• Luxury Why Spain is one of the countries in the world with the most five-star hotels
  • Ranking The best destinations to travel to in 2024 according to Lonely Planet

Can Taylor Swift shake up the map of the most sought-after destinations? Can we talk about ChatGPT as the new hotel concierge? Will business class steal the spotlight from economy class on planes? Have influencers become travel agents? If you ask Amadeus, the provider of technology services for tourism companies, they will tell us that it is very likely so. At least that's what its data points to and what its latest Amadeus Travel Trends 2024 report reflects. While it's impossible to know exactly what tomorrow holds, Amadeus' position at the heart of the travel industry offers a unique vision of the future. The new report identifies five breakthroughs that will shape the travel experience for the traveler, the economy and the planet.

Taking the music elsewhere

In 2023, American singer Tylor Swift has become a cultural force, an economic prodigy and a sensational engine of new music tourism. The pop megastar who kicked off a 25-city international tour in South America, Asia, Australia and Europe last week, is the most powerful example of the music and travel boom, a trend that is expected to accelerate in 2024. "By the time Swift completes her tour, she will have generated $1.400 billion in ticket sales," the Amadeus report said. Concerts in Melbourne and Sydney in February 2024 have had a "very significant impact" on the volume of bookings bound for Australia, with an average weekly growth of 446%. Madrid is no exception. Swift's next concert in Spain for 2024, its announcement boosted searches to the capital by 20.83% on average between weeks 23 and 28 of 2023.

"Destinations are changing," says David Vidal, director of Customer Success Management for Amadeus in Southern Europe, from the company's Madrid headquarters. Music tourism is being shown to be a business. "And the scenarios are changing as well. The Bernabéu is going to accommodate different international stars, not only from the field of football." There are more examples. The announcement of Coldplay's concerts in Greece and Romania for next year increased travel bookings by 80% and 436%, respectively, during the week of the show.

Influencers invoice

If anyone thought that the influencer bubble was going to end up bursting, the trends report shows a different reality, at least with regard to those who move in the world of tourism. Not only are they a source of inspiration for their followers' vacations, but they also design and organize their own group trips. "It's another step, a paradigm shift: now they generate reserves," says Vidal. This rise of so-called "agent influencers" has to do with the growing popularity of platforms like TrovaTrip that connect experience seekers with travel experts.

'Influencers' becoming travel agents, one of the trends highlighted in Amadeus' report for 2024.SHUTTERSTOCK

ChatGPT, the new 'concierge'

Artificial intelligence applied to the planning of a trip provides something that a search engine does not offer: hyper-personalized advice, which for this world of tourism is one of the keys to achieving customer loyalty. "The chatbot does not replace, but rather complements the activity of the different players in the industry," explains Vidal. Expedia is already using it. Your virtual travel assistant listens to customer needs and provides instant hotel and itinerary recommendations, with links to book. According to Amadeus, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) will play an increasing role in after-sales services and will even be able to respond to written opinions or customer reviews.

Business seats within everyone's reach

We have been noticing for some time now that the business passenger has changed. Today, the man in a tie and briefcase joins the young man with Generation Z at the front and most desirable part of the plane who can simply afford it. But increasingly, thanks in part to the influence of social media, there is the phenomenon that, even if you can't afford it, you want it. "There is a growing desire among all age groups (but especially among those under 50) to achieve an increasingly exclusive lifestyle." Airlines have taken note. Hence, we are already seeing cheaper and more accessible business class fares, as well as a trend of new VIP products and services being sold loose so that more people can access at least certain parts of that premium experience. Basically, it's about creating more options to compete in a market where competition between airlines is fierce.

More sustainable aircraft

One of the more futuristic trends has to do with plans to create aerial walkways that allow flying taxis, eVTOLs (vertical take-off and landing aircraft) and other types of electric aircraft to offer lower-emission air travel options. It still sounds like science fiction, but Amadeus knows all the players in the industry who are already working on them. For example, German aircraft manufacturer Volocopter plans to provide a fleet of electric VoloCity eVTOLs for the 2024 Paris Olympics, making it one of the first electric air taxi networks. In the UK, Virgin Atlantic has also invested in an eVTOL fleet that could service a network of inter-city gateways from 2025, and in Spain, Surcar Airlines has teamed up with Zeroavia to power its aircraft with hydrogen electric engines.

You can follow El Mundo Viajes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

  • Tourism
  • Trending