Recommend May2017 - 22

"We are also seeing an increase
in destinations that aren't afraid
to start positioning themselves
as sustainable, which sets them
apart. The island of Grenada in the
Caribbean is doing this through
their 'Pure Grenada' branding.
Sustainable tourism provides
economic opportunities, and it also
provides incentive to protect the
very assets visitors come to see:
environments, cultures, people."

Speeding Ahead

"When we are talking about the
future, I think an area where we
will see some pretty dramatic
progress is in space travel.
I believe that with the kind of
commitment from entrepreneurs
from around the world, who are
investing billions of dollars and
testing it now, if we are looking
at 20 years from now,
I think space tourism is absolutely
something that will be available
to those travelers who have the
means and the interest."
- Terry Dale, President and CEO, USTOA

22 may 2017

The pneumatic-tube Hyperloop;
airplanes with open, panoramic
views that allow passengers to view
the night sky while flying...these are
real possibilities in the future. And
what it means is a more seamless
travel experience for your clients.
We are already seeing planes, such
as the Airbus A350 XWB, that offer
bigger windows that allow for more
natural light to come into the cabin
and bird-inspired wings designed
to adapt during flight, morphing
while airborne and changing their
shape to reduce fuel burn. The
aircraft even has mood lighting to
reduce jetlag and offers air that's
being renewed every two-to-three
minutes. That's today, imagine what
tomorrow's planes will look like....
The Airbus Concept Cabin for
2050, as detailed in the company's
The Future by Airbus report, won't
conform to the traditional cabin
classes of today's commercial
aircraft, for instance. Rather, there'll
be zones that target individual needs
such as relaxing, playing games,
interacting with other passengers,
or holding business meetings with
people on the ground.
Rail travel, too, is making major
advances, and in the future experts
from the rail industry predict that
there will be more driverless trains,
improved accuracy of passenger
information, and more high-speed
options. "One of the main shifts
that has the potential to affect

"Millennials are comfortable
with trusting the value, input
and experience of an agent,
but they still want to be
involved at some level."
- Scott Wiseman, President,
Travel Impressions

rail travel over the next five and
10 years is the improvements in
the high-speed rail network and
continued improvements to trains,"
says Zine Belhonchet, Rail Europe's
CEO and president. "This will allow
travelers to reach their destinations
sooner. This year we will see a
new connection between Berlin
and Munich, reducing travel time
from six to four hours." Adds Silvia
Fischer, deputy general manager for
Eurail Group, "There will be more
tailored services that come along.
It's going to be much more than just
getting someone from point A to
point B."
Travelers hopping on trains in
Europe, say both Belhonchet and
Fischer, will have a more seamless
experience as rail companies add
more mobile communication
options, with, says Fischer, travelers
seeing "more integration and more
accessibility, distribution-wise,
ticketing-wise." Notes Belhonchet,
"Apps will help improve service for
customers, and WiFi connectivity,
and additional door-to-door
services, including access to station,
luggage services and more, will
improve the onboard experience."
Rail travel in Europe, as you
know, is an ideal way to explore
beyond the large cities, and
the "discovery" of European
destinations will continue to grow.
"We will see continued growth in
Eastern Europe," says Belhonchet,
with Fischer adding that "one of
the strongest points of our product
is that we are connecting so many
places in Europe, even tiny spots."

recommend.com
http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May2017
