Some Fearless Predictions for Global Tourism for 2008
In our mad tourism business, making any prediction is fraught with danger and especially in my professional role as a tourism crisis and recovery management specialist predications are always made with the rider that they may go astray due to unexpected events.
However, here are eight very likely scenarios for 2008.
1. Tourism to the Gulf states will rocket in 2008. Destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman should really grow a great deal and this is largely due to the exponential expansion of airlines from this part of the world especially Emirates and the growing employment of long haul carriers.
2. SE Asian destinations will find that pressure from growing Gulf tourism will necessitate a marketing war to attract stopeover and long haul tourism traffic.
Don’t be surprised if we see some good stopover deals coming from Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia to fight long haul leakage from the Middle East.
3. Chinese and Indian outbound tourism will be a big feature of tourism during 2008 and beyond and other Asian cuntries are likely to be the prime beneficiaries although every destination on earth will be busy brushing up on their Mandarin and Hindi.
4. As many Euro currency based European destinations price themselves beyond the traveller affordability threshold many of the Non Euro destinations will benefit. Croatia and former Yugoslsalvian countries, Russia, Romania and Turkey could all be beneficiaries of an international travel market searching for affordable, attractive and different destinations.
5. Eco tourism and volunteer tourism programs are likely to be growing sectors of the Western tourism market.
6. Sustainable tourism which have long been the buzz words in tourism academic circles will be the buzz words in the global tourism industry in 2008 as we now all take climate change seriously.
7. We are likely to see a move towards geographically regional destination master planning with an emphasis on sustainable tourism objectives,
This trend has already begun in the Caribbean and in SE Asia but should sperad to the Middle East, the Pacific and Eastern Europe.
8. There will be closer cooperation between the travel industry and governments on issues such as travel advisories, visas, environmental management and sustainable economic development.
Tourism will increasingly be employed as peace dividend in international conflict resolution and this is the best hope for workable progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Have a great Christmas and New Year
A Report by David Beirman, Director Struan & Associates, Tourism Destination Crisis, Recovery and Master Planning Specialist
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025