6 Major Tourism Trends for 2016
Posted on January 27th, 2016
In a recent TripBarometer study conducted on behalf of TripAdvisor by independent research firm Ipsos, forty-four thousand (44,000) travellers and hoteliers responded about their plans for 2016 which revealed six (6) major trends.
Trend #1 – Seeking new experiences
In the coming year, travellers of all ages will seek out things they haven’t tried before, from cruises to solo travel and more.
- Globally, 69% of travellers plan to try something new in 2016.
- 1 in 5 global travellers said they would try a cruise for the first time next year.
- 17% will try solo travel for the first time in 2016; 15% will try adventure travel for the first time.
Trend #2 – Spending more because it’s “worth it”
Worldwide, travellers are open to spending more in 2016 than they have in the past—and not just because of rising costs.
1 in 3 travellers are planning to spend more in 2016 than they did in 2015.
- 1 in 3 travellers (33%) are planning to spend more on travel in 2016 than they did the previous year.
- Among those who plan to increase their travel budget, 49% said they will do so because “because I or my family deserve it.”
- 31% said they would spend more on travel because “it’s important for my health and well-being.”
Trend #3 – Choosing destinations based on culture, special offers
Today’s travellers choose destinations for a number of reasons, including special offers from accommodations.
- Globally, 47% of travellers say they have visited a destination because of the culture and people of the specific country.
- 1 in 5 travellers (21%) have chosen a destination because a hotel had a special offer or package.
- “TV tourism” is on the rise: 1 in 5 global travellers have visited a destination because they saw it on a TV show.
Trend #4 – Staying cool and connected
Among the amenities that travellers will look for when they book an accommodation in 2016, air conditioning and WiFi stand out.
- Globally, 63% of travellers said air conditioning is a must-have when choosing a place to stay. That makes it more of a deal-breaker than breakfast (40%) or a swimming pool (26%).
- 46% said free in-room WiFi is a must-have amenity—meaning that, if an accommodation did not provide it, they would look elsewhere.
- 26% of travellers said that they require an accommodation that has super-fast WiFi; 11% are willing to pay extra for this service.
Trend #5 – Rising room rates (and optimism)
Many accommodations plan to raise their room rates next year, while the majority of hoteliers say they’re optimistic about profitability in 2016.
3 out of 4 business owners are optimistic about profits in 2016.
- Nearly half of hoteliers globally plan to increase room rates in 2016 (47%).
- Most accommodations are increasing rates to compensate for increased overhead costs (65%), although more than a third are increasing rates because of recently completed renovations (37%) or because of increased demand (35%).
- 3 in 4 business owners are optimistic about profitability in 2016. The majority of those who are optimistic say it’s because of local events and conferences taking place in their markets next year (65%).
- 91% of hoteliers see increasing direct bookings as key for the future of their business.
Trend #6 – Managing reputations online
Online presence remains important: In 2016, businesses will be keeping a close eye on what people are saying about them on the web.
- 93% of hoteliers said that online traveler reviews are important for the future of their business.
- Online reputation management is still the biggest area of investment for accommodation owners in 2016, with 59% investing more in this area than they did the previous year.
Source: 2016 TripAdvisor, 6 key travel trends for 2016
Until next time…..Mary Carroll CEO Capricorn Enterprise
