Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Sustainable tourism takes off
12 New highs and lows in how cruise ships, international flights and other forms of travel operate
A LOT can happen in a year; but 2017 was particularly eventful when it came to how we travel the world.
Airlines stooped to new lows – and hit new highs:
Travellers in the back of the plane were subject to several new kinds of torture in 2017. Passengers got physically assaulted or dragged off planes in a series of nightmarish incidents that catapulted “airline spokesperson” to one of the most-unenviable jobs of the year.
It wasn't just the inhumane in-flight brawls that raised eyebrows. In July, United Airines Inc announced plans to resell fliers’ seats to other people for more money. Then, in September, Jet Blue Airways Corp decided to shrink its seats after years of prioritising a customer-first philosophy. And, last month, British Airways announced a new policy whereby those who pay the least for their tickets get to board last. All this, while Qatar Airways Co and Emirates Airline defied luxury aviation standards with their upgraded premium cabin configurations that look less like leather seats and more like someone's living room. What it adds up to: a wider-than-ever class disparity in the skies that's only going to become more pronounced.
Cruising grew up (and got younger):
If you still think of oceangoing ships as a gathering place for the retired set, you've been living under a rock (far from the beach). This year, cruise companies made a concerted effort to attract younger travellers, with expedition-class ships sailing to uncharted Arctic territories and facilitating high-octane thrills around the world.
For some companies, that meant offering bike tours of classic European destinations; for others, it meant openwater kayaking off the coast of Alaska. It’s not just about adventure either: cruise ships became more innovative in their dining and entertainment concepts, swopping tired revue shows for original (sometimes interactive) productions. The trend will continue in 2018, with a push for cutting-edge technological advancements coming to most major lines.
Unplugging took on new importance:
With the volume of breaking news reaching what felt like an all-time high, travellers looked to get far, far away from it all in 2017.
The destinations on travel agents’ lips stood out for their seclusion – Antarctica, the Maldives – and unplugged experiences in the great outdoors (Nepal, South Africa).
Around the world, mental well-being and holistic wellness took precedence over massages or facials, with companies launching programmes on mindfulness and meditation. Social media analysts at Local Measure, a consumer insights firm, say travellers referenced “detoxing” more than twice as often in 2017 as in 2016.
New airport rules made for enormous new headaches:
Nationalist fervour in places as disparate as the US, UK and Germany made closed borders one of the most commonly recurring themes of the year – alarming to travellers who live by the credo of a borderless world. It manifested itself most prominently in President Donald Trump’s infamous travel ban, now officially in effect, barring visitors from eight countries (including six with mostly-Muslim populations).
You didn't need to be from those places to feel the cascading effects of “enhanced security and screening”.
In airports around the world, additional safety measures included banning laptops on flights, at-the-gate pat-downs and cracking down on smart luggage with battery packs.
The Effects of OverTourism Were Felt Around the World:
A word that should have been added to the dictionary this year? “Over-tourism”. From Venice to Peru, local governments confronted the fact that tourism is an important economic engine, but too much of it becomes destructive. In Ibiza, the unthinkable happened. The municipality of San Jose banned DJs from 16 beach clubs and started regulating the number of hotels and Airbnb listings available at any given time, in a pivot away from the island’s up-all-night reputation. In Dubrovnik, Croatia, legislation capped visitors to the medieval walled city at 4 000 per day, creating a bit of much-needed elbow room. And, in Peru, longrumoured limits on daily entries to Machu Picchu finally took off, in a play to protect the historic site from the effects of excessive foot traffic.
All this is good news, and not just for destinations at risk of being ruined. It means that, in these fragile places, tourism will develop with a closer eye on sustainability – and some overlooked places will get the turn in the spotlight they’ve always deserved.