By Martin Owen
First and foremost: “Happy New Year!” I hope your holiday period was enjoyable and that you enjoy a happy and prosperous 2019.
What will the New Year bring us from a tourism point of view? I have been looking at the trends, doing some crystal ball gazing, and talking to others in the tourism and hospitality business to get a feel for the next twelve months. Here’s what I see…
Trends are exactly that, things that have been happening for a while and are getting more noticeable. The travel and tourism industry is one of constant evolution as new technology, changes in fashion, and demographics influence the how, why, and where we travel.
If you’ve stayed in hotels recently, or for those of us who work in hotels, you would have been only too aware that the old room key has all but disappeared. Do you remember the keys with a tag that promised that the hotel would pay the postage if you forgot to hand in the key at the end of your stay? If you don’t, you’re not as old as I am! Anyway, keys now have been almost universally replaced with keycards that have either magnetic strips or what are known as RFID, or radio chips that are changed for each guest. The next move is that you’ll be able to check in by cell phone before you arrive at the hotel and the key code will be sent to your phone—which you’ll use to check in. You’ll also be able to control remotely the air conditioning settings in your room and alter the in-room entertainment settings.Vacation rental properties are also going through a technology change: remote check-in and the same sort of remote room monitoring that we are beginning to have in our homes.
Moreover, Airlines and airports are going through sweeping changes. Lost bags are becoming less of an issue as airlines are using RFID baggage tags to constantly monitor them. I suppose that means the bags can still go to Tokyo while you go to New York, but at least you’ll know where they are.
Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson airport and Delta Air Lines have introduced biometrics check in. This means that you won’t have to worry about losing that boarding pass as your face will be the key to passing through check-in, security, and boarding. Expect to see that rolling out at the bigger airports during 2019.
Airlines are also changing where they operate. The venerable and much-loved Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet is being phased out by many airlines. No US airlines fly them anymore. They are being replaced by Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 planes. These are smaller and more economical than the old jets. It also means that airlines can operate in smaller airports. Expect to see direct flights between your local airports and where you want to end up, rather than having to go through a difficult connection process.
Talking about airlines, there has been a huge rise in what is termed low-cost carriers over recent years. These have reduced fares, often at the expense of customer service, or by flying between less used airports. While they’ve made travel more affordable for many people, they are proving difficult business models to run profitably. We’ve already seen a number of failures worldwide, and you can expect to see some big low-cost airlines close shop during 2019.
Much has been discussed about people wanting experiences when they travel, rather than just sitting in the beach. What does this mean? Well, people want to do things rather than buy things. That’s going to continue. People want to go on walking tours, swim with dolphins, and catch fish, plus all the other activities when they travel. Increasingly, they wait until they arrive at a destination to book these. Expect to see more hotels and resorts offering guests the ability to book tours and activities from their phones or by using a tablet in their rooms.
Locally, here on the northern Gulf Coast, what should you expect in 2019?
The local tourist authorities, the Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and tourist boards have been struggling with an identity for the region for a number of years. Are we: The Panhandle of Florida, The Gulf Coast, The Emerald Coast or some other name? It’s confusing for the visitors to the area, and the time has come to resolve the situation. Visit Florida together with the individual counties along the coast have been researching, and are due to release their marketing plans later this year. This will identify the area as a region to attract new tourists from all over the USA and international destinations. It will also allow the individual areas the ability to do their own branding initiatives. Hopefully, this will sort out the confusion once and for all.
So, lots to look forward to. Happy 2019!