Hooked On Asia

This week I was reading what travel to Asia might look like in 2023.

In brief the four scenarios proposed were:

Boom and burst – we are all going to be richer (in the UK at least!) and travel more. Look out for a theme park at Mount Everest base camp and controlled entry into busy cities.

Divided disquiet – we are going to be fighting over scarce resources and rushing off to see places before they disappear.

Price and privilege – high fuel prices will make travel a luxury for the elite.

Carbon clampdown – we would each be given a carbon allowance to pollute equally.

None of them make good reading and while it might take longer than 14 years for some (or more likely a combination) of these scenarios to potentially exist we all need to be mindful of the possibilities. Yet at the same time we should not accept them as inevitable.

I believe that the growing popularity of Responsible Travel is a force that can be used to fashion positive change in the industry; and, given the industry’s vast global reach, in the world at large. Thanks to people like Justin Francis at Responsible Travel.com the movement has been driven as much by elements within the industry as by consumer demand.

Those elements tend to be leaders of small specialist company’s with a purpose higher than simply creating shareholder value. These types of business Neil Crofts calls Authentic Businesses : they “generate profit through the pursuit of a profound and positive purpose.”

My own business principles have always been ethically grounded and thus it is no great leap for me to subscribe to the notion of authentic business.

I believe that a growing band of consumers are looking for more authenticity in every aspect of their lives and especially in their travel choices.

Futurist Dr Ian Yeoman “talks about how the world economy has changed tourist identity and value patterns to something more simple which is accelerating the trend of inconspicuous consumption.” Prof Yeoman took his soothsaying further forward to 2030 and had a less apocalyptic perspective than this week’s report: “New experiences, luxury, culture and authenticity are some of the trends that will shape the future of world tourism. The tourist wants to sample the ethnicity of the destination, increasingly interests in culture, food and sport are shaping the way people approach their choice of holiday.”

I have no doubt that the excesses that exist in some tourist destinations today will still exist in 14, 21 or 121 years: it has always been the human way to pursue hedonism.

However I want to believe that Prof Yeoman is correct in his prediction that authenticity will play an increasingly important role within the industry; and I for one will be participating in that particular future.

True authentic businesses work in partnership with their customers and I believe that, all the time like-minded people are coming together to promote and purchase responsibly and sustainably, the less-desirable scenarios summarised above can be avoided.

It is for that reason I am always on the look out for authentic travel businesses in south east Asia (like The Sarojin in Khao Lak, Thailand) to promote, so please contact me if you know any.

In the meantime, what are your predictions for the future of travel?