A recent study of travel trends expected to develop in the next two decades reveals an alarming fact: the future of traveling lurks in the comfort of our homes. The Playstation generation opts out of real-life experiences.
The online travel and leisure firm lastminute.com has recently conducted a study to find out what future trends are to be expected in the travel industry. “The Future of Free Time” final report does not bring very positive news. Unless the industry gets a funky modern makeover, there will be no room for traveling in the free time of today’s teenagers. The Playstation generation is much more inclined toward sightseeing from the comfort of a high-tech home.
The technical gadgets are introduced with such speed and splendor that in-home leisure simply dominates. Especially in times of economical crisis, people have to take their budget into account and a family holiday is on top of the crossed-out luxuries.
The young generation is growing up in a computerized world and social networking sites have overpowered the younger part of our society. Online, computer games and chats are the ‘real deal’ and as 3D technology improves, sightseeing from one’s home does not seem like a completely lost idea.
The report also focuses on the situation in Japan, as it usually predicts the upcoming global trends. As Dr. Ian Yeoman, futurologist and author of Tomorrow’s Tourist, point out, “They’ve had a deflation and the Japanese consumer has gone inward”.
It is expected that in a few years, this trend will spread wider. In Britain, for instance, since 2007, in-home leisure expenditure has increased by 250%.
Many experts involved in the research believe that unless the travel industry becomes truly innovative, employs more up-beat modern technology to compete with virtual travel, the future of tourism will become a sad flashing screen.
I don't believe the today's generation will stay at home and surf the net instead of going to the wilderness or sightseeing in the city. Just go for a walk in a city park and you feel refreshed, and are in positive mood. There is much more in seeing the real world than sitting behind the PC screen all day long.