Why the American tourist could become virtually unrecognizable by 2050

Part of our series on America in 2050...

Tower of London
(Image credit: iStock)

Travel for fun is big business. Tourists poured roughly $7 trillion into the global economy in 2013 and funded more than 200 million jobs worldwide, according to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which monitors the industry. And demand isn't slowing down: The council estimates 4 percent growth every year for the next 10 years.

But some researchers are exploring the longer-term future of one of the world's biggest industries, puzzling through what tourism could look like as the world's population rises and the effects of climate change potentially make global travel unsustainable. According to their studies, the tourist of 2050 will likely be wealthy, adventurous, and increasingly alone. Families and travelers with less resources meanwhile may find themselves seeing the world through technology in their living room.

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Matt Hansen has written and edited for a series of online magazines, newspapers, and major marketing campaigns. He is currently active in press freedom and safety research with Global Journalist Security.