As we approach the end of another year, many travel organisations and booking engines are releasing their stats on 2012 travel trends, to give us all an idea of what we have been missing out on over the last twelve months.

While each survey reveals different opinions and results, many popular destinations and holiday trends appear on all the lists, and we have picked out a few of our own favourites to share with you on this wintry December afternoon:

London – City Breaks

It seems the Queens Diamond Jubilee, the London 2012 Olympics and the Paralympics all had the desired effect, and London enjoyed a bumper holiday season from April right they way through until October.  A brilliant city to visit (yes, I am a little biased!), London is full of exciting shopping locations, luxury hotels, and has all the sightseeing attractions one could possibly wish for, and with Wills and Kate announcing they are to have a baby, it looks as though London will continue to remain in the spotlight right through 2013.

Adventure and Activity Holidays

Activity and adventure travel has most certainly been a popular travel trend in 2012, and as we climbed Kilimanjaro, we can definitely cross this one of our own list!  From trekking with gorillas in Uganda to bear watching in Alaska, there is something to suit every taste in this popular travel sector.

Connoisseur and Epicurean Travel

Gourmet cooking holidays have been massive in 2012, and while I could probably do with some cooking lessons, it’s not really my idea of a great holiday!  Wine tours through stunning wine regions, on the other hand, are right up my street, and a tour of Argentinean, South African, and New Zealand wineries would certainly make it to the top of my list.

Luxury Travel with a Conscience

Luxury travel remained a popular travel trend throughout 2012, despite the economic downturns and recessions that make up our daily headlines. One thing noticeably different about this type of travel, is that high-end hoteliers and transportation companies are becoming more sustainable and environmentally conscious, and by promoting responsible tourism, they are encouraging others to follow suit– and that gets the thumbs up from me!

Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to take advantage of any 2012-travel trends, it will soon be 2013, and I am quite sure there will be a whole lot more to come!