What will holidays look like in the future? Check-in by Robot, virtual holidays or space travel? Not quite in the near future, but definitely in the distant future. VIP Express has compiled a list of holiday trends of the near future, and some of them are already here! Exciting times we live in.
So without further delay, here they are:
1. Travel will be part of life, not just a luxury
In our modern world, more than 8 million people fly each day. The concept of travel as rarity is an outdated concept. The barriers to travel is disappearing in a more and more connected and global world. Previous barriers like language, high costs and access to travel information is becoming less of a problem every day.
Cheap flights are empowering travellers to jet off for weekends or other quick getaways. Travel is becoming a necessity and not just a luxury.
2. Digital Travel Buddies
The traveller of the future will use personalised virtual assistants to join in on your travel adventures. This will be wearable technology that will be able to provide you with instant and simultaneous feedback on translations, holographic displays of airports, neighbourhoods and shopping mall.
And don’t think it is far from happening. Google already has Google Glass and Windows will shortly launch Hollow-Lens which is the technology that provides you with the above mentioned features.
3. The Evolution of the Airport
Gone are the days of airports representing a chaotic maze of people walking in all directions to catch their flight. Airports are becoming more and more geared towards the future. No longer are airports just a place to board a plane and do your duty free shopping. They are becoming shopping malls and entertainment centres. In Kuala Lumpur you can retreat to a mini jungle and Amsterdam’s Airport even has a Library!
In the future, we can expect more airports to showcase their local finery and become more interactive! Airport will become something to look forward to and not just for the planes.
4. Shopping Safaris
In the future and with this point, it is actually already here, the modern traveller will go abroad for the shopping alone – a shopping safari. The trend will be to shop for local brand that are locally made or produced in that country which isn’t accessible on the international market. To keep the exclusivity factor, the wealthy will want to buy products that their peers can’t get access to in a local shopping mall.
Shopping for a few day straight! Sound fun to me.
5. Wired vs Wireless
The lure of unplugged travel is becoming more evident in a highly connected world. Although, all of us see the benefit of being connected 24/7, for a true relaxing holiday and to take a break, the lure of an unplugged holiday is becoming increasingly sought after.
True escapes are becoming highly valued, and remote hotels are starting the make a feature because of their lack of internet or phone signal.
The novelty of a daily tweet is wearing off, travellers will instead look to a simple social media sign off: “Chilling out in South Africa, see you when I’m back”
6. Sporting Events
This is a trend that is already very strong, but is more likely to become a fashion in the near future. Millions of people all across the globe are fanatic sport lovers, supporting their favourite teams with a fierce passion! With the dawn of the digital age and access to sporting events around the globe, your favourite team are no longer the local team. To see them live, you will have to travel!
This is apart from travelling to major sporting events that only happen every four years like the Olympics, Soccer World Cup or even the Rugby World Cup.
7. Bleisure
Mixing Business with Travel! I think I will take one of those. According to a recent survey, 94% off all younger travellers (Millennials) will take a bleisure trip in the near future. Mixing pleasure with business can only be a good way to spend a week of two. This is becoming more and more important to combat the stress levels that modern business people come under.
For meetings and conventions, the city or destination itself becomes the venue of leisure. Work during the day and then enjoy the night life and scenery during the evening. Some bleisure travellers extend their business trips by one or two days and paying for it themselves to enjoy an experience they were not likely to afford themselves.
8. Green Travel
Smarter and more sustainable travel has hit the big time, as a new generation of travellers builds sustainability into every step of their journeys. Previously, travellers were happy to buy only “green” products when they travelled, but today it’s just the start, 70% of travellers expect companies to demonstrate commitment to preserving the natural environment, placing hotels, tour operators, airlines and restaurants under the microscope and prompting a boom in ecotourism and volunteering abroad.
9. Medical Tourism
Patients Beyond Borders estimate that 11 million cross-border patients will spend between USD $38.5 – $55 Billion worldwide in 2015. Going overseas for a treatment that is not available in your own country, or doing a procedure at spa / medical centre is at the heart of this trend.
In the US alone, 1.2 million people will travel abroad for medical care.
10. The return of local knowledge
Scouring online reviews remains second-nature for travellers. But travellers’ hunger for secret coves and local trattorias is emboldening them to embrace face-to-face recommendations. Online reviews will remain part of a traveller’s toolkit, but a local recommendation – whether from a taxi driver, in-the-know cafe owner or Airbnb host – has never been more highly prized.
The future looks rosy and VIP Express Tourism will be there to offer you the best travel packages, now and in the future. So give us a call or visit our website and we will make that dream holiday come true.
Give us a call on 08164283278 (Abuja), 08139396034 (Lagos) or 07037517188 (Port Harcourt).
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