HTT167: Fundamentals of Tourism - Chapter 7: The Future of Tourism

HTT167: Fundamentals of Tourism

Chapter 7: The Future of Tourism

Learning Outcomes

• At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
  a. Describe the coming tourism markets
  b. Explain the emerging tourism markets
  c. Discuss the future tourists’ needs

7.1 The Shape of Coming Tourism Markets

• Questions to consider:

  • Will current tourism segments remain important in the future?

  • What will these markets look like?

Demographic Shifts

• Significance:

  • Recognized as one of the biggest changes in the 21st century.

  • Increasing size of the mature traveller segment, with a notable explosion in the number of senior citizens across all industrialized countries.

• Future Characteristics of Senior Travellers:
  a. Utilization of computers and smartphones for travel information, reservations, and bookings.
  b. Interest in vacations that focus on healthy food, exercise, intellectual stimulation, and nature experiences.
  c. Greater importance placed on immersive experiences in destinations over mere sightseeing, particularly in new destinations.
  d. Desire to travel with children and grandchildren – known as “grandtravel,” a new phenomenon where grandparents and grandchildren travel together due to geographical family separation and limited shared leisure time.
  e. Preference for sun/beach holidays, visiting friends and relatives (VFR), and nature adventure.
  f. Interests in wellness, spa treatments, and city trips.

Shift in the Ethnic Mix of North America

• Historical Context:

  • 19th Century: Primarily European immigrants to the United States, who frequently travelled back to their mother countries.

  • 20th Century: Major influx of immigrants from Latin America, Central America, Asia, and former Soviet Union countries, who also tend to return to their heritage lands.

• Effects of Ethnic Shifts:
  a. Snow holiday resorts facing challenges due to aging baby boomers who are moving away from skiing and not introducing the sport to their children.
  b. Winter sports traditionally favored by Northern and Western European ethnic groups.
  c. Increase in single travellers among the baby boomer generation, giving rise to solo travel trends and activities.

Travellers with Disabilities and Special Needs

• Access Issues:

  • Major issue in many countries, significantly hindering travel for millions of people with disabilities.

• Special Services for Disabilities Include:
  a. Special vehicles equipped with swivel seats and hand controls.
  b. Training programs such as "Opening Doors" that improve service in hotels for those with disabilities.
  c. Cruise ships equipped with mobility scooters for easy navigation across large decks.

Changes in Business, Professional, and Conference Travel

• Trends in Communication:

  • Advances in technology, such as computer networking and satellite transmission, indicate a reduction in the necessity for business travel.

• Technological Improvements Include:

  • Virtual conferencing tools (e.g., Skype, FaceTime) likely decreasing travel needs.

  • Despite cost-cutting virtual options, the essential nature of face-to-face meetings for relationship building will maintain a demand for business travel, resulting in continued growth as virtual communications supplement, rather than replace, in-person interactions.

7.2 Emerging Tourism Markets

• Future Tourist Activities:

  • Identification of promising specific segments in tourism that show potential for growth.

Slow Tourism

• Definition:

  • A travel style aimed at escaping the fast-paced nature of modern life by allowing more time for immersion in experiences.

• Elements of Slow Tourism:
  a) Seek revitalization and self-enrichment.
  b) Increased popularity of health spas, tranquility zones, rural destinations, food tourism, and cultural tourism.
  c) Preference for single-destination trips over multi-destination ones.
  d) Popular activities include cottage stays, walking in nature, enjoying local pubs, engaging with townspeople, home-stay holidays, and spiritual experiences.

Adventure and Extreme Tourism

• Definition of Adventure Travel:

  • Travel specifically aimed at activity participation to seek new experiences that involve perceived risk or controlled danger in natural or exotic settings.

• Classifications of Adventure Tourism:

  • Hard adventure: e.g., mountain climbing, scuba diving, triathlons.

  • Soft adventure: e.g., camping, bicycling, snorkeling.

• Trends:

  • A forecasted increase in softer adventure activities integrated into mass tourism experiences over the next decade.

Extreme Tourism

• Definition:

  • A subcategory of adventure tourism characterized by above-average physical challenges and risks.

• Growth Factors:

  • Rising interest in extreme sports and activities, partly due to media exposure.

  • Notable segments of growth include baby boomers and young women.

Medical Tourism

• Definition:

  • Travel for medical reasons, including cosmetic surgery, experimental treatments, and dental care.

• Trends in Medical Tourism:

  • High-income individuals traveling to lower-income countries for cheaper medical services.

  • Low-income patients seeking advanced care in high-income countries.

Vocation and Real Estate Tourism

• New Niches:

  • Vocation tourism allows travellers to experience potential new careers through mini-internships.

  • Real estate tourism facilitates informed investment opportunities in desired locations, often coupled with experiences with local experts.

Space Tourism

• Future Outlook:

  • Developments in scramjet engine technology may soon make hypersonic commercial flights a reality, allowing rapid global travel.

• Current Trends:

  • The advent of space tourism with civilians partaking in space voyages is seen as a growing segment.

Marijuana Tourism

• Definition and Scope:

  • Tourism centered around the possession and consumption of marijuana.

• Motivations for Drug Tourists:
  i. Desire to experiment while traveling
  ii. Marijuana as a recreational activity
  iii. Search for authenticity in destinations
  iv. Access to legal marijuana in certain jurisdictions.

7.3 The Future Tourists’ Needs

Transportation Transformations

• Improvements Expected: a. Anticipated increases in speed and efficiency through technological advancements

  • Example: High-speed rail as a hallmark of future transportation modes.
    b. Evolution of air travel, including the introduction of larger aircraft such as the 555-seat A380 designed for long-haul routes, and potential developments in air traffic management via advanced computer systems.
    c. Upscaled services in business and first class likely to define future travel experiences.

Competitive Cooperation and Consolidation

• Industry Trends:

  • Airlines leading the way in mergers and consolidations for market share and profitability improvements.

  • Travel agencies and ground service operators also merging to seek economies of scale and enhance brand recognition.

  • Example of cooperative alliances: British Airways & American Airlines collaborating to dominate high-traffic corridors like the North Atlantic.

Service Enhancements

• Personalized Service Demand:

  • Increasing necessity for tailored experiences that allow for meaningful interactions while accommodating technological aspects of travel transactions.

• Technological Integration:

  • Examples include hotels enabling check-in and room selection via smartphone applications, enhancing guest experiences.

Amplifying Guests’ Experiences

• Trade-offs in Privacy:

  • Travellers might need to accept a decline in privacy in return for enhanced security measures.

  • Biometrics poised to become standard identification methods.

  • Potential future shifts to globally standardized electronic national ID cards that may replace traditional passports.

Safety and Security Strides

• Balance of Human Touch and Technology:

  • Personal interactions will remain vital for reassuring travellers while technology continues to shape service provider engagement.

The Green Frontier

• Environmental Responsibility:

  • Increased focus on recycling, water and energy conservation, and the incorporation of sustainable building practices in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

• Emerging Technologies:

  • Implementation of solar, wind, and geothermal energy systems.

  • Development of smart rooms capable of adjusting climate conditions and utilizing robotic cleaning technology.

Conclusion

• Chapter 7 provides insights into:
  a. The emerging tourism markets
  b. The coming tourism markets
  c. The evolving needs of future tourists

References

1. Cook, R. A., Hsu, C. H. C., & Taylor, L. L. (2018). Tourism: The Business of Hospitality and Travel (6th ed.). Pearson