Consumer futurist Amanda Stevens: What’s next in tourism and travel

Amanda Stevens is an expert speaker on insights and trends relating to consumer behaviour. She is speaking at the Tourism Industry Aotearoa summit.

An expert in consumer trends and customer experience has a key message for the tourism sector.

Amanda Stevens is speaking at the Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) summit this week and says the pre-pandemic bucket list has been replaced by a more extreme fatalistic approach to travel.

While consumers have pulled back spending in other areas, travel continues to run hot – mainly – as the memories of being locked down during the pandemic are hard to shake. She says it is estimated that during the pandemic Kiwis missed 4.5 lifetime milestones – family get-togethers, anniversaries, birthdays, engagement parties, weddings and funerals.

“I think operators have this really exciting opportunity to tap into that and really amp up their experience by understanding that all these things mean more to us now than they ever have before,” said Stevens, a former Young Australian of the Year who has presented at 700 conferences in 14 countries.

She has a double degree in consumer psychology and marketing.

The TIA summit happens as New Zealand’s post-pandemic tourism recovery has leveled off with inbound visitors stuck at around 85% of 2019 levels.

“What the pandemic did do with lockdowns and travel restrictions was really change consumer expectations, what travel and experiences mean to people. We’re making memories, we’re celebrating milestones.”

Importantly for tourism operators, travellers are willing to spend more.

“I’ve got friends in the travel industry who are for the first time in their career, they’re quoting business class fares with Contiki tours – that just never happened,” said Stevens.

“Despite the cost of living and interest rates and all of those economic factors, we are spending more per trip and more per experience.”

Artificial intelligence (AI) was being rolled out in travel and tourism to personalise travel experiences such as building itineraries, improving the management of tourist destinations and optimising customer service. The personal touch was crucial.

“I’m all for tech. I think their big opportunity is how can they [tourism businesses] harness the best of high tech and the best of high touch because at the end of the day, that’s what it is.”

New Zealand visitor businesses needed to embrace everything that made the country unique and make the most of how the country has been promoted.

“Tourism NZ sets a world standard for tourism marketing. I don’t want to say that these operators maybe take that for granted but I think it’s worth reminding them that they are [operating] off the back of global best practice tourism marketing for decades.”

Trends for next year include the continued rise in spending by millennial travellers (those born between 1981 and 1996).

“They’re getting to the stage where they’re settled in their lives. They’re travelling more because they can economically and from a lifestyle perspective as well.”

Changes in baby boomer travel behaviour was also apparent.

“Boomers have always traditionally been a really solid segment for tourism, particularly in New Zealand, but they’re changing. One of my key messages is that 70 is the new 55. The way the average 70-, even 80-year-old is travelling now is very different to what it was even 10 years ago.”

They were more likely to be interested in adventure tourism.

Microtrends included the wellness sector intersecting with travel and tourism.

“And there’s also another really interesting microtrend that I’m keeping a really close eye on and that is people wanting to go on holidays to catch up on sleep. Sleep retreats are a big thing. People are exhausted.”

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.