Air travel and tourism continue to grow globally, and are close to attaining pre-pandemic figures. However, several new trends are emerging in this recovery phase. The Planner Guru identifies four air travel trends that could help to support the growth of the local MICE market.
Trend #1 Long-haul destinations are showing demand
Expedia Group Media Solutions‘ Traveller Insights Report Q1 for 2023 shares that, while domestic travel remains strong, long-haul destinations are also rising in popularity as traveller confidence returns. This is great news for destination South Africa, with its remote geography.
Trend #2 Bleisure travel is a new norm
The Expedia report also shares that it has seen triple digit growth in the use of the business-friendly filter on Expedia and Hotels.com. Meanwhile, according to a 2021 survey conducted by Expedia, 60% of business trips in the past year have included a leisure component.
South Africa’s strong appeal as a leisure destination could be used to entice more meetings and events to our shores.
Trend #3 Travel is becoming more sustainable
The World Passenger Experience Forum’s report on the Top Passenger Behavior Trends to Follow in 2023 shares that, in order to support the responsible growth of the aviation industry, the global air transport industry committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 77th Annual General Meeting. From investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft to using alternative fuels, many steps are being taken to cut carbon emissions.
Ethiad Airways, for example, has partnered with Microsoft to use advanced analytics and AI to implement and assess carbon efficiency savings across its operations.
If air travel can be a guilt-free experience in the near future, we can also expect to see an increased international interest in hosting events in South Africa.
RELATED: How corporates are travelling more sustainably
Trend #4 Improved traveller experiences
The Top Passenger Behavior Trends to Follow in 2023 report also highlights that almost two thirds of all travellers will be millennials and Gen Zs in a few years’ time. This is a demographic which typically prizes travel and experiences, and expects to be able to manage their travel bookings and itineraries in a frictionless manner using digital tools.
These preferences should see improvements in how people travel – including the use of AI, seamless digital payments and client centricity, notes Stephan Ekbergh, CEO of Travelstart. These improvements, when combined with the above trends, should make long haul travel more comfortable and even enjoyable, which again should help to make South Africa a more appealing destination for meetings and events.
Cover image by Gerrie van der Walt in Unsplash.
