Every year, new tourists’ preferences about global destinations emerges. The 2018 International Tourism Fair ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse) that took place in Germany, revealed some important and useful conclusions concerning world’s tourism trends.
 

The exhibitors were representatives of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), of countries and regions, representatives, of major tourist organizations and travel companies (Booking.com, Airbnb Amadeus, etc.).
During the “Day of the Future” event, the presentation of the new-born trends for the global tourism industry stimulated interest, by giving ideas for unique travel experiences!
The main trends concerning World Tourism are the following:
Tourist interest in specific destinations due to climate change
There are places in the world that are strongly affected by overheating due to Global Warming, and they change dramatically day by day. This makes travelers eager to visit those destinations as soon as possible, increasing the demand for places such as the Icelandic and Northern Siberian glaciers, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef etc.
Interest for destinations that promote health and well-being
More and more travelers tend to visit interesting places in the world, where they can satisfy their need and desire for mental and physical health revitalization and well-being, as well.
Wellness is no longer only about visiting the pool, gym or spa of a hotel but doing other activities such as cycling, skiing and surfing.

 
In addition, there is an increased interest for trips that combine leisure with attendance in sporting events such as the Athens Marathon, professional golf competitions, tennis competitions, the Olympic Games etc.!
 

 
Big interest for a complete travel experience
In the past, travel companies provided services that included services such as accommodation, bus transport and sightseeing. This changed, so in nowadays they offer a complete travel experience, providing a wide range of services, a trend followed by the largest online companies of the sector of tourism.
It is not a coincidence that Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, believes that by 2020, half of the company’s profits will come from services that have not yet shown up!
Airbnb users already know that apart from home rentals, the platform offers the opportunity to choose activities such as cycling in unusual places, lessons from local artists, special tours, etc.
Trips during the winter are quite popular
Although global tourism is steadily moving towards warm destinations, there is an increasing trend for trips in various destinations during the winter, especially, if more tourist-oriented choices with other activities, are provided.
For example, Japan is of high demand especially during the winter when festivals such as Sapporo’s Snow Festival and Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival take place. Popular winter destinations are those where visitors choose to experience the heavy winter such as Siberia, Lapland, Sweden and Norway. Budapest on the other hand, is a beautiful city and apart from the excellent restaurants and bars, visitors prefer it due to many concerts that take place.

 
Barriers in over-tourism
Over-tourism seems to have turned into an international phenomenon: from Santorini and Florence to Venice and Barcelona, hordes of tourists visit those places, affecting negatively not only the inhabitants’ quality of life but also their own experience during their stay.
Although, mass tourism can bring temporary benefits, is more likely to be a threat for local communities in a long term view, not only on their everyday life but also on the maintenance of their cultural monuments.
To limit the so-called “hyper-tourism”, cities around the world apply rigorous or milder measures.
Ireland has invested a lot of money in the development of a 2.500 km road along the Western Atlantic (Wild Atlantic Way). The Dutch rebranded the Holland’s less popular destinations to switch travelers’ interest and at the same time they created a mobile application which informs users about places that are quite crowded!
The Italian Ministry of Tourism run the “Enjoy Respect Firenze” campaign with posters in the city’s main spots in order to prevent tourists from throwing litter, shopping fake products, sitting on the steps of the monuments, etc.
New forms of VIP travel
More and more travelers prefer to combine their holidays with unique activities that enrich their experiences and improve their physical and mental health, instead of choosing luxurious options such as hotel suites.
By following the above mentioned trend, the famous Hilton chain hotel, apart from discounts and special offers provides real adventure to their customers. For instance, they offer night stays with the opportunity to Immerse in the history of 5000 years of civilization in Shanghai or visit the “Paradise for golf lovers” in Arizona.
And last but not least, in an increasingly globalized economy, business trips hold a dominant and profitable position in the travel industry.