Luxury long-haul tour operator Kuoni has identified five key future trends for travel in its Travel Trends Report 2012.
The trends are:
– more future travellers are looking for individual travel and authentic experiences
– the world’s travel map is being shaped by political unrest. According to Kuoni, the Arab Spring in 2011 has led to a change in booking patterns. Egypt, previously Kuoni’s fourth best-selling destination, is no longer in its top 10 after nearly an entire year of sporadic unrest
– more sales of all-inclusive holidays, due to the gloomy worldwide economic predictions
– more demand for good family resorts closer to home. In response, Kuoni’s new Europe 2012 programme includes a number of all-inclusive resorts in Spain and Turkey
– more demand for socially responsible holidays, as consumers search for eco-friendly accommodation and experiences.
In addition, Kuoni’s report outlines how social media is an increasingly important part of its marketing mix.
The company claims it started 2011 with 3,031 followers on Twitter and ended the year with just over 5,000 followers.
It has also nearly doubled its ‘likes’ on Facebook from 5,340 in December 2010 to 14,459 by December 2011.
by Bev Fearis
