TORONTO — If you haven’t heard of a solar maximum, you’ll certainly hear a lot about it in 2024.

The once-in-eleven-years phenomenon, during which the sun reaches peak activity in its solar cycle, will occur one year earlier – and last longer – than previously expected, say scientists. This means that solar flares and sunspots will intensify throughout the year, peaking between January and October. 

How does this impact travel, you ask? The Northern Lights, already known for being a stunning spectacle, will be even more glorious than ever, that’s how.

With this year’s solar maximum, scientists are predicting the most frequent and impressive displays of the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, in more than 20 years. Although it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact times and locations of solar activity, even with the most sophisticated tools, bucket-list travellers will want to place their bets on seeing this natural phenomenon this year more than any other.

Tom Smith, VP of Sales and Marketing, North America at Intrepid Travel, tells Travelweek that the company has seen an astonishing 109% increase in bookings for its ‘Finnish Lapland In Winter’ trip. Intrepid currently offers six itineraries that are solely focused on the Northern Lights, with additional trips that include opportunities to see them, depending on the time of year. 

“Our Northern Lights trips take you to some of the world’s best locations for witnessing this spectacular event. And while Northern Light displays can never be guaranteed, as they are a natural phenomenon, our expert local leaders do their best to ensure you get to see nature’s greatest spectacle,” says Smith.

Northern Lights, Norway-Credit Intrepid Travel

Aurora Expeditions, which has been offering expedition voyages to the Arctic for almost 30 years, is also seeing an increase in Northern Lights trips in 2024.

“The ‘Northern Lights Explorer’ is among our most popular itineraries and is performing particularly strong this year with the news of a Solar Maximum,” says Hayley Peacock-Gower, Chief Marketing Officer, Aurora Expeditions. “We do still have some berths available for our 2024 voyage, however we would recommend booking soon to avoid disappointment.”
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WHEN TO BOOK & WHEN TO GO

According to Smith, the sweet spot to book a Northern Lights tour is about five months prior to departure. 

“But in terms of how late you can book, we close our bookings 30 days prior so at minimum a month out,” he says. “As of now, our ‘Iceland Northern Lights’ tours are about half full so there’s still time to book for this year.”

As for when to travel, both Smith and Peacock-Gower agree that September through March is the best time to view the lights as this is when the sky is darkest and there are fewer daylight hours.
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WHERE TO GO 

As their name suggests, the Northern Lights occur way up in the Northern Hemisphere, generally within the Arctic Circle, near the earth’s polar regions. As such, some of the top destinations for viewing them include Greenland, Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway.

Smith, who has viewed the Aurora Borealis on three separate trips, says Finland is Intrepid’s most popular Northern Lights destination.

“The most intense sightings are typically in Lapland, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Finland, given their proximity off the geomagnetic pole. However, Alaska and Canada are also very popular destinations to view them,” he adds. 

Peacock-Gower says that while most Northern Lights-themed itineraries stick to coastal Norway, “we sail Norway, Iceland and Greenland, including Jan Mayen, Greenland’s Scoresby Sund and Iceland’s remote Westfjords, all iconic destinations to see the lights.”
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SELLING TIPS FOR AGENTS

As a bucket-list trip, the Northern Lights typically draws a more adventurous crowd, says Peacock-Gower, so be sure to ask the right questions and hone in on a client’s interests.

“Aurora’s typical traveller tends to be active and adventurous, within the 40-70+ age range. However, in saying that, we have had passengers as young as eight and up to 92,” she says. “It tends to attract like-minded people who have a curiosity for the world and who love to connect with nature. We have a very relaxed onboard atmosphere, and our passengers are easily able to develop a sense of camaraderie, in many cases forming lifelong friendships.”

Peacock-Gower adds that Aurora Expeditions works very closely with travel agents around the world, calling them a “core part of our business.” Most recently, the company announced a partnership with Approach Guides, a leading content optimization platform for travel brands, a service that is free for all travel advisors that allows them to better engage with clients and boost conversion. Aurora’s regional sales team also provides regular training for agents on its product and hosts fams and ship visits whenever possible.

Intrepid’s Smith, who’s had mixed success in seeing the Northern Lights on his trips, adds that it’s important for agents to manage their clients’ expectations, emphasizing that sightings are never guaranteed. 

“Always be upfront that it’s never a sure thing, but know that if they’ve been considering seeing the Northern Lights for some time, that now is the time to go!” he says. 

Smith also encourages agents to focus on other selling points of the trip so that in case they miss out on seeing the lights, they’ll still return home feeling fulfilled.

“These destinations like Iceland and Finland offer so much more than the lights. Of course it’s a bucket-list experience for so many, but even if they strike out they can still expect some incredible experiences,” says Smith. “For example, on our ‘Finnish Lapland in Winter’ tour, travellers are pulled across the landscape at high speeds on the back of a dog sled and travel on the famous ‘Santa Claus Express’ overnight train all the way from the Finnish capital, through the frozen northern wilderness to Rovaniemi, all on the same trip.”

Intrepid’s six trips that focus solely on the Northern Lights include: Northern Lights Escape; Iceland’s Classic Northern Lights; East Greenland and Iceland Northern Lights | Intrepid Travel AU;  Canadian Rockies & Northern Lights; Adventures in Northeast Greenland: Glaciers, Fjords and the Northern Lights; and Finnish Lapland in Winter.     

Aurora Expeditions’ ‘Northern Lights Explorer’ itinerary takes place Sept. 8-26, 2024 and has a starting price of US$19,345 per person. New and enhanced Arctic itineraries for 2024 include the 11-day circumnavigation of Iceland and the 17-day Greenland Odyssey. 

For more information go to https://www.intrepidtravel.com/ca and https://www.aurora-expeditions.com/.