The Megatrends Defining Travel in 2020 and 8 Other Top Tourism Stories This Week

The Megatrends Defining Travel in 2020: From the new role of subscription travel to the importance of urban living innovations and the impact of Gen Z, these are among the megatrends in travel we’re watching in 2020.

Tourism Australia Fights Another Fire: Stemming Potential Cancellations: Bookings to Australia from international markets such as Asia, where millions will be traveling during the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday season, are said to be holding up. A lot of businesses are hoping that’s the case. Australia can do with some cheer.

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Dubai’s Demand for Niche Spiritual Retreats on the Rise: Spiritual retreats have become all the rage in Dubai as the wellness travel industry continues to grow, particularly across developing markets. Tailored experiences may be the key to the growth of this niche market, as more mindful travelers are now seeking exclusivity and holistic healing methods.

Puerto Rico’s Tourism Industry Put to the Test Once Again in a Series of Quakes: Puerto Rico has taken a battering in recent days, with a series of earthquakes affecting the southern part of the U.S. territory. The island’s tourism industry has had plenty of opportunities to prove its resilience recently; this will be another.

Travel Advisors Stay Fresh on Trends as Demand Grows for Culinary Experiences: Instagram and the influence of Anthony Bourdain turned travelers into culinary experience hunters. Travel advisors would be wise to stay on top of all the growing culinary travel trends.

Travel Advisors Face Challenges as Food Tourism Matures: The appetite for culinary tourism is growing, sparking demand for experiences beyond cooking classes and dining in Michelin-starred restaurants. Travel advisors and tour operators need to seek out new and inventive ways to satisfy what clients crave.

Intrepid Partners With Ctrip to Popularize Green Trips in China: Both partners seek growth when the home markets aren’t expanding as much as before. Intrepid needs Ctrip’s user base of 300 million while Ctrip needs Intrepid’s kind of journeys. But doubtful if sustainable travel will instantly be the norm in China. It’s a start.

Australia's Tourism Needs a Crisis Communications Plan — Stat: With vivid images and videos of a burning Australia, and words such as “apocalyptic” and “atomic” being flung about, the tourism industry needs to quickly deploy a plan that is sensitive and achievable.

DAQ Soft raises $5 for Smart Tourism: Travel Starting Funding This Week: This week, travel startups DAQ Soft, The Guild, Shep, Hellotickets, Bob, Beonprice, Whizar, IceLolly, and Your Rentals raised funding. It’s great that angel investors continue to support early-stage companies. An example is Stephen Kaufer, founder and CEO of TripAdvisor, who has invested in Hellotickets.