A new age of travel is upon us. From sustainability to resilience to inclusiveness, let’s take a closer look at three trends for travel and how standards support the journey.
Redefining “All-Inclusive”
Can you imagine a place where families and friends can holiday together so that nobody gets left behind? From Braille-friendly information centres to barrier-free infrastructures, accessible tourism adds value to travel experiences, enabling people from all walks of life to travel with equity. That vision can be a reality with the help of ISO 21902, which facilitates enjoyment of travel by people of all ages and abilities – making tourism accessible to everyone.
A study suggests that accessible tourism is a significant emerging market, expected to generate revenues of EUR 88.6 billion by 2025. The standard helps tourism service providers promote tourist-friendly destinations for the disabled and realize the opportunities this lucrative market has to offer. Whether you are an expectant mom, a senior citizen or a person with a disability, you have the same right as everybody else to enjoy life through barrier-free tourism. The impact of this standard even goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries – it embeds accessibility into the social and economic values of society.
Sustainability will continue to be a priority for hotels in 2022 and beyond.
Keeping Culinary Traditions Alive
Food is everything that we are. It’s an extension of our ethnic identities, not to mention our personal histories. One of the best ways to fully experience a country’s local culture is to have a taste of its unique cuisine, which is why it’s so important that we preserve it the right way.
ISO 21621 outlines requirements and recommendations for traditional restaurants worldwide to provide tourists with a local, authentic culinary experience. At the heart of the standard is preserving tradition, from specifying what restaurants should look like to how food is to be served to demonstrate that they stay true to their heritage. This will help tourists make more informed choices on where to dine and savour the locals’ culinary pride.
Travelling Green
Sustainability will continue to be a priority for hotels in 2022 and beyond, with recent studies suggesting that 76 % of travellers would choose accommodation facilities that have sustainable practices in place. With the help of ISO 21401, accommodation facilities can improve their environmental impact, promote social exchange and contribute to local communities.
Accommodation is pivotal for tourist activities and holds immense potential for sustainable tourism. The global interest in sustainability increases people’s desire to experience more sustainable services and products. As travellers become more aware of the importance of sustainability, they can enjoy guilt-free holidays knowing that they have contributed to protecting our planet by choosing sustainable accommodation along with its eco-friendly services.
