MetaTourism - May Rundown
Stay updated with news from the Metaverse and Travel Sector
Welcome Metatourists,
May has passed by so fast with many of us not taking the time to stop and reflect on everything happening around us. We attended the ARVR Summit, participated in a wonderful series of X Spaces discussing all things travel & Web3 and held our second webinar in a series of webinars for the African tourism market.
This month we have been focused on scenario planning for the future of travel and the metaverse. We saw some airlines experience difficulty with severe turbulence, ongoing political instability and a push back against mass tourism once more in some Spanish regions. For an initial overview of potential threats to the tourism sector see here.
Also in scenario planning, we are closely following the new TNMT series on future scenarios for the metaverse in respect to the Aviation industry. This graphic shows the hype around the metaverse at the same time Facebook re-branded to Meta and the following decline in search volume worldwide. However, the introduction to the series also makes reference to the ongoing adoption of Web3 wallets which gives to way to more innovation when it comes to adding digital identities and assets to the travelers journey.
IN THE NEWS
Online Travel Giants are spending massively on Sales and Marketing. The four brands spent a combined $4.08 billion on sales and marketing (reported by Booking Holdings as just marketing) over the first three months of the year. Read here
The Metaverse Tourism Association (MTA) has joined the Web3 Travel Alliance. This is our most exciting news for the month. Read here.
How Google’s AI Could Change Travel: 4 Projects For Apps, Airlines, and Hotels. Read more.
New Report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau highlights Banking and Video Games in Virtual Worlds. Read Report
Longer Trips in Cheaper Destinations — And Why Albania Is Getting So Popular. Read More
Thousands Protest against mass tourism in Mallorca, Spain. Read More
Singapore Airlines plane dropped 54 metres in seconds, flight data shows . Read More
IEEE Open Call for papers on Technology Management in Metaverse Technology and Applications. Read More
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT - DTRAVEL
Dtravel is a cutting-edge Web3 vacation rental ecosystem powered by the TRVL token.
Dtravel is breaking free from centralized marketplaces, tackling issues of connectivity, trust, and distribution in global travel. The TRVL token drives Dtravel’s dynamic growth and offers exciting benefits for token holders within the ecosystem. With Dtravel, vacation rental operators can easily launch their own booking sites and activate on-chain listings, while travelers enjoy a seamless booking experience through the innovative Sensei AI discovery engine.
Both operators and travelers can earn TRVL tokens by engaging in peer-to-peer bookings and expanding Dtravel's decentralized network of listings. Dive into the future of travel with Dtravel, where every journey is a step towards a more connected, trusted, and rewarding world. Learn more about the Dtravel offerings here.
METAVERSE EVENTS
6 June MTA Webinar - Metaverse Marketing: Harnessing the Power of New Technology for Brand Growth
18 - 20 June AWE US (Long Beach, California)
13 – 14 June Towards a Responsible Development of the Metaverse (Alicante, Spain)
29 – 30 Oct AWE EU 2024 (Vienna, Austria) - MTA Founder Lisa is Chairing a track at this conference so please connect to learn more.
METAVERSE JOBS
Project Manager/Producer - Metaworld Entertainment
People Operations Analyst - Decentraland
RECOMMENDED READS & PODS
Mastercard Travel Trends Report 2024. In 2024, the travel industry is experiencing robust growth, driven by strong consumer spending and increased passenger traffic. Despite challenges like exchange rate fluctuations and climate concerns, the desire to travel remains strong. The year has seen record-setting spending in the cruise and airline sectors, with notable increases in international travel and event-driven tourism. Key destinations such as Japan, Ireland, and Romania have witnessed significant growth in tourist spending.
Beyond Borders: Can Web3 platforms unlock the future of travel - An Op-ed by MTA Founder Lisa Gibbons.
Evidence for Large Increases in Clear-Air Turbulence Over the Past Four Decades. Following on from the recent news about Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airlines facing severe turbulence. This academic study published in 2023 does find evidence of increased incidences in severe turbulence.
Is Google Killing Travel. For any professional travel operator this is a podcast episode worth listening too. Listen Here
JOIN US
We welcome all who are interested in the business of travel to join us at the MTA and work together to ignite, inform and inspire the hybrid future of travel. The MTA is committed to exploring and developing a greater understanding of the potential that advanced technologies offer when creating new tourism business models and enhancing existing travel services.
Please feel free to share your Metaverse or Travel news with us.