• Richard Quest hosts special theme week on CNN International showcasing what’s hot in travel next year
• DAILY reports from Monday 15 December, in ‘World Business Today’ at 1400 GMT / 1500 CET and ‘Quest Means Business’ at 2100 GMT / 2200 CET
As 2014 draws to a close, CNN anchor Richard Quest presents a special week of programming dedicated to next year’s travel agenda – the destinations, events, gadgets, tips and technology that will define the industry in 2015.
From hotels springing up, to new aircraft taking to the skies, Quest highlights the hottest trends global travellers should be watching out for in the year ahead.
Ellana Lee, SVP and Managing Editor, CNN International, said: “As we nudge ever nearer to the New Year, who better than Richard Quest to lead the way in providing CNN’s global audience with all they need to know about the world of travel in 2015. This special theme week has its finger on the pulse of travel trends, developments and initiatives, all told with Quest’s inimitable style and expertise of the industry.”
Quest’s reports include:
• Aviation in 2015 – Japan’s aviation industry will be boosted with the launch of its first commercial aircraft in around 50 years; Mitsubishi’s new plane is set to rival regional jets with more spacious, efficient and quieter planes; rivalry between Airbus and Boeing is set to soar with launch of the Airbus’ A350 – a major challenge to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner in long haul market, and how mobile technology will make travel ‘smarter’.
• The Shared Economy in 2015 – as travellers seek ways of trimming budgets without cutting their comforts, this trend seems set to soar. What started with sharing accommodation, via pioneers AirBnB, is spreading to sharing a ride where travelers can be picked up and dropped off at the airport by car owners; also sharing food, as travelers are offered the opportunity to taste authentic home-cooked cuisine rather than food served by chains.
• Hotspots in 2015 – Abu Dhabi will step out of the shadow of Dubai’s towering Burj Khalifa to hit new heights in the art world; the Louvre Abu Dhabi is due to open in the Saadiyat Island District, and there are also plans for the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim to follow; European culture will be focused on Mons in Belgium with its calendar of arts events and Pilsen in the Czech Republic, alive with street festivals PLUS river cruising’s ascending popularity continues in south east Asia.
• Hotels in 2015 – Visitors to Beijing will be able to stay in the country’s spectacular Kempinski Sunrise, encased within 10-thousand glass panels and lit at night by LEDs; two distinguished hotels reopen after long refurbishment – The Lanesborough in London, and the long-awaited return of The Ritz in Paris; technology will continue to revolutionise the way travellers book and stay in hotels, as instant messaging apps such as WeChat in China and Line in Japan are used to book; Room keys will start to appear as phone apps, PLUS a particularly boastful kind of selfie, a ‘braggie’ will grow in popularity.
• Wearable Technology in 2015 – the world of wearable technology is fast moving. From shirts that act as doctors, to hats that play like DJs, what once was science fiction has become cyber fact. For tech fans, these refined designs mean that it’s now possible to look chic rather than geek in the latest inventions. Quest explores the Ralph Lauren Polo Tech Shirt; the Jawbone UP3 and the Apple Watch, which brings a computer to the back of a wrist and will be one of the most hotly anticipated devices of 2015.
