The future of travel
How will we travel? Transport will be the most visible transformation. Currently, aviation accounts for roughly 2% of global CO 2 emissions, a figure that could triple without targeted intervention. By 2086, the world needs a travel sector reliant on hydrogen propulsion, large-scale sustainable aviation fuel production and the electrification of short-haul routes. To accommodate demand and providing aviation meets its official net-zero goal by 2050, Bremner anticipates “big leaps forward in urban air mobility aircraft such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft”, the seeds of which have been sown. We already have the technology for supersonic flights, and several companies today are developing new supersonic aircraft. Bremner also expects significant expansion of high-speed rail, particularly in markets such as India that are investing heavily in long-distance electric corridors. Hyperloops could also become a viable alternative to short-haul air travel in regions with strong political will. “The future of travel will be about collapsing distances and redefining what’s possible,” adds Driessen. “It won’t just be faster; it will be smarter, greener and more connected to human needs and experiences. Travel will feel less like logistics and more like magic.” As well as “autonomous everything”, Dreissen envisages commercial space travel – “Not just a dream: orbital hotels, lunar expeditions and even Mars tourism will become the ultimate frontier for those seeking the extraordinary” – and integrated ecosystems, where AI orchestrates your journey “so you glide from hyperloop to space shuttle without a single hiccup”. Navigating these different transport modes will be easier with the widespread usage of digital ID, although the proposal has ignited controversy regarding ethics, data privacy and inclusivity. “Having a globally rolled out digital ID – no matter how controversial – could enable a more sustainable form of travel, with each traveller’s personal carbon footprints measured and then nudged in the right direction, rewarded for better behaviour,” says Bremner. These forecasts echo trends already in motion, and in 2086 the world is likely to have witnessed six decades of these developments being embedded and evolving at scale. The question of AI With the world embracing artificial technology today, travel in the future will be shaped by AI, extended reality and quantum optimisation that enables travel without physical borders. Driessen expects a fusion of digital and physical travel: “Imagine exploring the streets of Kyoto virtually before you go, hearing the temple bells, watching cherry blossoms fall in real time and then deciding to experience it in person “Technology will make travel more inclusive, accessible and immersive, but the emotional connection of being there physically will remain irreplaceable.” Meanwhile, quantum computing will optimise global routing systems and reduce congestion. “The rise of virtual experiences will never replace real life travel and tourism, as seen by the dissipation of virtual reality after the pandemic,”
“Technology will make travel more inclusive, accessible and immersive, but the emotional connection of being there physically will remain irreplaceable”
192 | ITB GLOBAL TRAVEL COLLECTION
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