Future of the Travel Industry

10 years ago I was working as a consultant to a major UK holiday company. As part of the project I reviewed some of the key trends in the travel and holiday market using an approach called psychographics, using thev alues of key groups of holidaymakers and travellers.

1. The conclusions I came too were as follows :
   There would be a rapid increase in the number of people who would book their own holidays – and would use the internet to do so.
2. They would want to construct their own holidays, booking flights and accommodation separately.
3. A key group would see themselves more as “Travellers”
   For them an authentic travel experience would be more important than just a holiday

At is heart this work predicted the end of the package holiday.

Was I right ? Judge for yourselves how much of what was predicted for the UK Holiday and travel market has come true.

The key numbers are to do with the internet, depending upon the sources you use.
- Across Europe 50% of holidays are booked via the Internet
- Some 80% of holidays are researched on the Internet.

So what does the future hold for the Holiday and Travel Markets ?
My Chrystal Ball sees the following :

1. A polarisation with a reduction in the use of air travel by one group (older and more eco aware) and an increase by another group (younger and more hedonistic)
   
2. Fewer long distance air travel based holidays
   
3. More activity and adventure based holidays within Europe
   
4. More demand for cheap rail-based travel, similar to that experienced by students in the sixties and seventies
   

Holiday TV to be put on E1TV