Deprivation holidays, the fragrance factor and space tourism - 2011's travel trends

(AFP PHOTO/ESSAM AL-SUDANI)

A global study to mark the start of the World Travel Market conference in London has identified seven emerging trends expected have an impact on the way we travel during 2011.

The 2010 World Travel Trends Report, compiled by Euromonitor International for the World Travel Market and released on November 8, identified one idea for each of the seven regions, describing them as an insight into the big trends for the year to come.

The prediction for the Middle East was an upbeat assessment of Iraq, which Euromonitor says is experiencing a "tourism revival" that has seen the country's tourism ministry grow to more than 500 employees.

Reopening of routes by European airlines is likely to drive further growth, both in the Kurdish north and religious destinations such as Najaf, while the report also suggests that cruise ships could call at Basra.

In Africa, Euromonitor praised the rapid growth of "space tourism" in South Africa as the country develops world-class space technology, saying that it could eventually develop space ports of the kind currently being built in the Americas as well as astro-tourism holidays.

"Deprivation holidays" are set to be all the rage in North America, tempting Americans and Canadians to ditch relaxing vacations for boot camp style resorts as travelers seek physically and mentally transformative experiences.

In the UK, Euromonitor highlighted the influx of Middle Eastern money and suggested that London will position itself as the new luxury hotspot for high-end travel services with an increased focus on personalization and sophistication.

Asia, meanwhile, will see luxury growth of a different kind in the rise of "the fragrance factor," with opulent scents becoming commonplace in hotels and resorts before giving way to more refined smells for guests to enjoy.

Euromonitor predicted that financially struggling Europe would need to innovate on a large scale to stay ahead, coming up with new mobile applications which will see "mobile tourism" gain ground against traditional information sources such as Google and other search engines.

By 2015, 50 percent of European travelers are forecast to use a smartphone to find travel information and/or make reservations, said Euromonitor.

Tourists in Latin America can expect to see a shift to the "roads less travelled", said the report, highlighting the growth in destinations that aren't traditional sun and beach offerings.

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