Introduction
The tourism industry is an ever-evolving business sector. Here, new trends will always decide the survivability and scanning opportunities for tourism-related firms. Keeping tabs on these trends can not only increase your chances to upgrade business revenue but also make your tourism firm globally relevant. Fresh trends have the potential to be lucrative for a long time if you start early. This is why staying informed about the changing winds in the tourism industry will make you a better tourism industry professional. These tourism trends will continue to drive tourists in further years fuelled by increasing wealth, flexibility in work, better connectivity, raising awareness of the importance of leisure, and popularity and promotions of tourism.
Again, the intent of those who indulge in tourism is also a major factor. Younger generations are more inclined towards adventurous travel while older generations are preferring solo travel and family travel. Those in their 30s and 40s are exploring the world to find fresh atmospheres and cultures, and find meaning in their work with higher spending power. In this article, we will discuss some of the tourism trends that have the potential to become a popular form of tourism in the future.
Top trends in the Tourism industry
1. Polar tourism
As you are well aware, our planet has two polar regions: the Arctic and the Antarctic. Sadly, these gems are slowly dying due to climate change. While the North pole region, the Arctic is closer to European nations, the South pole, the Antarctic is far from most countries which are situated in the northern hemisphere. Both these regions offer one-of-a-kind experiences for anyone who visits these religions. From a steep 600% rise in tourists in the 1980s, the trend is constantly increasing. Currently, about 170,000 tourists visit Antarctica every year (Source: Antarctica Glaciers). The Arctic region gets nearly 8 million visitors annually (Source: Springer). Frozen oceans, a constant threat of icebergs, falling snow, freezing temperatures, extraordinary natural lighting in the form of faint sunlight or aurora, and polar wildlife, these all will give tourists an experience that they can never forget.
To top it all, the extraordinary history of these polar regions will make them even more dreamy and instil wonder and respect for both the planet as well as the early explorers. For example, the race for the south pole is a story of extraordinary human courage, sacrifice, and indomitable spirit as well as the tragic loss of lives. The race between Sir Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen and the subsequent death of Sir Robert Scott on the white continent is a tragic story worth remembering (Source: Royal Museums Greenwich). Polar expeditions' history is full of such stories and personalities that a pillar tourist can witness firsthand.
Every year, the number of tourists visiting the poles is increasing rapidly. Especially, in the age of climate change, polar regions are undergoing a massive transformation. They are shrinking rapidly. The icebergs are melting rapidly and the regions are far more likely to become a memory. Those who know what's coming are visiting these regions to witness the effects of human greed and its effects on the planet. The wildlife which is native only to the polar regions like Penguins and polar bears is on the verge of extinction due to increasing temperatures and a lack of habitats. Antarctica, the white continent, is the last free continent on earth. This is also driving tourists along with researchers to flock to these regions.
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2. Space tourism
Space has always picked the curiosity of humankind since time immemorial. From the story of Icarus to a mad king flying in a chair powered by rockets in China, history is full of dreamers who struggled to reach space. With the invention of aviation and rocket science, this dream has certainly become reality. Currently, space is attracting the wealthiest individuals in the world to space trips and short stays in the International Space Station. According to NASA, 263 visitors from 20 countries have visited the International Space Station.
Many billionaires and multimillion-dollar companies are heavily investing in space tourism. Major players in the space tourism industry are Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Elon Musk's SpaceX, and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. The rivalry between these billionaires to lead the space race is, directly and indirectly, advancing Aerospace technology. It is bringing investment and utilising talents in the aerospace industry. Rocketry which was formerly a state-controlled industry has now become commercialised, at least in the USA.
This is where these companies are investing in the dreams of mankind and its inclination to visit and experience new places. Space is certainly a beautiful destination where one can be a pioneer. Space tourism is picking up pace as new inventions are bringing the operational costs lower with each successful launch and return. Currently, a space trip costs around 50 million dollars and only the super-rich can afford this tourism trend (Source: Forbes). Only time will tell if space tourism reaches the affordability and popularity of aviation.
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3. Dark tourism
Humanity is a violent species. There is no limit in the species to inflict unimaginable evil against its own kind. While documentaries, articles, biographies, biopics, and research papers are released every year on the suffering of humanity across the world, nothing does it justice as visiting some of these dark places where humanity was defeated in favour of racism, propaganda, and genocide. Mourning for the lost lives in such infamous places can Kindle the spirit of humanity. Dark tourism which means places notorious for their crimes against humanity is a minor but significant form of tourism. With a little knowledge of history, anyone can appreciate the significance of these places.
One primary example of dark tourism would be the infamous concentration camp in Auschwitz. This concentration camp built by the Nazis to exterminate Jews is still standing as a testimony to the limitless hatred people can possess. This was where the people of Israel were treated as sub-humans, worked till exhaustion or illness killed them, and poisoned their breath with Zyklon B capsules. It is a testimony against racism, propaganda, apathy, and sadism among individuals and nations. It is a testimony against mass media when they cuddle with those in power and forget their true purpose.
You can find such places all around the globe. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, the Catacombs of Paris, the Roman Colosseum, and Murambi Technical School's Rwandan genocide museum are all some famous examples of dark tourism (Source: Wikipedia). These are also places where humanity finds hope and meaning. For example, the holocaust has given us the accounts of individuals standing upright in the face of indomitable suffering, sacrificing their last bread for their friends and family, welcoming death to save others, and finding meaning through suffering. Those who visit such places leave as changed human beings with a deep sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.
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4. Travel blogging
This is the age of social media, content, and influencers. As a result, travel blogging and vlogging have become mainstream content forms among younger generations. Add solo travelling and some motorcycles or cars to this, the travel blogging/vlogging becomes even more interesting. Adventure travelling and activities coupled with affordable and flexible action camera solutions like the GoPro have made literally every adventurous activity, travel, riding/driving, and exploring to become video worthy. Social media is crawling with these kinds of vlogging or travel blogging influencers.
Travel blogging has become a major content form for influencers. Content creators can earn huge money by creating fresh, intriguing content. The popular video streaming platform YouTube gives earning opportunities to these individuals which are boosted by the use of high-speed internet. Currently, travel bloggers earn around $10,000 per month (Source: Goats on the Road). The future is expected to be more of this as new trends are emerging in the tourism industry and new destinations, and travel methods are coming into the limelight.
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5. Luxury tourism
The luxury tourism industry is a $17 billion industry (Source: GM Insights). The tourism industry is mostly focusing on the rich population Which has high spending power. This population however is highly likely to use luxury options in all their tourist endeavours. These are the ones to go to five-star boutique hotels, luxury cruisers, and highly rated luxury lodgings rather than choose other inexpensive homestays or hotels. Luxury tourism hosts like hotel chains, luxury resorts, and restaurants target exactly this population. Due to their higher spending power and leisure time, the richer touring population is more likely to indulge in tourist activities.
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6. Solo tourism
Solo travelling is currently a trending tourism topic. A year-long solo travel expense worldwide starts from $20,000! This is why backpacking and visiting different countries to experience new cultures have a global fan following. After the pandemic solo travel increased by 23% (Source: Passport-photo). Younger generations are more likely to travel alone and experience new cultures and make new connections along the way. However, this trend is not only exclusive to the younger generation. Many adventurous spirits go on solo travelling to find their calling, and the meaning of life, rethink their decisions, find their personality, or simply experience the freedom solo travelling offers.
A variety of tour packages are popular among solo travellers. Staying solutions like hostels, bike rentals, bicycling, trekking tracks, solo riding and driving, mountaineering, and motocross rally, are all some examples of destinations and activities that solo travellers are more likely to visit. These are conducted across different places that fuel the travelling spirit of today’s generation.
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7. Ecotourism
The pollution created by human activities is causing adverse effects on the planet. The world is increasingly becoming conscious of the reality of climate change. This provides individuals with a sense of responsibility in all their activities including tourism. Nowadays, ecotourism is making the headlines because it is demanded by environment-conscious tourists all around the globe. Ecotourism or sustainable tourism help tourists choose environment-friendly travelling, staying, and consumption options. An increasing number of tourists are rejecting plastic use and high carbon footprint travel methods like aviation. As a result, environment-friendly hospitality facilities, eateries, and hotels are making a profit. As more countries and governments bring laws to safeguard our planet, ecotourism is expected to boom.
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8. Pilgrimages
Religion is a fundamental bond between humans. All major religions of the world have pilgrimages across the world. Thanks to highly connected roads, airways, and railways, the religious population in the tourism industry are making pilgrimages to well-known religious destinations. While the intent of travelling is different from that of traditional tourism, the economic advantages are still the same. Popular pilgrimages like the Vatican, Lourdes, Mecca, Kashi, Amritsar, Amarnath, Bodh Gaya, Jerusalem, and the Shikoku are visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year (Source: Wikipedia). These pilgrims bring economic advantages to the tourism and hospitality facilities in these locations. They also bring business opportunities to travel agencies, airlines, and governments through international travel.
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Conclusion
Tourism trends change according to the times and economy. As new trends emerge, tourists will pursue them. As we can see, polar tourism is picking up pace among environment-conscious tourists. Due to rising temperatures, the polar regions are expected to be destroyed in the coming decades. On the other hand, multi-million dollar companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are heavily investing in space tourism. Already several space tourists have visited the International Space Station and have come back. With the continuous refinement of reusable rockets, space tourism will become inexpensive and might become affordable to the general public.
People are also reminiscing the dark events of the past like the Holocaust, genocides, and wars and visiting these notorious places it has taken place. Due to the ease, cost-effectiveness, and safety of travelling, many tourists are finding happiness in solo travel. Even luxury tourism has picked up the pace, among the higher-income population. And finally, travel blogging has opened many doors for tourists and the tourism industry in the digital era. With a camera, a beautiful destination, and some personality, bloggers are travelling the world and capturing their experiences. Ecotourism is popular among environment-conscious tourists and creates a market in the tourism industry. All these trends are going to sustain the tourism industry for several years to come.
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