World Travel Market predicts global trends in travel industry
World Travel Market (WTM) unveiled here on Monday a report predicting global trends in the travel industry over the next five years.
According to the report, tourism in North Africa is poised for success, with Morocco being a risking star while Tunisia and Egypt are looking to build upon their current success.
In western Europe, slow travel, which offers consumers the opportunity to disconnect from their hectic lifestyles, experience direct contact with nature and enjoy life's simpler pleasures, is build up momentum. It is expected to become a significant alternative to beach and cultural tourism, moving from a niche into the mainstream.
Meanwhile, niche operators will benefit from Diaspora tourism in eastern Europe. The expansion of the European Union to include Eastern Europe has led to a rise in immigration for both humanitarian and economic reasons to Western Europe. Low cost airlines have enabled these Diasporas to travel frequently to their homelands.
In the Middle East, Halal tourism, which is a form of religious tourism defined as activities permissible under Islamic law, offers great potential. There is currently little differentiation between Middle Eastern travel and tourism products and services for Muslims and non-Muslim. This represents a huge opportunity for Halal tourism.
In North America, young adults seeking to prolong their uninhibited youth are following in the footsteps of tabloid celebrities and traveling to experience out of control parties in a trend called "debaucherism tourism."
South America will be the exotic lure of End of the World Tourism. Considered the "End of the World", Ushuaia, Argentina is benefiting from a boom in tourism thanks to media attention to climate change and the popularity of films such as the "The March of the Penguins." Baby boomers from North America and Europe are contributing to the growth in tourism to Ushuaia as they adventure further afield to acquire evermore unique experiences.
Asians, in the mean time will go mobile, as Asia Pacific is the world's largest region in terms of number of mobile phone users, which almost reached lucrative channel for travel and tourism operators to connect with their consumers.
In Britain, where there is a pet population of 49 million and consumer spending 2.7 billion pounds (some 5.4 billion US dollars) on pet food and pet care products, the industry predicts that Britons will travel with their pets.
WTM is an annual trade event in London for the travel industry. Last year, the four-day event drew over 45,000 travel professionals from 202 countries and regions.
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