2017 TRENDS & INSIGHTS

U.S. GDP FORECAST 2018-2020

1. INBOUND TRAVEL TRENDS2. RTO TRENDS3. DIGITAL TRENDS

INBOUND TRAVEL TRENDS

U.S. INBOUND GROWTH SLOWING DOWN

STRONG DOLLAR MAIN CONCERN

IMMIGRATION BAN & ITS CONSEQUENCES

EMIRATES PULLING BACK ON FLIGHTS

NEW LOW COST CARRIER: NORWEGIAN AIRLINES

NEW TREND IN ASIA: SUN & BEACH

BREXIT – PAYOUT CONCERNS

ITALY’S FIASCO

NEW POLITICAL MOVEMENTS

RTO TRENDS

HIGH OCCUPANCY RATE IN THE U.S.

TRANSIENT ROOMS GROWING FAST

RTO ACQUISITIONS FOR HIGHER PROFITABILITY & MARKET PENETRATION

RATE PARITY

RTO’S FINDING NEW CHANNELS

BOOTH SPACE REDUCTION AT IPW/WTM/ITB

SUPPLIERS NEED TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN ADVANCE AND LAST MINUTE OFFERS

HYBRID FIT MARKET

DIGITAL TRENDS

MILLENNIALS ARE MONEY POOR, TIME RICH

GROWING TREND: ADVENTURE & “DIFFERENT” EXPERIENCE

FAST GROWTH: WELLNESS TOURISM

CULINARY TRAVEL NOW A MAJOR DECISION FACTOR FOR US DESTINATIONS

ONLINE VS OFFLINE BOOKING:THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR CHANCES

AIRBNB VERTICAL PARTNERSHIPS

NEW DIGITAL TREND: VIRTUAL REALITY

TRAVEL AGENCIES & THE “PHYSITAL” APPROACH

NEW: FACEBOOK VR SPACES

NEW DIGITAL TREND: E-SPORTS

THE NEW ROLE OF DMO’S = STORYTELLERS

SOLUTION: INFLUENCERS/STORIES/VISUAL

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

CHATBOTS - THE NEW PERSONALIZED TRAVEL AGENT?

• Unfavorable exchange rates, but low airfares to U.S. might offset some

• Europe’s financial debt crisis builds uncertainty

• Fare transparency among hotel suppliers

• Major acquisitions impacting the RTO industry

• Time rich Millennials now the largest travel segment• Travel Agencies become “physital”• AirBnB now major player in lodging

• VR in its infancy, but huge opportunity for tour operators

• Social Media and storytelling is the marketing glue

• Future of marketing – artificial intelligence

KEY TAKEAWAYS