What is Next?

The travel industry has been badly hit for some time, with the collapse of Airlines like Monarch and the grounding of Flybe. Thomas Cook disappearing from the head street was a huge shock, like most people it is a while since I have been on a Thomas Cook holiday, but like Woolworths and BHS, I grew up with these companies and it is hard not to miss them. A couple of days ago Lonely Planet, the pioneering travel guide, closed their doors, whether this is temporary or permanent we will have to wait to see.

Many of us have had to cancel or have had our booked holidays cancelled, many holiday resorts will still be closed at the start of the season and it is been said that many will not open this year at all. So, what next? I have been following travel experts opinions on this; some say this will be the demise of the package holiday, some say that more people will opt for a staycation in the UK instead, others say that we will want to go away in a different way, more off the beaten track. I think that we have been re-thinking about the way we go on holiday for a while, personally I have never been a fan of the package holiday but I have always marvelled at the low cost of these breaks. However, these low costs have crippled the travel industry, flights becoming so cheap than many airlines are losing money. I wonder at the cost of hotel accommodation, the fierce competition from Airbnb and similar websites, even leading to some countries like Spain trying to get government legislation to ban these businesses.

As I said things will change whether we want them to or not, we have got used to going away a few times a year, expecting to travel at the lowest cost possible. But at what cost? Not just financially but at the cost of the environment. I love going to Mallorca, I feel it is like my second home.  However, the effects of mass tourism are plain to see on this small island, the huge increase in cars during the peak season has had devasting effects on the island which last much longer than the five months of the holiday season. Don’t even get me started on the damage the huge cruise ships cause, the pollution of the sea alone should make us question the harm these monsters do.

So, should the next step be, a holiday industry that makes a contribution to a local economy without damaging the environment whilst enriching the life of the holiday maker in some lasting way? 

Perhaps, that is a dream of mine but who knows what comes next. as consumers we can play a leading role.