World Travel Market (WTM) is celebrating its 30th event this year and has asked some of the industry’s most senior executives to predict the next three decades of travel and tourism.
Car-hire broker Holiday Autos managing director Stuart Nassos said: “North Americans and Europeans make up the biggest proportion of travellers. Over the next 30 years, there will be a shift as more people from Russia, India, China and Brazil start travelling.”
UK self-catering specialist Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick agreed: “There will be a shift in the axis of power over the next 30 years. As people from China and India start to travel, it will be the Pacific Rim countries that benefit because they are close to the source markets.
“The level of investment that countries such as the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam are putting into their infrastructure is staggering.”
Nassos agreed: “There will be a huge increase in the popularity of destinations in Southeast Asia and Latin America because of the proximity to the new source markets. Fiji and Tahiti, for example, are ideally positioned geographically to re-emerge as popular destinations.”
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer added: “Countries that have been closed for many years for political reasons or conflict are always of interest when peace returns. Countries already of interest include Algeria, Libya and Albania.”
Amadeus vice-president global sales development EMEA Julia Sattell agreed: “Iraq might emerge as a popular destination for travellers who are driven by experiences.”
American Society of Travel Agents chief executive Bill Maloney agreed: “Some places will emerge that are currently unimaginable as travel destinations, places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Cuba.”
Sweden’s leading luxury operator Select Travel founder and chief executive Leila Graf said: “Yemen, with its crystal-clear water and private islands, could be a new most-wanted escape – even though it might not be realistic today.”
Sol Melia Cuba director of communications Sven Boen agreed on the potential of Cuba as a mass-market tourism destination. He said: “The potential for cruise ships and yachting holidays is large and currently little exploited.”