During MarketHub 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey, Nejc Jus, Director of Research at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), provided valuable insights into the future of the travel and tourism industry. In an exclusive interview with TravelDailyNews International, Jus discussed the economic outlook, emerging trends, and significant challenges faced by the sector.
Economic Outlook
Jus highlighted that the travel and tourism sector demonstrated strong performance in 2023, contributing significantly to the global GDP with over a 20% year-on-year increase. This impressive growth was largely driven by the reopening of China, despite challenging geopolitical and economic conditions. However, the industry is still about 4% below 2019 levels. Europe and the Middle East have already returned to pre-pandemic levels, and 2024 is expected to be a record-breaking year, with global GDP contributions projected to match 2019 figures across various spending segments, including leisure and business travel.
Emerging Trends
Several notable trends are shaping the future of travel and tourism. Business travel is making a robust comeback, surpassing previous expectations. Major events, such as the Paris Olympics and European Football Championships, are driving significant demand. Additionally, the sector is increasingly focused on sustainability, with an emphasis on making more eco-friendly travel decisions. Blended travel, which combines business and leisure trips, is also gaining popularity.
Technology, particularly generative AI, is transforming the sector by enhancing consumer experiences and supporting industry operations. While AI cannot fully replace human interactions, it is poised to play a supportive role in the industry’s growth.
Key Challenges
Despite the positive outlook, the travel and tourism sector faces several challenges. Sustainability remains a pressing issue, with the need to reduce absolute emissions. Capacity constraints in physical and digital infrastructure, along with ongoing staff shortages, are additional hurdles that must be addressed. The WTTC is advocating for collaborative efforts between governments and businesses, promoting labor mobility, and encouraging workforce upskilling and reskilling. Adoption of technological solutions is also crucial to overcoming these challenges.
Future Projections
Looking ahead to the next decade, Jus provided optimistic projections for the industry. The contribution to global GDP from travel and tourism is expected to rise faster than the overall economy, reaching nearly €15 trillion by 2034. New countries, such as Saudi Arabia, are emerging as significant players in the global travel economy, with China anticipated to overtake the US as the world’s largest travel and tourism market. India is also climbing the ranks, driven by its rapidly expanding middle class.
In summary, Nejc Jus emphasized three key points for the future of travel and tourism: the full recovery of all travel segments, the necessity to adapt to new technologies like AI, and the imperative to embrace more sustainable travel practices.
As the industry continues to evolve, these insights from WTTC’s research director provide a comprehensive overview of what to expect and how to navigate the dynamic landscape of travel and tourism.
The article Key Insights from WTTC on Travel and Tourism Trends at MarketHub 2024 first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.