What else we’ll do on holiday
The desire to see things that others haven’t (or can’t) should create an interesting premium niche for what might be called Behind Close Doors discovery. This is not simply visiting a country that your friends haven’t, but seeing things people can’t usually see. For example, having a meal with a local family, attending a local school or workplace, seeing a local farm or vineyard or being allowed into a building that is usually closed or reserved for members. This will be a rare growth area for travel operators,, as many people will still be reluctant to rely on the randomness and risk of uncontrolled peer-to-peer activity.

Another thing that links directly with this is the thought of doing something useful or good whilst on holiday. A whole week spent digging a well in a remote part of Africa won’t appeal to many, but hotels, tour operators or websites that connect holidaymakers with skills to share for a day or two might. Twinning something raw or authentic with a luxurious week on a beach might work in other ways too. Combining camping out and cooking for yourself with pampering in a five-star hotel could be an example of future Fusion Holidays.

Beyond such experiences there’s always shopping. In some cases this will mean bagging a designer label bargain, often duty free, whereas in others it will mean looking for local souvenirs to prove to yourself and the people back home that you have indeed been away. In the future this may mean using a mobile device to determine whether the price being asked is really such a bargain or whether something sold as ‘antique’ really is (One other useful bit of technology – a bargaining app that haggles with the seller – in any language – until a fair price is agreed).

To be continued…