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World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is this year celebrating its 30th event. The industry has changed dramatically since World Travel Market first opened its doors way back in 1980, and its set to evolve at an even quicker pace over the next 30 years.
World Travel Market has asked some of the worldwide travel industry’s most senior executives to predict the next three decades of the travel and tourism industry. Here, we ask if the final frontier of space travel will be achieved in the next 30 years.
World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “After countless false dawns, space travel will be a reality with people escaping to away-from-it-all holidays in space hotels located above the earth. “It is not a question of if, it’s just a matter of time and money – but it’s definitely coming.”
Car hire broker Holiday Autos Managing Director Stuart Nassos said: “Space travel is a big ticket item, but who hasn’t dreamed about going into space? There are people who would pay for the chance.”
Cunard Managing Director Carol Marlow agreed: “Space travel will be a niche market of the market in 30 years. I’m sure once it has been proved to be safe the market will begin. It will be expensive – probably around $200,000 for a three or four hour experience, but there will be people who want it and will pay for it.”
Airline Monarch Group Overseas Operations and Purchasing Director Hugh Morgan believes space travel could be a lot cheaper. “I recently saw a presentation by Virgin Galactic and have never been so impressed,” he said. “It will be expensive, but they (Virgin Galactic) have made so much progress already I don’t think it will be as ridiculously expensive as I first thought – maybe tens of thousands of dollars rather hundreds of thousands.”
Thomas Cook Chief Executive Manny Fonenla-Novoa revealed Thomas Cook took reservations for the first passenger service to space way back in 1950. “We did warn there may be some delay,” he said. “More than one hundred people from all over the world booked seats on Thomas Cook’s inaugural lunar tour within a matter of months. The waiting list finally closed in 1996 with 10,000 names on it.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
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