The travel trends of the future

According to science presenter and podcaster Dallas Campbell, the future looks weird and wonderful when it comes to holidays.

Campbell has partnered with easyJet for The Future Travel Report, where leading futurists and experts have predicted how we will travel in nearly 50 years’ time.

With potential innovations including 3D printed hotel buffet food and optoelectronic inflight entertainment beamed directly to passenger’s eyes, 75% of Brits say these technological advances would make them more likely to go on holiday in the future.

Campbell breaks down how holidays could soon be an adventure in space and time…

Time travelling holidays

“One thing no one predicted was the digital revolution. Now, we are not so far away from virtual reality holidays with haptic technology and virtual experiences,” says Campbell.

Described by Campbell as similar to “the way your phone vibrates and moves when touched or making sound”, haptic technology is touch technology that allows the user to interact more physically and closely with the object. Applied to a seat, this would make the experience more immersive.

“We will potentially be able to travel through virtual reality into different ages using overlays of different things. It is interesting to think about what is happening within the metaverse and how it can be used by travel companies.”

Perhaps, he explains, you will be able to “go back to ancient Rhodes and see the Colossus, or even just try before you buy, and see where you would go before spending the money on it”.

Particularly in the cost-of-living crisis, trying before booking a holiday means you’ll have more confidence when spending your hard-earned cash – plus, VR technology means you can still go on an adventure and explore new places, without having to leave your house.

Biometric passports

The report suggests heartbeat and biometric passports will replace traditional versions, making it easier for passengers to breeze through the airport.

Much like fingerprints, every person’s cardiac signature is unique. Passengers’ heartbeat signatures and biometric details will be logged on a global system in the same way fingerprint scanning technology works today.

“We are already there with scans going into the airport, with things like fingerprint technology, using our body as our identification, this is not a new idea,” explains Campbell.

3D printed hotel buffet food

According to the report, 19% of holidaymakers want to see 3D printing at all-inclusive buffets in the future.

At hotel buffets, “All of the rules of eating go out the window”, Campbell says. However, they are not great for the planet, as food waste is inevitable.

“3D printing is still new and printing food, tailoring menus to what you want and eliminating waste would be amazing and so good for the environment,” he adds.

Adaptive seats

The report suggests 20% of travellers would love to see ergonomic and biomimetic sensory plane seats that adapt to a passenger’s body shape, weight and temperature, providing ultimate comfort.

When you look back, says Campbell, “We thought [the] Concorde was the future of aircraft – speed was the priority, but now we can just video call, and speed is far less important.”

He says the focus is now shifting to comfort. “A plane seat is a way to improve the experience and new tech will improve that.”

Land travel is only scratching the surface

Holidaymakers are keen to see underwater ‘sea-faris’, with 32% wanting aquatic adventures to become a reality.

“We don’t explore underwater that much,” says Campbell, but this could change in the future.

We may also be heading skyward, with Campbell adding: “70 years in the future we may be looking into lunar tourism.

“The idea has been around for ages, but the technology has always been too expensive… With the democratisation of space, things are changing.”