Long accustomed to group tours, the new Chinese tourist is increasingly independent and demanding of more unique and authentic experiences when they travel.

Travel in 2012 was all about big events: The Olympics, mega-mergers, big bankruptcies, digital dominance, and man-made and natural disasters. What does 2013 hold in store for the business of travel?

Skift has paid close attention to everything travel since before our public launch in August 2012. The extensive coverage of the travel industry that readers find on Skift.com provides an inside edge on understanding developments inside and outside the travel industry. With this insight, we’ve identified 13 key trends that will shape the coming year.

These trends, by no means exhaustive, will help define travel in the year to come.