Ten travel trends to watch in 2007
January 18, 2007 |
Marketing agency Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell offer their take on travel trends to watch in 2007, as they expect another year for the record books.
by Peter Yesawich
As we enter 2007 our thoughts turn to what we can expect from the cautiously optimistic, yet still volatile, market environment in which we now operate. So here are our predictions:
1. Demand for leisure travel services will continue to outpace that for business travel services, as more business travelers attempt to use the latest technology as a surrogate for business travel whenever possible and appropriate (and to manage the escalating cost of air transportation and lodging);
2. Family travel (adults with children) will continue to grow at a faster rate than all other forms of leisure travel, as both parents and grandparents continue to look at travel as one way in which to “reunite” families in a contemporary world that is increasingly dominated by the demands of work…even if only for a few days;
3. Practically all travel suppliers will attempt to raise fares and/or rates, as demand for travel services continues to grow, capacity becomes more strained, and operating costs escalate (on both airlines and in lodging accommodations, particularly in popular destinations like New York);
4. The role of the Internet will continue to dominate the travel-planning/booking headlines, yet the incidence of Internet usage by both business and leisure travelers to plan some aspect of travel will remain flat, while the incidence of its usage to actually book reservations will continue to grow but at a significantly lower rate than we have observed during the past three years;
5. Comparison shopping of suppliers’ fares and rates (and the corresponding “price transparency”) will become more commonplace as consumers discover the power (and intrigue) of the nascent meta search engines such as kayak.com, qixo.com and the like;
6. The new “lifestyle” hotel brands such as NYLO, ALOFT, etc. will continue to gain both exposure and popularity among the next generation of travelers (the Millennials), as well as more mature travelers who wish to look, act and feel like Millennials;
7. The concept of “inclusive pricing” (one price for a bundle of basic services) will grow in popularity beyond destination resorts to include commercial hotels seeking to provide road warriors with good value for “just the basics” (a comfortable bed, a good working desk, breakfast, High Speed Internet access, and reward points);
8. Interest in spa-going will continue to grow as more consumers seek ways to manage the mounting stress in their lives (thereby igniting the next generation of spa development in commercial hotels);
9. The cruise industry will continue to enjoy remarkable growth (precipitated by the arrival of exciting new ships, an aging population, and general marketing prowess), thereby becoming an even more formidable competitor of destination (land-based) hotels and resorts;
10. The new .travel Internet domain will continue to grow in popularity as suppliers seek to market their products and services in a more refined online environment, and consumers seek refuge from the contamination and frustration that accompanies searches in the .com domain.
Most importantly, barring the impact of any catastrophic political, economic, social or terrorist event in the months ahead, 2007 should be another year for the record books.
Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell is a marketing, advertising and public relations agency
Related Articles
Travelers want compelling offers at time of search, says Google
19 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Hotels increasingly offer pre-pay discounts
18 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Luxury hotels lift rates, as tourists return
18 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
As rates decline, hotels upping surcharges
18 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Top ten best practices for today’s online hotel marketer
17 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Starwood launches global limited time offer room sale
17 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Five creative strategies for hotels to attract new repeat guests
17 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
O’Rourke launches Smartstay iPhone app to open mobile channel for hotels
17 Mar, 2010 |
How have Web 2.0 & social media shaped online hotel marketing?
16 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Recovery over a year away, say European hotel executives
16 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Most Popular Articles
Does your hotel really need a social media strategy?
11 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
How TripAdvisor engages mass influencers
12 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Top ten best practices for today’s online hotel marketer
17 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
6 ways to drive more online travel sales in 2010
11 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Why should I open your e-mail?
09 Mar, 2010 | Internet Marketing
The need for a more holistic approach to revenue management
10 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
How have Web 2.0 & social media shaped online hotel marketing?
16 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Google Marketplace drives corporate travel apps
15 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Five creative strategies for hotels to attract new repeat guests
17 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Social media empowers new modes of travel
19 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Economic Downturn
Recovery over a year away, say European hotel executives
16 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
China expected to stimulate world travel economy in 2010
16 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
IATA sees brighter 2010 outlook
15 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Virgin America’s guide to not screwing up customer service
12 Mar, 2010 | Internet Marketing
UK travelers plan to take multiple trips abroad in 2010
09 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Un-stoppable growth in OTA bookings, GDS still lacking behind
05 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Global hotel prices dropped beyond 2004 levels during 2009
02 Mar, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Things are looking up for U.S. airlines
02 Mar, 2010 | Online Travel
Asia leads travel industry’s recovery
26 Feb, 2010 | Online Travel
Meeting buyers see budget cutbacks ease
25 Feb, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Travel companies grapple with “new normal”
23 Feb, 2010 | Online Travel
Europe likely to see recovery, not growth, says STR
22 Feb, 2010 | Hospitality Industry
Hogg Robinson Group sees early signs of recovery
22 Feb, 2010 | Online Travel
US Travel growth expected in 2010
18 Feb, 2010 | Online Travel
IHG’s profit drops 18%, as hotel rates continue to fall
16 Feb, 2010 | Hospitality Industry












