10 ways travel will change in the future
In predicting the future, the one certainty is that there is no certainty. But we can give it our best educated guess. We’re casting forward 15 years to consider what the world of travel will look like in 2037.
Striving for sustainability
“There’s already been a clear shift towards sustainable experiences,” says James Thornton, from Intrepid, “because the world is facing a climate crisis, and destinations are very much on the front line, plus we are seeing more and more press coverage, I believe sustainable travel is going to grow exponentially.”
Leanne Harwood from IHG agrees: “In a recent global survey, 57% of our travellers said they care more about contributing to their local communities and the planet while travelling than they did 10 years ago – this figure will very likely double or triple in the next decade.”
As troubling as it is to consider, the Covid-19 pandemic could be just one of several pandemics we will have to deal with in coming years (monkeypox has already been declared a pandemic in its own right).
Research released in 2021 predicts most people are likely to experience an extreme pandemic such as Covid-19 in their lifetime – and the next one could come soon, and be deadlier. We only have to hope the world has learned from its dealings with the current crisis.
Turning on to electric propulsion
The future of travel is electric. “You’ll see sustainable fuel options,” says Thornton. “Almost universally if you’re travelling in a vehicle it will be an electric vehicle.”
Ambler agrees: “We are doing a lot with our coaches already. Contiki has a Euro VI engine – there’s an amazing stat, when you’re driving a Contiki coach through the streets of Rome, it’s actually leaving the air cleaner than it was before. Electric coaches are very achievable, I think we will see that. The big question is around electric planes.”
Holidaying longer and deeper
G Adventure’s Bruce Poon Tip says longer journeys will become the norm for travellers over the next 15 years.
“I think people will travel longer, and deeper. When people start matching their [sustainability] values with their travel … I don’t think it will stop people travelling but travel will be more meaningful to people, and destinations will be more relevant. People will travel longer, but less. And go deeper into destinations, stay longer. That’s the best thing that could happen.”
Embracing virtual reality
“We may see the popularity of the metaverse influence how guests are engaging with hotels and locations ahead of booking,” says Leanne Harwood. “For example, using 3D virtual tours of hotels and resorts to make decisions about their room type or experiences.”
Toni Ambler from the Travel Corporation sees this as an exciting new area. “Up until this point it’s been quite gimmicky for the travel industry, putting on a VR headset at a trade fair or something. But this is going to be a big part of e-commerce, and I’m really interested to see what that means for travel.”
Putting secondary destinations first
As over-tourism impacts the likes of Venice, Amsterdam, Kyoto and more, the key to successful travel could be to travel to “secondary destinations”, places that offer similar experiences but with smaller and less harmful crowds.
“We may see emerging destinations begin to gain popularity,” says Harwood, “as travellers seek new, or newer, experiences – such as resort locations in Guam and Saipan, and destinations outside of “tier one” cities, such as Japanese onsens in Beppu or immersive cultural towns such as Inuyama.”
Social media powers on
You think social media is a dominant force in travel now? That people already make their travel choices based on where their friends have been, and what content they can gather?
Wait another 15 years – it’s only going to become more powerful, as younger generations become the bulk of the travelling populace.
“Our data shows 40 per cent of millennials wouldn’t travel to a place if they couldn’t put it on Instagram,” says Poon Tip. “It’s a change in thinking.”
The rise of the digital nomad
The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that many of us can actually do our jobs from anywhere, rather than go into the office every day, which means the chance to combine work and travel will become more commonplace over the next 15 years.
“One thing you might start to see because of the climate crisis is that when you travel, you may elect to go for extended periods,” says Thornton. “And because of the hybrid working environment, you can do that. That work and travel hybrid will increase a lot.”
Tech, tech, tech
Yes, obviously modern technology will play a big part in the travel experience by 2037. The question is, how will things change?
“Facial recognition – do we do away with passports?” asks Ambler. “Do you use 3D printers for your holiday essentials; do you have voice search for your packing lists; will TikTok be the new search engine instead of Google when we start living in this visual world and we want to see, not just read before we buy?”
Back to nature
We may have tech at our fingertips, but according to Thornton, we’ll also be searching for something more natural and something more affordable.
“You do wonder if global inflation will change the way people are able to travel. I think you’ll see people doing more nature-based tourism and active type trips. Nature-based tourism links to camping and more budget-friendly experiences and more regenerative activities that provide great ways to disconnect.”