18 November 2008

Is There A Sustainable Future for Travel and Tourism?

LONDON - Leading ethical travel company responsibletravel.com this week launches a new website which lays out a vision for the future of the tourism industry and invites people to contribute to the debate.

FutureOfTourism.com is launched to coincide with the publication of a special dedicated ââ¬Ëœfuture of travelââ¬â¢ December issue of Geographical, the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society and media partner for the project.

Justin Francis, managing director, responsibletravel.com said, ââ¬ÅâœThe environmental cost of travel has been well debated and tourism has taken a battering.

ââ¬ÅâœConsequently the industry and those who work within it feel deflated. Many travellers are left wondering whether they can and should continue to travel.

ââ¬ÅâœI hope to start a positive and forward thinking debate around the future of tourism, in the media and among travellers too. I look forward to reading what people have to say on this crucial topic.ââ¬~

Graeme Gourlay, publisher, Geographical said, ââ¬ÅâœThis special issue is a collaboration of various thinkers and writers and provides a vision of what a sustainable future might look like for travel and tourism.

ââ¬ÅâœWe look at hotel architecture with visualisations from leading eco-architect Jeremy Blake; the innovations in aviation by renowned travel journalist Mark Rowe; developments in travel technology by Mark Eveleigh as well as comment from a number of key players in the industry.ââ¬~

Francis has written the lead article for the magazine (which can be read in full at www.futureoftourism.com predicting the following trends and coining new terminology:

- An increase in ââ¬Ëœgeo-local travelââ¬â¢ - travelling closer to home within our own continents

- A move towards ââ¬Ëœhyper local sourcingââ¬â¢ i.e. hotels sourcing food, supplies, staff etc. from a 10km radius. He predicts weââ¬â¢ll see a new hotel chain emerge ââ¬' The 10km Hotel.

- ââ¬ËœDeep travelââ¬â¢ - weââ¬â¢ll ask ââ¬Ëœwhyââ¬â¢ we need a holiday rather than just ââ¬Ëœwhereââ¬â¢, and begin to travel with more of a purpose.

- The appreciation of local distinctiveness ââ¬' that which makes a place unique and special

See www.futureoftourism.com to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Valere Tjolle

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