Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2018 | Page 51

Propelled by the rise of the millennial - soon to be the largest living adult population in the U.S., this growing segment of the global travel market will heavily influence travel trends for the next decade or two. Millennials are leaving homogenized locations and commoditized travel experiences behind and seeking more authentic travel destinations and participatory experiences. An ethos that corresponds well with two of the pillars of sustainable travel - protecting local cultures and local economies. Research also indicates that travelers seeking authenticity are also willing to place a higher premium on these new and enriching experiences - good news for travel brands operating in this space. There is also growing popularity for adventure travel amongst millennials, defined by ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association) to include at least two of these three elements - ‘physical activity, interaction with the environment, and cultural exchange’. Although millennials play a role here, it’s the baby boomers (52-73-year olds) who are leading the pack when it comes to this trend. Pursuing adventure travel as a means of self- exploration, or to embrace a more active lifestyle, they search for lesser known locations off the trodden path without compromising on comfort. ATTA estimates, that approximately 65.6% of the total trip cost from an adventure package remains in the destination visited. It’s not only travelers who are interested in sustainability. 2017 saw an increasing number of entrepreneurial startups capitalizing on these growing trends, their flexibility giving rise to unlikely ideas and partnerships. One of these brands is Poshtel PopUp, who are currently redefining off-grid, adventure travel with a new business model of scalable architecture, with eco-friendly design and infrastructure. These sustainable, luxury hotels can pop up anywhere within a short period of time. They are boutique and stylish, while using eco-friendly design and materials that are local to the regions they are placed in. Completely disconnected from the grid. Poshtel PopUps can be reused and moved when the moment has passed, minimizing the impact on the surrounding environment, and not disturbing or displacing local communities with long-standing infrastructure. ILHA 51