This was published 7 years ago
Travel trends in 2016: The good, the bad and the ugly
The first robot hotel has arrived, in Japan of course, we could soon be streaming video to our devices on flights thanks to next generation inflight Wi-Fi, more Chinese travellers are out and about in the world, we can expect more crowded flights in economy cabins and "digital detox", "babymoon" and "Zika" have entered the travellers' lexicon.
The demographic of travel is changing as millennials take advantage of cheap travel while their baby boomer parents will soon be taking in the wonders of Antarctica and the Amazon aboard the luxury expeditionary vessels that will soon be rolling down the slipways. In the skies, new generation aircraft offer the prospect of non-stop flights between Australia and Europe.
Here are the good, the bad and the ugly facets of travel in a changing world.
THE GOOD
THE TREND
R2D2 at your service
THE LOWDOWN
A dinosaur just checked you in? You're obviously staying in Japan's Henn-na Hotel. Opened last year close to Nagasaki, the world's first robot hotel is an adventure in the brave new world of robotics. A porter robot transports luggage to your room and rather than an electronic card key, the door opens by facial recognition. Room lights are voice-controlled, via your very own room robot. Order room service – via a touchscreen – and it's delivered to your room by a robotic bellboy. Just 10 per cent of the hotel's staff are human, mostly managerial staff but they also do the cooking, and housekeeping. "Robots still can't make beds," says robot hotel owner Hideo Sawada, who has big ambitions for his concept with plans to open another in Japan. Under its Aloft brand, Starwood Hotels is currently trialling Botlr, a robot butler that will deliver room service and fulfil basic requests. See h-n-h.jp/en.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Godzilla will deliver your room-service soba noodles in five. Hipper hotel spinoffs.
See also: World's first hotel staffed by robots
THE TREND
Aircraft with longer legs
THE LOWDOWN
Lighter materials, new engines and ever more efficient designs allow new generation aircraft to fly further than ever before. Boeing is currently developing its ultra long-range 777-8X, scheduled to enter service in 2018 with a range of 17,600 kilometres. Perth to London is 14,470 kilometres, well within the range of the new Boeing. Melbourne to London is 16,900 kilometres while Sydney is slightly further. That's probably a shade too far to be a realistic possibility for even the marathon running Boeing allowing for a comfortable safety margin, but Boeing and Airbus have shown themselves willing to re-engineer their aircraft in response to airline demands for longer range. For both Qantas and British Airways a lower-cost, non-stop flight between London and east coast Australia must be a tantalising prospect. See boeing.com; airbus.com.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Flights that require the mental strength of a Buddhist lama, or industrial strength sedatives.
See also: Could you survive the world's longest nonstop flight?
THE TREND
The bleisure is all mine
WHAT IT IS
It's the leisure holiday that piggybacks on the business trip. You're off on a business trip that finishes on a Friday, so why not take a few days to relax before heading home, maybe meet up with your partner somewhere delicious? Blame it on those who work hard and play harder or business execs looking to rebalance the work-life seesaw but the bleisure trip is taking off. Surveys show the phenomenon is most common among the 45 to 54-year-old age group. Bleisure travellers say the prospect of a few days rec leave helps them work more effectively and takes some of the stress out of business travel. Sweeter still, the leisure component might constitute a tax deductible expense.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
A bonus mini holiday without too much pocket pain.
THE TREND
Oh, what a turnoff
THE LOWDOWN
Those who cross the road with head hunched over their smartphone and shout when Siri doesn't get what they're saying might be in need of a digital detox. The digital detox is a total break from email, data roaming and all social media. DD meshes perfectly with a holiday, for example budget accommodation on a remote tropical island. Some digital detoxers might even leave their smartphones and other devices at home when they holiday, which requires extreme strength of mind. The effects of a digital detox holiday include improved concentration and sleep and of course, weight loss.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
This is the increasingly common phenomenon of a last getaway before childbirth. Usually taken after morning sickness subsides and before airline restrictions make it impossible to fly, the babymoon might be the final chance for a holiday without bibs, bubs and strollers for years to come, a last hurrah for relaxation and romance before nappies and broken nights become the daily routine. Warmth, calm and comfort are the vital ingredients for a successful babymoon but not long and cramped flights, which puts the spotlight on Bali, Fiji, Vanuatu and our own northern climes.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Mind the baby bump in those narrow aircraft aisles.
THE TREND
Adventure, sans the hard ship
THE LOWDOWN
A specialist in small, luxurious vessels that transport mere mortals to extraordinary places, French-based Ponant has recently ordered four new expeditionary ships, each with just 92 staterooms, all with balconies. As well as a gym, spa and an infinity glass-edged swimming pool, each vessel will also have a few refinements, such as a glass-walled lounge below the waterline. Rated Ice Class, the vessels will be certified to sail in polar regions, as well as the ability to sail into shallow waters and rivers where larger vessels cannot. Meanwhile Australia riverboat operator Scenic is claiming a place in the luxury expeditionary cruising league with the Scenic Eclipse, a 228-passenger vessel with two helicopters and a submarine, with a launch date of August 2018. See en.ponant.com; scenic.com.au.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Champagne cocktails with orcas off the starboard bow.
THE TREND
Creature comforts
THE LOWDOW
Pet sitter services are on the rise, connecting pet owners with animal lovers happy to house-sit, aimed at householders who want to get away but prefer to leave their four-footed friend at home rather than a boarding kennel. The sitter stays free of charge and walks the dog, provides a warm lap for the cat, emotional support for the llama or whatever your pet needs. No money changes hands and the websites allow holidaymakers to check sitters' references. See madpaws.com.au; aussiehousesitters.com.au; petcarer.com.au; mindahome.com.au.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
A stress-buster for pet owners, and less traumatised pets to welcome you back home.
THE TREND
Havana here we come
THE LOWDOWN
The Adonia, flagship of Carnival Corp's Fathom brand, became the first American cruise ship to arrive in Cuba in 50 years when she recently docked in Havana's harbour; Starwood Hotels and Resorts has signed a management contract with two Cuban hotels and Norwegian Cruise Line is awaiting permission to begin operating cruises. US airlines can now start bidding on routes for as many as 110 US-Cuba flights a day, replacing the current charter-only flights. Airbnb has several hundred Cuban properties on its books and Google has plans to broaden internet delivery across the island. With restrictions removed and easier access Americans will swamp Cuba this year. Expect more crowds in Havana's bars and restaurants, higher prices and less hotel availability, and less of the gritty, frozen-in-time but thoroughly authentic Cuba of the past half century. See cubatravel.tur.cu; carnival.com.au.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Big Mac with your salsa?
See also: 10 things first-timers to Cuba need to know
THE TREND
Private jet journeys take off
THE LOWDOWN
For those pressed for time but not cash, air cruising on a private jet has become the vacation of choice. For the past few years Abercrombie and Kent, the go-to operator for the well-heeled adventurer, has been combining its expertise in luxury trips in remote and exotic places with travel aboard its own dedicated aircraft with its Private Jet Journeys. Presidential's Bespoke Vacations by Private Jet are tailored, ultra-luxe trips designed to fulfil your travel fantasies aboard a 16-seater Gulfstream GV, just about the last word in executive jets. Remote Lands, which brings a silk touch to Asian travel, has teamed up with Aman, the preferred label among many who prefer their hotels luscious, serene and stylish. In October 2016 the Aman Private Jet Expedition will set off aboard a Gulfstream G200 jet to visit Aman hotels in some of the loveliest parts of Asia. See abercrombiekent.com.au; presidentialprivatejetvacations.com; aman.com.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Got a big birthday coming up, and a few close (and rich) friends to share it with?
THE TREND
Chic youthful hotels
THE LOWDOWN
Millennial travellers, those aged 18 to 35, are hitting the road and the hotel industry is re-tailoring itself to fit in with the well-hydrated generation. Generator, the name behind posh hostels in London, Paris, Berlin and Barcelona, is opening new properties in Rome, Stockholm and Amsterdam with the funky-chic aesthetic that is the group's signature. Meanwhile major hotel groups are taking the stuffing out of their act and muscling in on the millennial market. Hyatt has sub-brand Centric – "unique hotels for unique travellers", Hilton has its own youth brand, Canopy, with its first to open in Reykjavik. Luxury group Viceroy, never short of pizazz, has spawned Proper, with several properties on the drawing board. See centric.hyatt.com; canopybyhilton.com; viceroyhotelsandresorts.com.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Lots more hirsute travellers and ready availability of bottled water and Wi-Fi in remote third-world villages.
See also: Six of LA's most rock'n'roll hotels
THE TREND
The Chinese are coming and coming ...
THE LOWDOWN
Chinese travellers made 120 million trips abroad in 2015, up 12 per cent on the year before. That same year the number of Chinese tourists visiting Australia passed the 1 million mark, an increase of just over 20 per cent on the previous year. If the trend continues in 2016 and 2017, China will become the biggest source of visitors to Australia, a position held by New Zealanders ever since the mass influx of US troops during World War II.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Big opportunities for operators who service the Chinese tourist market, and bigger crowds at Australia's major east coast airports.
THE BAD
THE TREND
Warning: air travel turbulence ahead
THE LOWDOWN
Both Qantas and Virgin Australia have cut domestic services in the face of reduced demand with the coming federal election and a drop in consumer confidence blamed. Qantas has also reduced some of its services between Australia and the US with three less Sydney-Los Angeles services a week. That capacity has been re-directed to Hong Kong and Singapore, two ports where demand remains sky high.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Less choice on some routes and fuller aircraft.
THE TREND
Faster Wi-Fi in sky
THE LOWDOWN
A bad, or good trend, depending on your outlook, high-speed Wi-Fi will soon make it possible to stream video to your device on some flight. Early in 2017 Qantas plans to offer Wi-Fi at speeds up to 10 times current airline standards using the national broadband network's satellites, which limits its use to Qantas' domestic Australian services. British Airways plans to introduce high-speed internet on many of its flights from 2017. Known as 2Ku, the technology leverages next-generation satellites to deliver greater data flow and enhanced coverage. More than 100 BA aircraft will be fitted with the new technology including those on BA's Singapore and Sydney services.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
The sky's the limit for inflight entertainment.
THE TREND
Squish in
THE LOWDOWN
At the end of 2015 Emirates set a new record for the greatest number of seats ever on a scheduled flight, a total of 615. The airline inserted itself in the record books by reconfiguring an Airbus A380 to increase economy seating by 130. The new design adds about 100 bodies yet just two more toilets. The first 615-seater aircraft began operating on the Dubai-Copenhagen route in December 2015. In the US, airlines are installing seats with skinnier backs, which gives more room for seats, and smaller toilets in the never ending quest to pack yet more passengers on board.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
How long before airlines start weighing passengers?
See also: Airbus reveals new plans to squeeze in a fifth seat
THE TREND
A lack of selfie awareness
THE LOWDOWN
Yellowstone National Park has reported a rise in the number of visitors being gored by bison as they close in and turn their backs on these horned hulks in the quest for a selfie shot. In Sydney's Royal National Park, visitors who climb a fence to take selfies on Wedding Cake Rock, a spectacular and perilously poised chunk of sandstone cliff, now risk a $300 fine. In Lisbon recently a youth climbed the facade of Rossio Station to take a selfie with a statue of the former ruler Dom Sebastiao, only to send it crashing to the ground. In retaliation the EU has proposed legislation that would make it illegal to post images of the London Eye or the Trevi Fountain among other wonders on social media. Disneyland, Wimbledon, and the Palace of Versailles are just a few places that have banned selfie sticks and they're not welcome at many leading cultural institutions.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Watch out for low-hanging selfie sticks.
See also: Stupid things tourists do in national parks
THE UGLY
THE TREND
All change, please
THE LOWDOWN
Melting glaciers, coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events – the evidence of climate change is everywhere and it's eroding the splendour of some of the planet's natural wonders. Species are suffering as the eco system that feeds them changes. Polar bears are the pin-up species for habitat change but the effects are universal and insidious. Along the beaches of Sri Lanka, higher sand temperatures, which determine the sex of hatchlings, are skewing the population, with many more females being born than males. While politicians fiddle the planet burns.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
A warmer world, with less wild species.
See also: Branson in $100m initiative to restore the Great Barrier Reef
THE TREND
The urge to merge
THE LOWDOWN
The recent marriage between the Starwood group of hotels and Marriott, creating the world's largest group with 5500 properties in more than 100 countries, is but the latest in a trend that sees big players in the travel industry getting even bigger. Expedia now owns Orbitz, Hotels.com, HomeAway, travelocity, trivago, wotif, CarRentals and Venere, some of which have themselves digested smaller players. French hotel group Accor recently acquired Onefinestay, the Airbnb for the well-heeled urbanite. TripAdvisor now owns Viator, SmarterTravel.com and The Independent Traveler, Inc., publisher of Cruise Critic.com.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Less competition, with the prospect of higher prices.
THE TREND
Zika on the upswing
THE LOWDOWN
Zika has entered the traveller's lexicon, joining malaria, denge fever, Ross River virus, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis on the list of mosquito-borne diseases. One of the centres for infection is Brazil. The country has reported almost 1000 cases of microcephaly, babies born with undersized skulls and brains, believed to have been caused by Zika infections in their pregnant mothers. Zika can also be spread through sexual contact and several cases of transmission in non-Zika countries have been reported. In the year when Brazil hosts the Olympic Games the outbreak is causing particular concern. There is no vaccine against Zika. See smartraveller.gov.au
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Wear socks at sundown, and make Aerogard your scent of choice.
See also: What travellers need to know about the Zika virus
TRAVEL TRENDS WE'D LIKE TO SEE
FASTER AIRPORT SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION SCREENING
The sheer scale of Chinese tourism has caught airports by surprise and they're not coping well. More Chinese-speaking immigration and customs officers, please.
CAR RENTALS THAT COST THE SAME AS THE QUOTED PRICE
Loaded with extra charges when you show up at the agency's desk and hefty insurance premiums you don't really need, car rentals are one of the biggest scams going.
See also: Three of the most sneaky travel fees
REALISTIC GLOBAL ROAMING PRICES
The EU has knocked their own telcos into shape with legislation that ensures customers pay no more roaming within the EU than at home, so why can't we?
BETTER CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR AUSSIE TRAVELLERS
Long flight delays, passengers offloaded from a full flight, travel companies that disappear with your cash? Guess what, there's no statutory compensation when that happens in Australia.
EASY-TO-READ TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES
Hardly any travellers reads the long and convoluted Product Disclosure Statement that comes with their travel insurance policy. Give me a short document with the benefits and exclusions in point form and simple English, please.
See also: Ten things you need to know about credit card travel insurance
See also: Travel insurance - common mistakes and pitfalls to look out for
SO LAST YEAR: TRAVEL TRENDS OF 2015
Home dining with locals in their own kitchens continues its upswing. EatWith now has more than 500 hosts in over 150 cities while new arrival BonAppetour can sit you down for a home-cooked meal in Bogata, Narobi, Malua Bay or almost 40 European cities.
Inflight Wi-Fi is another winning trend, now available even aboard some low-cost airlines such as Singapore-based Scoot and JetBlue in the USA.
Flashpackers, the uber-backpackers looking to travel with comfort but not too many frills, are also a growing phenomenon, with close to 500 destinations on the Poshpacker website and hotel groups springing up to cater to well-heeled backpackers.
Another welcome trend was the move by Aussie telcos to give a break to global roamers not wanting to swap their Aussie SIM cards. The deals are still there but they haven't got any cheaper. The Expert Tip – buy a local SIM card – still applies. The financial cancer that is Dynamic Currency Conversion continues to eat its its way further into overseas transactions.
See also: Are SIM cards for mobile phones worth getting overseas?
On my last European trip, restaurants in Switzerland were offering the "convenience" of paying in Australian dollars, thereby sticking a straw into the fondue pot of my bank account.
Wellness holidays and medical tourism continue to blossom, perhaps indicating an over-enthusiasm for work, and the high cost of our medical procedures.
Another trend spotted last year was the change in airline policy that allowed personal electronic devices to be used in non-transmitting mode at all stages of aircraft travel on most airlines. Device usage inflight is now so common the dark days when they were banned seem a distant memory.
See also: Why you should put your phone on airplane mode
On the other hand, none of the items on the wish list of trends we'd like to see – a common electrical socket, more inflight etiquette, airlines that enforce their carry-on limits and reasonable travel insurance premiums for healthy seniors – have come to pass.
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.