The Economist - USA (2021-02-13)

TheEconomistFebruary 13th 2021 3

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uggage unpackshowinternationaltravelhaschangeddown

theages.Adventurersinthe15th-centuryageofdiscoveryset

sailingalleonsloadedtothegunwaleswithsuppliesforvoyages

thatmighttakeyears.Aristocratsona “grandtour”inthe18thcen-

turytrekkedaroundEuropeformonthsinhorse-drawncarriages

packedwithtrunks,servantsandevenfurniture.Thesuitcasear-

rivedattheendofthe19thcenturywhenspendingseveralweeks

abroadbecamemorecommonforthewealthy.Bythe1970stour-

istsandexecutivesneededtocartthewherewithalfora fewnights

awaythroughvastairports.Andsothewheelie-bagcametosym-

bolisetheeraofmasstravel.

Theriseofthewheelie-bagreflectsthefallingcostandincreas-

ingspeedoflong-distancetravel.Cheaperairfares,risingincomes

andmoreleisuretimehavemadeforeigntripsroutineanda holi-

dayabroadaccessibletomanyintherichworldwishingtoescape

theirdailystress.Travelbringsnewexperiencesandmemories(or

momentstocaptureonInstagram).Andif noteverymindisbroad-

ened,surelyfewsuffertheoppositeeffect.AsMarkTwainputit,

“Travelisfataltoprejudice,bigotryandnarrow-mindedness.”

Theeaseoftravelhasnotjustexpandedtourism.Ascompanies

havespreadacrosstheworldsohavetheirworkers.Businesstravel

keeps multinationalcompaniesandsupplychainsconnected.

Andtheabilitytogetawayhasletpeoplespreadaroundtheworld

towork,learnorjusthavea changeofscene.Asfamilieshavedis-

persedsohastheneedtokeepintouchorattendweddingsand

birthdaypartiesinforeignparts.It hasbroughttheworldtogether

byallowingfamilyandfriendstolivefartherapart.

Yetuntilrecentlyfewpeoplewentfar.Travelwasslow,difficult

andexpensivewhenitreliedonwindorhorsepower.Steamand

railwaysopenedthegatesa littlewider.Butgettingfarafieldeven

100 yearsagotookanoceanlinerorairship,a priceywaytogo.A

first-classcabinontheTitanicin 1912 startedat£30($3,500today);

a transatlanticticketontheHindenburgcost$400in 1936 (both

one-way,asitlaterturnedout).Thebigsurgeininternationaltra-

velcamewithflying.A trainonthetrans-SiberianroutefromBeij-

ingtoMoscowtakesoverfivedays;a flightaroundsevenhours.Yet

therealgame-changerwascheaperfares.In 1950 only25mpeople

tooka tripabroad,saystheUnitedNationsWorldTourismOrgani-

sation(unwto).By 2019 thenumberoftripshadgrownto1.5bn

(andthatexcludesmigrants,refugeesandvisitsofovera year).

Nearlythree-fifthsofinternationaltravellersarrivedandde-

partedbyplanein2019,comparedwithonly5%byseaand1%by

train,accordingtounwto. The35%oftravellerscrossingborders

ina carweremostlyEuropeans,inhabitantsoftheworld’slargest

travelmarket,takingadvantageoftheircontinent’ssmallsizeand

goodroads.Goingonholidayisthemainmotivefortravelabroad,

accountingfor55%oftrips.Businesstravelmadeup11%oftheto-

tal.Mostoftherestwastovisitfamiliesandfriendsabroad.Some

travelforreligiousreasons(2mMuslimsvisitMeccaeveryyear);

andaround15msoughtmedicaltreatmentin2017.

Internationaltravellershavefilledtillsforhotels,restaurants,

car-hirefirmsandtouroperators.Theirspendinghit$1.5trnin

2019.Beforecovid-19,travelcontributed4.4%ofgdpand6.9%of

employmentintheoecdrich-countryclub.Internationaltravel

madeup6.5%ofglobalexportsin2019,accordingtotheWorld

TradeOrganisation.Inall,travelandtourismaccountsforover

The age of the wheelie-bag

Special report

Covid-19 has brought international travel to a standstill. But it will recover and may even become

a better experience, says Simon Wright

The future of travel

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