Trends that shapes the Tourism Industry

 As years passed, the travel trends changed as well, since the number of travelers was increasing day by day. Their travel expectations and interests have been changing due to the influence of travel trends booming every year. And out of the many travel trends that have arisen in the past five years, I have listed at least five (5) travel trends below.

Here are the Five (5) previous travel trends for the past five (5) years:

1.     The "Bleisure" Boom

Combining work with pleasure has been one of the most popular travel trends in the last five years, with some companies including incentive trips as part of their employee benefit packages. When not on the work, more employees than ever before have the opportunity to prolong their stays for personal excursions or bring family members along on business travels to immerse themselves in the local culture with a loved one.

2.     Advancement of Technology in Tourism

Emerging markets are becoming more technologically advanced and accessible. Smartphones have made it easier than ever for visitors to visit previously untouched areas of the globe, to make last-minute schedule modifications, and to book their entire stay using their phones, resulting in a unique experience that enhances the customer experience. Travelers may now use mobile apps to translate different languages and currencies, explore unfamiliar districts, and read restaurant, activity, and lodging reviews.

3.     Eco Tourism

For the past five years, there has been an increasing awareness about climate change, which has prompted tourists to consider how their travels affect the environment and communities. As a result, a demand for eco-tourism has emerged as a travel trend, as tourists seek to limit their environmental impact while traveling.

4.     Personalization

Another major travel trend that emerged in the previous year is personalization. As the number of tourists throughout the world grows each year, so do their travel expectations and needs. Consumers want to feel as if their needs and desires are being met, and that their plans are being carried out as planned, if not better. This personalization trend fosters consumer loyalty and fosters strong relationships, resulting to gain a returnee customer.

5.     Contactless Payment or Transaction

Prior to the pandemic, tourist was less concerned about their safety and well-being while traveling since there were no contagious disease infecting people around however when COVID-19 hits the whole world travelers become more concern to their well-being when they travel. For that reason, travelers nowadays prefer a contactless transaction to assure their safety not just for themselves but for their whole family when planning a trip because we all know that the quarantine made us stays in our home for a long period of time and it could be depressing while we stay at home which is why people start to travel again to enjoy while ensuring their health safety through a contactless transactions. The tourism industry had been adapting to this travel trends in this midst of pandemic to meet the needs and wants of their customers.

For the next Five (5) years here are the three possible travel trends:

1.     Virtual Reality Tourism Trend

The continuous advancement of technology had led to many inventions and a Virtual Reality could be part of the travel trends for the next five (5) years which can either become an advantage or disadvantage for the people and to the tourism industry. A virtual reality (VR) enables a person to experience hotel interiors, restaurant interiors, outdoor tourist attractions and more, from the comfort of their home. This possible travel trend suits for people who doesn’t have enough money or the time to travel physically to a destination because through this they can witness the destination without the needs of packing their clothes or bookings their trips and spending money. Moreover, since the pandemic doesn’t end yet people still concern and hesitant of going outside especially for customers who have kids and adults at home which is why this travel trends has a potential for travelers. 

2.     Robots, Chatbots and Automation

The concept of robots in tourism industry had been discussed even before. When human operators are unavailable, many clients now book their travel and lodging through internet chatbots, which are highly trained AI that can answer inquiries and deliver pertinent information. Apart from conversing bots, there are other ways that robots might help people and the tourism sector since we don't know if the pandemic will go away in the next five years and if still not, people will prefer transactions with less contact with people because vaccines is not hundred percent guaranteed.

3.     Solo Travel

The thought of traveling for pleasure used to be a family thing or for couples. This concept is still used for some people, however there is an increasing number of people who prefer to travel alone. Solo travel is becoming more common, and tourism habits are increasingly reflecting this. Solo travelers have a wide range of requirements. Some people simply desire to travel without the company of another person. Others are young singles looking for companionship or social activities.

 

There are numerous possible travel trends that could boom for the next five (5) years aside from this three and it is important to have at least the ideas about this so that we can be more aware in travel trends.