Underwater travel and portable hotels are predicted by senior industry figures.
World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is this year celebrating its 30th event.
The industry has changed dramatically since World Travel Market first opened its doors way back in 1980, and its set to evolve at an even quicker pace over the next 30 years.
World Travel has asked some of the worldwide travel industry’s most senior executives to predict the next three decades of the travel and tourism industry.
Here they predict a number of trends for the next three decades, which include underwater travel, portable hotels, home stays and sports tourism.
South African Tourism Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief Executive Didi Moyle said: “Sports tourism will play a major role over the next 30 years. One of our objectives is to secure major sporting events post the 2010 football World Cup.
“This is aimed at attracting tourists all year round, increasing arrivals, spend, GDP and improving the lives of all South Africans.”
Brazil’s largest travel agent CVC Group founder and Chairman Guilherme Paulus added: “In the long-term tourism is one of the biggest potential growth areas for the Brazilian economy. Hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup will help both the tourism industry and the economy as a whole.”
World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery agreed: “Sports tourism is now really taking off and in the next 30 years I believe we will see this sector aggressively marketed.”
Sweden’s leading upmarket tour operator Select World Travel founder and Chief Executive Leila Graf said: “Authentic luxury will be a trend of the next 30 years where the destination is experienced for real.
“Some international luxury hotels have already adopted this philosophy, for example recruiting their chef from the simplest local restaurant rather than a renowned Michelin starred establishment.”
UK’s leading self-catering specialist Hoseasons Chief Executive Richard Carrick predicted: “There will be more collapses and consolidations. The nature of the competition will also change. The most telling thing is that it will become more expensive and difficult to get the customer at the right time.”
Thomas Cook Chief Executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said: “I’d like to see the technology developed which would allow us to see the beautiful worlds beneath the sea. There’s a whole world largely unexplored under water, just think of the opportunities that would open up.
Caribbean Tourism Organization UK and Europe Marketing Director Carol Hay revealed: “Home stay is something that we are looking to expand over the next 30 years. We want to encourage locals to open up their homes for visitors, as it will be great for the local economy and should appeal to ethically-minded travellers.
World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “Hotels could be temporary, licensed, prefabricated, self-sustaining and easily transportable, erected on sites where establishing a traditional holiday resort would be environmentally unacceptable and perhaps, even politically.”
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts President Onno Poortier added: “In 30 years times above all else guests will be looking for more personal attention and recognition.”
Marriott International President and Managing Director Ed Fuller agreed: “Holidaymakers will be more demanding of the services they are offered, they will want hotel experiences to be more tailored to their interests and will want the latest technology to be readily accessible.”
Cunard Managing Director Carol Marlow said: “We will continue to make sure cruising offers better value for money than land-based packages. Some prices may even come down as cruise companies look to drive volumes, which will increase the value even more.”
Italy’s largest tour operator Alpitour World President John Winteler suggested: “There will be an increase in market niches, which will lead to more customisation and the development of many new different types of tourism.”
Travel industry IT provider Amadeus Vice President Global Sales Development EMEA Julia Sattell said a common platform for all airline was the company’s long-term goal.
“The idea is to develop a common IT platform for our airline customers to use. An airline can suggest a new feature, and if other airlines using the feature are interested we will add it, with the development costs shared by the community.
“It might appear as if competitors are sharing their ideas with each other, but the airline industry is about getting passengers from A to B, and not about developing technology your rivals do not have.”
