Tourism never stands still. Whereas for most Britons a century ago the idea of a holiday would be a weekend at a beach resort like Blackpool, Southend or Scarborough, nowadays it could be anywhere in the world. It is not just destinations that have changed.
Trips tend to be longer, more active, more varied in terms of activities and budgets, and take in new considerations. For example, a growing awareness of environmental issues has led to more eco-tourism and also carbon offsetting to help claw back the impact on the planet of a plane flight. This, however, only describes some examples of how tourism has changed to date; there are sure to be a range of new ways in which the way people do travel and holidays now will be obsolete in years to come. The key for those working in the sector is to respond by providing the kinds of experiences and services holidaymakers want.
A good example of the kind of modern innovations that have been in the vanguard over the last year was revealed in the 2015 World Tourism Organization Awards. There are four categories relating to innovation: for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance, for Innovation in Enterprises, for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and for Innovation in Research and Technology. Public policy and governance and NGOs, of course, are outside the scope of the private sector, with local or regional government initiatives being honoured. These can, however, include a range of new schemes from the creation or enhancement of tourism attractions to new technological steps to help tourists navigate.
It is the Innovation in Enterprises gongs that demonstrate where hotels and chains are making progress, while the technology sector will provide new devices and applications that forward-looking hoteliers can make good use of. The use of digital technology is certainly an obvious way in which new innovation is taking place. It means, for instance, making it easier to book online and also use apps to navigate, discover information and plan trips. Indeed, this is an area that may be in the vanguard of new innovation, combining two very dynamic trends: the growth of new mobile applications and the rise of younger travellers who want to make the most of their time, swapping lazy days on the beach for active trips see all the sights and take in a myriad of activities. Of course, a few years hence it may be the emergent trends have changed again and moved on to something else. For the travel sector, the key is to be aware of what is going on and respond swiftly to keep up and stay relevant.
