. Choose from a wide array of packages specially designed to suit your needs and save yourself the trouble of having to organize everything from flights, car rentals, accommodation, entertainment and childcare yourself.

You'll also save on travel agent fees and will be able to take advantage of a range of discounts and special offers.

The Staycation

In the current financial climate there's no shame in spending your vacation at home and exploring your own backyard - an increasing number of people around the world are doing just that.

You'll be surprised how much there is to do within easy daytrip-range.

Investigate places of historical interest, visit local museums, galleries and botanical gardens, discover exciting new restaurants and take in the latest show at the theatre.

Boutique-style accommodation

If you're one of the growing number of tourists who dislikes the impersonal holiday-factory atmosphere of large hotels, but can't stand the in-your-face familiarity of many B&Bs, the Boutique Hotel is for you.

Stylish, comfortable and intimate and with an emphasis on excellent service and privacy, expect more and more of these establishments to pop up in many popular holiday spots.

Travel cheap, stay smart

For those holidays when the actual travel bit is circumstantial and the real experience is at the destination itself, the trend among savvy travelers is to save money by choosing cheap flights and low-end rental cars and to spend more on top-class accommodation.

Group holidays

Renting a beach house or a mansion in the mountains all by yourself may be permanently beyond your budget, but sharing the costs between two or three families makes it an increasingly attractive option for many.

A variation on the group holiday theme is the "mancation" - the all-male-bonding vacation package for you and your mates.

Think weekend poker extravaganzas, group golfing or fishing trips or once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimages to an F1 Grand Prix or the Champion's League final.

Top destinations

For South Africans Zambia is fast becoming a new regional holiday Mecca - sunny, friendly, affordable and save, the country offers an exciting bouquet of world-class bush and wildlife options as well as the astonishing Victoria Falls.

In addition, Mozambique, Botswana and Mauritius are slated to remain very popular with local travelers. Within South Africa itself, the Garden Route and Cape Town, the Drakensberg, the Kruger National Park and the Eastern Cape's Malaria-free nature reserves are the places to be seen.

Internationally, the 2009 hotspots include Sardinia, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands, Cambodia, Zanzibar and Vietnam.

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