‘Virtual reality could signal the end of tourism’

So we are starting to train travel agents using the same technology that, in theory, could develop to facilitate their downfall in years to come. Hmm.

At the recent Barclays Travel Forum, Abta’s director of destinations and sustainability Nikki White Wright and Antor chair Tracey Poggio discussed the future for holiday hotspots, with overtourism prominent in the discussion – a huge and growing challenge for our industry. We are already seeing countries and cities taking action to limit tourist numbers to key sites.

The Peruvian government has been limiting daily visitors to Machu Picchu for a couple of years. In Cambodia, ticket prices to Angkor Wat have nearly doubled in an attempt to lessen the flow.

Tourist taxes are being introduced in more cities and are increasing rapidly in those where they are already in place. Santorini and Dubrovnik have also taken action to cap daily cruise ship visitor numbers.

Should demand continue to increase as expected, then the requirement to limit numbers will follow suit, resulting in higher costs that could price people out of the “real” market and into the arms of the cheaper “virtual” alternative.

As more and more people take personal responsibility to reduce their impact on the environment, so the number of flights they choose to take will reduce – travelling “virtually” could become the “right thing” to do.

In 2017, my frightening vision for travel was perhaps a little tongue in cheek. Two years on, I write with rather less flippancy.

Richard Dixon is director of Holidaysplease