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The Global Insight

What will tourism look like in the future?

Author

Mia Phillips

Updated on February 18, 2026

New experiences, luxury, culture and authenticity are some of the trends that will shape the future of world tourism. The tourist wants to sample the ethnicity of the destination, increasingly interests in culture, food and sport are shaping the way people approach their choice of holiday.

What will be the future of travel?

The solo travel trend is likely to gather even greater momentum, as travel was stymied by the pandemic, which will likely nudge them to take the plunge to travel on their own in 2021. With 49% of Indian travellers saying they would want to travel more in the future to make up for travel time lost in 2020.

Is there a need for tourism in the future?

The travel industry does have a future. By 2030, there will be 1.8 billion worldwide tourists a year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization — 400 million more than last year. High-speed rail is an essential part of the travel industry’s future.

What are the trends of tourism?

General Upcoming Tourism Trends. There are a variety of tourism trends that are based on more general changes in consumer behaviour, like the need for healthy and organic food & drinks, sustainability, personalised service the rising demand of digitalisation and the use of technology.

Is tourism coming back in 2022?

If we consider that the current economic slump started in Q1 2020, this means global tourism-related services and travel activity could go back to pre-crisis levels as of the second part of 2022. As a result, the odds of a soaring rebound in the travel sector are very unlikely by next year.

Should I make travel plans for 2021?

For 2021 travel, you can plan like you’re definitely going, but you should also plan like you’re definitely going to cancel! You’ll want to make sure that any ticket you book is flexible, changeable and refundable.

Do travel agencies have a future?

Yet demand for the travel agency model persists. And travel agencies who see digitalisation of their industry as an opportunity and empower themselves with the best ‘tools of the trade’ — and communicate their expertise and experience to those considering the D.I.Y.

Which is the new field of tourism?

Art tourism: A new field for tourist studies.

Is it safe to travel 2022?

Travelling may be more cumbersome in 2022, but it will likely be cleaner and safer than ever. Passengers will be less likely to board dirty planes, skip hand washing or leave phones unclean for months. “This pandemic will change the culture of how people are travelling.”

Which country is most dependent on tourism?

How the 20 Largest Economies Stack Up

RankCountryTravel and Tourism, Contribution to GDP
1Mexico15.5%
2Spain14.3%
3Italy13.0%
4Turkey11.3%

Is it safe to book a flight for 2021?

Millions more were denied refunds for flights they couldn’t legally take during national lockdowns. It is safe to book a holiday in 2021 if you choose your holiday company and booking policy carefully. You may also need to be flexible.

Can you book flights for 2022?

You can now book flights as far out as January 2022! Nearly all airlines put flights on sale 330 days (roughly 11 months) in advance. So as of this weekend, that window to book flights rolled over into early 2022. That’s worth keeping in mind, whether you’ve written off travel in 2021 or are simply planning ahead.

Are travel agents dying?

And lastly, travel agents are not a dying breed. The answer: Yes, and we still account for one-third of all travel booked in the United States,” insists O’Shaughnessy. It’s still a profitable industry in the United States and there’s no reason to believe the industry is dying off.

How is the tourism industry affected by Covid 19?

Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, impacting economies, livelihoods, public services and opportunities on all continents. All parts of its vast value-chain have been affected. Export revenues from tourism could fall by $910 billion to $1.2 trillion in 2020.