8 EXPERTS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL WILL LOOK LIKE WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE
Eco Tourism Predictions / Image: Nicholas Swanson
The travel world has gone through a tumultuous hurricane of changes in recent times. Travelling is now having a damaging impact on the planets climate and as we rethink travel as a force for good, conscious explorers are becoming more and more thoughtful in the way they travel.
But what is the future of travel and are you ready for them?
The growth of travel is even greater than before and within recent years - the demand to travel sustainably, eco-friendly and consciously are moving further and further away from the traditional ways of travel.
With our focus on being able to adventure the globe but also help sustain the planet at the same time - is at the heart of many people’s focus. With climate change on the rise and the spotlight on reducing carbon emissions accelerates - adventurers are now asking: How can we travel the world without effecting the planet? What does the future of travel look like in the next decade and how can I make a positive impact whilst I travel?
We’ve asked 8 of the world’s top travel experts, entrepreneurs and activists to share their thoughts, challenges and predictions on the future of travel that will exist within the next decade.
Read their thoughts on what the future of travel will look like within the next 10 years…….
LORI SORRENTINO, WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER & FOUNDER OF TRAVLINMAD
Bio
Lori Sorrentino is the founder and publisher of Travlinmad, a slow travel website about sustainable food and travel since 2014. She’s a traveler with a background in destination marketing, and knows firsthand the importance of balance in the promotion of tourism.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
"When ecotourism first became a thing, it was enough to have natural, non-manufactured travel experiences, where conscientious travellers could simply visit a place and passively observe and be one with their surroundings.
Then the values of stewardship and sustainability introduced new levels of responsibility around the effects of transportation, sustainable practices, overtourism, animal tourism, and the impact of hotels and accommodations on the environment, to name just a few. But if 2020 did anything, it pointed a glaring spotlight on the wide-reaching and sometimes irreparable effects of tourism (and the lack of tourism) on a place, and how travellers and hospitality businesses alike need to take active measures to leave a place better than they found it in the first place. The growing trend of regenerative travel — which has typically referred to the healing effects for the traveler — takes it a step further, focusing instead on the place itself, and urging tour operators, local governments, and hospitality businesses to ensure that the benefits contributed by visitors ultimately outweigh the resources they consume. There are lots of unique challenges post-Covid for the travel industry, but I believe more travellers and businesses will adapt to the type of slow and regenerative travel that’s vital to the community. They may not have much choice."
Travlinmad Website / Instagram
ASHLEY RENNE, FOUNDER OF TRAVEL LUSHES, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND ENTREPRENEUR
Bio
Ashley Renne Nsonwu is a no-filter environmental activist and entrepreneur who pivoted from her travel influencer career in 2019 to reduce her carbon footprint and educate her audience about sustainable living. She is the author of the digital cookbook Basic Ass Vegan, an on-camera host for SHG Living, and board member of Climate Power. Ashley inspires her community to bridge individual action with systemic change to help end animal exploitation, protect our natural environment, and improve the health of our bodies through sustainable, vegan lifestyle changes – especially in communities of color disproportionately being impacted by climate change and health problems. She co-founded a sustainable startup company launching in 2022 that will be flipping the script on who gets access to clean, safe, climate-conscious products.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“I predict the future of sustainable tourism will include an increased interest in road tripping. The Covid crisis heavily shifted the way people view air travel. Between safety precautions and a heightened awareness in sustainability, more travelers will choose to reduce their carbon footprints and explore more locally now. Globally, EVs (electric vehicles) will represent more than two-thirds of passenger vehicle sales in 2040, according to BloombergNEF. As EV sales rise, I believe more people will find the idea of road tripping with zero emissions to be both exciting and adventurous.”
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KETKI GADRE, FOUNDER OF EXPLORE WITH ECOKATS
Bio
Ketki is originally from India. She has been writing and documenting her sustainable travels for over 2 years now. She’s also visited 22 states in India so far and 12 countries along the way.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“Home stays are embracing ecotourism with wide arms and I feel they will excel in the next decade. The experience of staying with a local family closely learning about their culture, food, and language is an experience hard to pass off for the visitors. This is sustainable as it is boosting the local’s economy and giving the feeling of home away from home while creating wonderful memories for the visitor. This is also safe in a pandemic situation as home stays in most cases accommodate only a couple of people.
I also feel wildlife tourism is going to get a boost in the future. Thanks to the conservation efforts by government agencies with the help of NGOs and local communities, the population of wildlife in most national parks is increasing, especially in India. The subtle marketing combined with education is creating the right demand for visiting protected areas. These protected areas give a sense of adventure (sighting wildlife in the forest while sitting in a safari) with safety (small groups in one safari) which is a perfect combination in the pandemic scenario and avoiding places attracting huge crowds.”
LISA ELDRIDGE, FOUNDER OF ‘GIRL ABOUT THE GLOBE’
Bio
Lisa Imogen Eldridge is a self-confessed travel addict who has travelled to 131 countries and 101 of these solo. She is the founder of Girl about the Globe, a website for conscious female travellers, empowering women to travel solo and helping vulnerable girls about the globe.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
"I believe that one of the biggest predictions for eco tourism in the next decade is slow travel. Something that the pandemic has taught us is to slow down and really appreciate the joy in life, whether that’s finding a new nature spot to read a book in, hiking on a coastal path or in the mountains or just enjoying a coffee in a cafe and watching life happen around us.
Slow travel means taking our time in a country which is not only good for the environment as we travel around less but it is also good for our soul. As it allows us to reconnect with who we are and really immerse ourselves within a country getting to see the destination through more of a local’s eyes than a tourist.
Being an advocate for solo travel, spending longer in a destination gives you the chance to get under the skin of a country, to meet more local people and gain a deeper understanding of the culture. It allows more immersion and is perfect for those of us who travel to learn more about the world. Gone will be the days of travelling to 10 countries in just as many days. Think one country in a month."
Join Girl About The Globe’s community of solo female travellers here: Website / Facebook
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SHIVYA NATH, AUTHOR / WRITER / STORYTELLER & TRAVELLER
Bio
Shivya Nath, quit her corporate job to travel the world 10 years ago. She now lives a nomadic life, seeks adventures off the beaten path, and works on the go to fund her travels. The Shooting Star website is the home of all her travels where she hopes to inspire people to step out of their comfort zone and discover the world. Her impressive following has gained her national acclaim.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“In the coming years, as the realities of climate change, biodiversity loss and over tourism become more stark, travellers will not only seek to reduce their footprint but consciously have a positive impact on the places and people they visit. Destinations, accommodations and travel companies that can pivot into regenerative travel offerings - where a traveller is not just an outsider viewing a landscape but an active contributor to its conservation and sustainable development - will dominate an evolved tourism industry!”
Shivya Nath Instagram / The Shooting Star
TORBIORN C. PEDERSEN, FOUNDER OF ONCE UPON A SAGA
Bio
Torbjørn C. Pedersen (Thor) is among the worlds most travelled people and only nine countries from becoming the first to visit every country completely without flying.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“It is my hope that viable options for eco-friendly tourism continue to grow as it makes it easier for people to choose them. Most people are closest to themselves and need a push in the right direction. If someone invites to join a beach clean-up then people will show. If the price of a train ride can compete with an airfare and the loss of time isn’t too significant then people will consider it. But people often go for the cheap and easy solutions. And this will likely also be the trend for the future.”
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SARAH SWANK, FOUNDER OF SUITCASE SIX - SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL MADE SIMPLE
Bio
Sarah is a travel fanatic trying to see as much of the world as she can but she knows that can leave a huge footprint on Mother Earth so she’s on a mission to wander a little lighter. Sarah is passionate about helping people plan their dream trips in a sustainable, mindful way!
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“More and more, when I talk to people about the kind of dream vacations they’re planning, I hear the words “authentic”, “off-the-beaten-path”, or “genuine”. These are by no means new words in the travel industry but I do believe they’re becoming more popular. One of the best ways to have those sorts of unforgettable experiences is through home stays, a trend I really think will grow in the coming years.
A home stay, just like it sounds, is basically a term for tourists staying in the home of a local citizen during their travels. Usually, you’ll share meals, conversation, and living quarters which means more time to get to know your hosts, develop relationships, and more deeply immerse yourself in the culture! These are typically off-the-beaten-path, less expensive, and much more educational than a resort. Your accommodation money directly supports local citizens rather than mega hotel chains, and on average use far less resources than a private room would. What’s not to love?”
STEFANIA GUGLIELMI, FOUNDER OF ‘EVERY STEPH’ & CONTENT CREATOR
Bio
Stefania Guglielmi is a tireless traveler, fashionista, coffee addict, and the founder of the travel and lifestyle blog Every Steph. Launched in 2014, Every Steph tries to redefine the stereotype of the eco-traveler, by showing readers that sustainable travel can easily go hand in hand with a touch of luxury.
What are your predictions on the future of travel?
“2020 was the year when many people around the world realized that there are tangible consequences of travel and over-tourism on the planet. With no people traveling, natural areas around the world were able to regenerate and thrive once again. I predict, and I hope, that what happened will be a catalyst for change. Governments and private travel companies will push for a more sustainable way of traveling. Over the last few years, more and more companies have realized that the younger generations care - they care about the environment, about the local communities, and they care about leaving the planet better than they found it. I have great hopes that ecotourism will become more and more of an important sub-industry in the travel industry, and that one day it will become the standard for destinations around the world.”
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