To celebrate 50 years in print, we dove into the archives and discovered some bold travel predictions from our 1,000th issue in 1996; how do they hold up, and where do two of today's travel experts see the industry heading in the next 25 years?
Picture the scene: it is August 1996. Bryan Adams is top of the charts with 'Everything I Do (I Do It For You)'. Terminator 2: Judgment Day had just usurped Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves at the Box Office. Travel Bulletin publishes its 1,000th issue, right on time to celebrate its 21st anniversary.
Several industry experts were tasked with predicting what travel might look like when Travel Bulletin turned 50.
Colin Rigger, ABTA president from 1994 to 1997, made some bold claims, predicting that, consumers “will research via CD-ROM and the Web... we will have different selling methods, such as home shopping, PC-based ordering and purchasing, and there will be electronic brochures."
Ian Champness, FSS Group managing director from 1992 to 2002, had equally brave projections for the role digital tech will have in travel. "We will definitely see all sorts of travel being sold via a PC connected to the Internet... this will allow virtual reality visits to a country or resort... no one will dream of booking a holiday just from a few brochure photographs."
To mark our 50th Anniversary special issue, we reached out to Andy Headington, CEO of Adido and overall travel marketing genius, to react to Colin and Ian's predictions. "Colin Trigger’s vision of CD-ROMs and electronic brochures now feels delightfully retro, but he was bang on the money, and his foresight on home shopping and web-based bookings was spot on.
"Ian Champness’s prediction of Internet-powered holiday sales and virtual reality previews also hit the mark (although we’re not quite at the stage of donning headsets before choosing a beach!)."
Andy also gave his two cents on what travel might look like when Travel Bulletin turns 75 in 2050. "Looking ahead to your 75th, I suspect climate change will reshape European holidays. Extreme weather in European hotspots could lead to a boom in UK-based breaks (or holidays to Europe peaking in spring or autumn). Travellers will be guided by ultra-personalised AI assistants - digital concierges that know your mood, calendar and even your resting heart rate - booking trips before you realise you need one.
"Biometric tech will continue to evolve, perhaps meaning passports will no longer be a thing. Oh, and Taylor Swift will be packing out stadiums across the world on her Farewell Tour!”
Gareth Cooper was managing director of Stena Line from 1991 to 2006. His forecast for the world of cruise was strong. "If one looks at consumer spending patterns, it is new technology that establishes the added attraction, albeit sometimes after some initial inertia.
"We also need to invest substantially in staff training and development. As in any service industry, the moment of truth is the experience each of our passengers has with our employees."
It was only right that we reached out to another Andy H (Harmer, this time), managing director of CLIA UK & Ireland, to react to Gareth's thoughts from 1996.
"Gareth Cooper’s comments from 1996 have stood the test of time in many respects. Technology has transformed the travel experience, from the way we research and book trips to how we navigate and enjoy them once we’re onboard. His emphasis on staff training and development remains equally relevant - the people delivering the experience are at the heart of what makes travel memorable, and that’s as true today as it was almost 30 years ago.
"While the technologies have changed - from online booking engines to apps and AI-powered customer service - the principle remains the same: innovation should enhance, not replace, the personal service that agents provide.
"The trade continues to play a critical role in the cruise booking process, with their personalised advice and ability to match the right product to the right customer impossible to replicate via technology alone."
And what does the cruise industry's course look like for the next 25 years? "The cruise industry will continue to invest in new technologies and ship design, to both enhance the passenger experience and meet our environmental commitments. The industry is united in its ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, with significant advances in alternative fuels, energy efficiency and port infrastructure already under way.
"The future of cruise will be shaped by innovation, sustainability and the enduring value of human expertise - all working together to deliver safe, enjoyable and responsible travel experiences at sea."
