Travel and tourism industry is dynamic and sensitive to economic changes. Any changes in the economic conditions directly affect the tourism industry and in the same way tourism can become a key contributor in the economic growth of a country. Hence,
we can say that tourism and economy go hand in hand at various levels. Tourism has a very broad scope and in order to understand it with ease we need to narrow it a bit. For our ease we will focus upon current status of travel and tourism status in the city of Brighton in UK.
Located on the south coast of London, Brighton is known for its rich cultural heritage and beautiful beaches. Freedom of sea side and bustle of city in harmonious co-existence is seen here. Royal Pavilion, Victorian aquariums, Regency architecture send you to the rich past and at the same time you can relax at pebble beach, have some seaside fun at Brighton Pier and enjoy the Brighton wheel. The travel and tourism sector in Brighton has been active for a long time and has resulted in making it one of the prime holiday destinations in UK. But in recent years we have seen rapid changes in the customer demand pattern in this sector. In this section, we will discuss in details factors which are causing changes currently in the tourism sector. We can further break down the topic in two parts:
Analyze issues currently driving change in the travel and tourism sector.
Travel and Tourism sector is highly sensitive to the constantly changing global demographics. There are several factors which will affect the changes that take place is formulating strategies when it comes to this sector. They are discussed as follows:
- Memories and Experiences
The lifestyle today is hectic and tiring. People spend a lot of time wired and connected. Homes have converted into work stations. They are looking for short breaks and getaways. They want to derive the best out of their limited leisure time frame. In addition to this, traveler of today is looking for unique enriching experience. Their expectations out of the travel sector are very high. They are ready to pay for the services and hence want nothing but the best. The choice of destination has now diversified into various sectors like adventure tourism, cultural tourism, heritage travel, family travel etc. The market is driven by the demand of the customers and not by the suppliers. Their taste and preferences are closely monitored and plans and offerings are customized accordingly.
- Technology
The growth in technology is one of the key factors that are going to influence the changes and developments that are set to happen in the travel and tourism arena. One of the key contributors is internet. With the evolution of the internet the travel sector stands to be revolutionized. It empowers customers by giving them the power to browse through various travel options available and creating and customizing plans that are suitable for them and fits their needs. With internet search for travel destinations has become faster and more simplified. Travel contributors like hotel chains, airline service providers and tour operators are all consolidating and forming alliances with companies providing technological solutions which allow them to target customers efficiently.
- Changing Face of Tourists
There has been a significant rise in the number of people who believe in working hard early on, earning a lot of money and then settle for an early retirement. This time they plan to utilize for leisure activities like travelling to their dream destinations. Travel is slowly becoming a lifestyle choice. In recent years it has been seen that more and more people from developing countries are spending a good amount of money on travelling to exotic location. Even in developed nations like USA we are seeing a rise in the number of minority group’s travelers which includes Hispanics, African-Americans etc. in addition to this increasing competition among travel service provider ensures that people from all the income groups are able to score desired deals and create their own customized travel plans. Growth in popularity in the usage of internet has also added to this. People can browse, compare and choose deals from the comfort of their homes.
