David Jessop, Contributor

Is Jamaica prepared for the rapidly changing nature of consumer demand when it comes to travel and tourism? A recent report suggests that a much more segmented Caribbean tourism market than exists at present may be needed.

A recently-published study by Amadeus, one of the providers that powers the booking systems of many of the world's major airlines and hotels, makes it clear that to succeed, tourism service providers need to factor in rapidly changing trends among key groups of travellers.

The report argues that there are four definable new groups that present the most interesting global business opportunities for the industry. These they describe as active seniors; global clans; cosmopolitan commuters; and global executives.

Setting aside the sound bite nature of these descriptions, each group represents an international economic trend.

The report notes that healthier and wealthier individuals and couples aged between 50 and 75 are rapidly becoming the largest part of the population of developed nations. That is, in those nations that presently account for most of the regions tourism market. It observes that their successful counterparts from populous nations such as China, Brazil and India, who will also expect to use their high disposable income to take multiple breaks to enjoy the freedom of their retirement, will join them very soon. This will, the study suggests, present completely new challenges to tourism services providers not least in respect of local health provision.

A second rapidly-growing group, but one that Jamaica has much experience of, are what Amadeus describes as the 'global clans' that result from migration and who are travelling home in ever increasing numbers to visit family and friends. Unlike other groups their needs are usually price driven. Together with a younger generation of individual travellers are prepared to buy down in terms of quality, with the effect that they are fuelling the entry of low-cost airlines in the long-haul market.

globalisation

A further trend as economic globalisation accelerates is in the rapid growth in 'cosmopolitan commuters'. These are individuals whose employment causes them to travel under time constraints and who expect the maximum value and efficiency while insisting on remaining connected at all times with their business, friends and families. Paradoxically, it is a group whose companies expect the carbon footprint of such travel to be low so as to be able to present an environmentally friendly public profile.

The fourth new group are the very affluent, 'the global executives', who as the name suggests stay and travel in premium class and who expect unfailing service that predicts their needs whether these are related to work or leisure.

The report, 'Traveller Tribes', challenges many assumptions presently made in the development and marketing of Caribbean destinations. Most difficult of all to deliver will be its suggestion that airlines and hoteliers try to provide the visitor with a seamless and easy experience from departure to return: an issue that goes to the heart of the contradiction between the marketed image of Jamaica and its fragmented and often gritty reality