Towards more travel and greener times ahead
By Janchrister EgneforsIt’s hard to predict the future. But now we’ve produced a global trend report together with a company specialising in researching the future in order to provide some kind of idea of where we’re headed, and to allow services to be developed which may help progress in the industry.
This report shows that consumer behaviour in our industry has changed and that technology will have a bigger part to play in travel than it does at present. The report presents four groups which have their own particular influence on travel and which will be putting pressure on us from all sides. Global business travellers who jet around the world in their private planes, groups of active pensioners – already growing, as we can see. We’ll also be seeing more city commuters leaving their cars at home and using aircraft to get about instead. We’re also meeting people in various parts of the world as a result of this increase in travel, and this might result in families being spread out across various countries.
Sustainable development
This report shows that travel will increase in future – both private trips and business travel. Fantastic news for all of us in the industry – but it also means greater responsibility on our shoulders to offer and supply environmentally friendly options. Air travel has been the subject of much attention recently as regards issues such as carbon dioxide emissions and penalty taxes. The solutions to the problem of the environment are in their infancy as yet, but I hope and believe we’ll find the answer.
But air travel shouldn’t bear all the responsibility alone. More and more people are also starting to show an interest in making sure their destinations are environmentally friendly as well. At the moment, ecotourism is one of the fastest growing segments of global tourism. Our aim is to achieve sustainable development of tourism in vulnerable areas and – in the long run – all over the world. Ecotourism is widespread throughout the world, and in some places it’s actually helped animals such as gorillas and whales to survive. But ecotourism isn’t just something that happens a long way away. In Sweden, there are now 75 companies which have complied with all 300 criteria required to receive the “Naturens Bästa” – Nature’s Best – quality accreditation. As you know, the countryside in Sweden is unique, so there are enormous opportunities for holidays or conferences which will really be something to remember. Find out more and meet Maria Kjellström at Svenska Ekoturismföreningen in an interview in this issue.
The future’s bright for the industry, and I’m extremely confident in our abilities to come up with environmentally friendly solutions for our services.
Janchrister Egnefors
