ABSTRACT
Tourism is constantly evolving, and to understand what may affect tourism trends in the future, planners and managers need to understand techniques such as forecasting, and the range of factors likely to influence tourism in the next decade and beyond. A wide range of factors impact upon the future of tourism as demographic, political, economic and technological changes shape the nature, trends and participation in tourism. The senior market is invariably defined as those travellers in middle age and up, and has taken on increased significance in the light of what has been described as a ‘greying’ of the population of many Western nations. Governments directly affect the pattern of travel, and can constrain and facilitate travel depending on the policies, activities and climate they promote for their citizens and visitors. Technology and virtual reality have brought major changes to tourism, by potentially enhancing the pursuit of the authentic tourism experience with entertainment-based experiences.
