The growth of the global middle class will contribute to developing tourism in developing countries. Middle-class travelers are looking for cheap destinations, and different regions of the world (Asia, South America, Eastern Mediterranean, Central, and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa) are welcoming this new wave of travelers by focusing on their tourism potential. These countries will soon have more international input markets than developed countries (North America, Western Europe, developed countries of Asia, and the Pacific). In 1950, 97 percent of global inflows were concentrated in 15 countries. This figure decreased to 56% in 2009; today, nearly 100 countries host 1 million travelers yearly.
As you’ll see, Asia’s growth dates back to 2012 when, according to MasterCard, Bangkok was the top destination for overnight foreign visitors. In 2014, London overtook Bangkok due to political conditions. As a tourist destination, Bangkok can reclaim its status as a rule – if the negative impacts of the tourism industry and political issues allow.
Among the top 20 tourist destinations in the world with foreign overnight travelers in 2015, 10 cities from the Middle East and Asia, and half of these cities have experienced 2-digit growth.
The growth of two countries, China and India, often leads to the development of the middle-class market in Asia and the Pacific. Forecasts for 2020 say that China’s GDP per capita will increase by 1.5 times compared to 2014, while the growth of the same index in India will increase to 1.8 times.
The middle class cares about value for money.
The middle-class market spends significant disposable income on teaching and learning English, influencing travel choices. As English language skills increase among middle-class travelers, they will adjust a large part of their need for tour guides, and as a result, their travel will be independent of travel tours.
Growing disposable incomes, as well as English language skills, make accessing the Internet easier. Easy access to transparent and measurable information leads to the following results: 1. Increasing competition between online tourist giants; 2. The growing importance of digital presence; 3. Improving the tourist’s digital experience.
Along with planning their trip (choosing the destination, means of travel, and booking accommodation.), tourists also look for value for money. To reach their goal, they will likely set a travel budget (cheap flights, trains, and boats) or spend their time buying discounted tickets.
Having a piece of the middle-class pie means that businesses must innovate in delivering value for money, among other needs.
Another thing to consider is compliance with special requirements for tourists entering Europe this year, and the European Commission estimates that around 3 million refugees will enter Europe in 2016. The solution to this problem still needs to be solved for Europeans.
Threats of terrorism, as well as other tragic events, not only cause problems and setbacks for any place but also reduce the number of foreign tourists in tourist destinations. The recent deadly attack in France is one of the key examples to prove this claim. Other recent terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Egypt, and Thailand have also caused many negative consequences for tourism. In this way, managing such crises has become necessary for governments.
Insecurity in transportation is another potential threat to tourists, which often appears in attacks on airports and trains. Now, Europeans are worried about the rail systems after the rail disruption in France in 2015. In addition, before boarding the plane, passengers must wait in line for a long time for security measures, which can impose many difficulties on passengers.
