Hey, i am Adit Sarin, the co-founder of a travel tech website, Lestacworld.com. In this blog i want to share my thoughts on Future of the travel industry in 2030. There are multiple factors that are going to affect the industry, be it the impact of artificial intelligence, travelers spending capacity, emerging new destinations or sustainability. Everyone predicts that the numbers coming from aspects of the travel industry are going to rise, but not every hike is positive. I also write because writing gives me clarity, let me mention my thoughts about it below.
Future of travel industry in 2030 – Rising numbers declining experience and sustainability
It is not only about the change in the way of traveling, but it is also about the change in the way of booking their travel deals. Of course it is not hard to predict that the emergence of AI will give a bigger push to online bookings instead of offline deals.
Day tour Booking portals will increase their share in market till 2030
With the easy access of information, travelers would seek to plan their trip on their own instead of using a travel agency service to book the whole package. This being said, it is time for travel agencies that were relying on selling the whole itineraries and keeping their commissions to change strategy. and the approach.
Day tour booking portals like Klook or Get Your Guide are again changing the way people book their tours. Till 2030 the share of these booking portals in the travel industry is going to be 75% more than what it is now. The easy access to information and change in travelers buying behavior will prove to be positive for these day tour booking portals till 2030.
Local tour operators will be more preferred
With more and more businesses coming online, local tour operators or service providers might not have to rely on booking portals or travel agencies to reach out to their customers. With the changing trends, travelers will reach these operators on their own if they have presented themselves online. Travelers now are getting smarter and smarter, and in the 2030s, Gen Z will become the potential travelers. And we already know that this generation’s approach is more advanced and independent.
The easy cross-country payments will also play an important factor. Presently, not many local tour operators have the correct means to accept cross-country payments. However, the time is not far off when cross-country payments will be real-time, quick and will not be limited to only bigger travel agencies or websites.
Niche is the strategy to go with
Finding a niche is the strategy travel agencies or companies should opt for. Choosing a theme and becoming a master as early as possible might give an edge in terms of online existence. At the end, the motive is to rank on google or AI bots.
For example, i am being a part of a project in a company where they were offering services to only old-age travelers for Australia. They added some more comfort for old-age travelers, including wheelchair assistance, guides, slow-moving tours, etc.
Flight will mostly be booked directly with airlines
Nowadays, there is a competition going on among various flight booking portals. I don’t really think these portals will survive in 2030, if they get dependent on offering airline bookings only. Let me explain to you why. The travelers usually visit these portals to see which airline is offering the cheapest and fastest flight to their destination. I have a belief that till 2030 the AI bots will be able to tell you the cheapest and the fastest flight on your date for your destination. These bots will also be able to redirect you to airlines websites for booking and there will be no need for these flight booking portals.
If you see presently, most airlines have their own booking systems where they offer more flexibility and better deals compared to the websites that are using APIs and keeping their commissions.
New Destinations will emerge till 2030
Though with the help of the internet, travelers are already digging out hidden destinations themselves, the future looks even more promising. With easy access to information through AI bots, travelers will be able to plan and execute their itineraries without being influenced by what agencies want to sell them. Yes, even now, travelers usually rely on blogs or videos on the internet to frame their itineraries. However, these blogs or videos are often sponsored or influenced by travel companies or tied to packages sold by them. But the future lies in the hands of travelers—they will uncover destinations without being influenced and manipulated.
Sustainability will not be a choice; it will be a compulsion for survival
Sustainability will no longer be a choice—it will become a compulsion for the survival of travel destinations. As tourism continues to grow, the pressure on local ecosystems, cultures, and infrastructure is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Destinations that once thrived on visitor traffic are now facing the consequences of over-tourism, environmental degradation, and cultural dilution. In the near future, adopting sustainable practices won’t just be a noble initiative—it will be a necessary strategy for survival. Places that fail to prioritize eco-friendly infrastructure, community involvement, and responsible tourism will risk fading from the global travel map altogether.
