The Future of Travel: Three Predictions that Came True

For the tenth consecutive year, Euromonitor International and World Travel Market London (WTM) are at the forefront of the travel industry, predicting future trends that will shape the industry in the annual WTM London Global Trends Report.

Three of the most popular trends from the 2014’s edition are:

The rise of the MAMILs and cycling tourism

The WTM London Global Trends Report 2014 revealed that the growing popularity of cycling is posing a threat to golf tourism with the rise of MAMILs (middle-aged-men-in-lycra) in the US and beyond.

In March 2015, FOX News identified a growing number of travel players witnessing a considerable increase in bicycle tourism. In the US, the historic Ojai Valley Inn and Spa partnered with a bike shop to offer rental bicycles through an onsite kiosk. Furthermore, in August 2015, sustainable transport charity Sustrans estimated that cycling tourism adds over £650 million to the UK economy each year.

Poshtels Have a Luxury Facelift

The WTM London Global Trends Report 2014 announced that an increasing demand for low cost, high-value travel and non-conventional lodging establishments will spread from the UK to the rest of the world.

Design-led Generator Hostels are a success story taking the tourism industry by storm, currently with ten unique hostels in nine European cities and two more planned for 2016. Additional notable examples of poshtels include Freehand Miami Hostel with its cocktail bar named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2014, the Shophouse Social Hostel in Singapore, offering a ladies-only pink-hued floor called No Mans Land, as well as eco-friendly Once in Capetown Hostel.

Wearable electronics goes mainstream

The report predicted that the incredible rise of wearable electronics will impact on the way we travel.

According to Euromonitor data, wearable electronics are no longer considered a niche sector and have become the world’s best-selling consumer electronics product after smartphones. Wearable electronics are forecast to exceed 305 million units in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 55 percent over the next five years.

Continued innovation and new applications will define the success of this category and its importance to the travel industry. With the Apple Watch consumers can now access airline data, book a journey with Uber, plan a trip with TripAdvisor and access their room at hotel chains such as Starwood and Marriott. And with the addition of the Google Maps app in September 2015, the traveler’s journey is becoming a smoother, less complicated experience.

The WTM Global Trends Report 2015 by Euromonitor International will be launched at London’s Excel Centre during a press conference on Monday, November 2, at 13:30 in the Platinum Suite 5&6. A session for WTM attendees will be held on Tuesday, November 3, at 12 noon in Platinum Suite 1.

WTM London 2015 opens its doors between November 2-5 at ExCeL London.

GTP is an official media partner of WTM London.