Thomson Airways has confirmed it is considering expanding long-haul operations to offer direct Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights from the UK to Vietnam and Malaysia.
The Tui Travel carrier is also looking at direct flights to Caribbean destinations such as St Lucia and Antigua, and to Bonaire and Curacao in the Antilles.
Thomson predicts that short and mid-haul beach destinations such as Spain, Greece and Turkey will remain firm holiday favourites in 2015 with people looking for short flight times, high standards of accommodation and beaches.
However, the 787 Dreamliner is prompting a boom in long-haul leisure travel with emerging destinations including Costa Rica and Goa, the operator says.
Destinations tipped to be popular in short and mid-haul for 2015 include Iceland, Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Cyprus and Ibiza.
Thomson Airways’ cabin crew are also currently trialling the use of iPads to offer a more personalised customer service, share destination information and pass special requests and information over to reps in resort.
Research by Thomson shows a trend towards stressed out parents enjoying holidays as a couple, leaving their children at home with friends or family.
A third (34%) of parents of children under 18 already take child-free holidays and of those who currently holiday with their children, 57% said that given the chance, they would go away without them.
Thomson is expanding its adult-only Couples collection for 2015 following a 46% increase in bookings in the last two years.
The rise of hands-on grandparenting is also easing the burden on stressed out parents, with more than half (52%) leaving their offspring with their own parents while they enjoy some quality time away.
Marketing and digital director, Jeremy Ellis, said: “Long-haul travel is becoming more accessible and the choice is now vast.
“With the comfort and convenience of direct flights on the Dreamliner and high standards of accommodation, more holidaymakers are looking further afield.”