Raise your hand if you’ve got a selfie in front of an iconic European landmark, a hastily purchased shot glass from an airport gift shop, or a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt from a Disney-fied destination.
So do most travellers.
Though there is no shame in having the same photos and keepsakes as your fellow globetrotters, it's getting increasingly harder to return home with a memento as one-of-a-kind as your memories.
Sadly, the selfie is becoming as cliche as the souvenir, but as the tech and travel worlds collide, NFTs may be a literal – though far from physical – way to own a truly unique holiday.
No need to leave room in your luggage: NFT collectables and clubs grant access to exclusive travel experiences with no baggage required.
Early adopters like Marriott International are testing out NFTs in several ways, including hotel booking partnerships, travel perks and fundraising drives. Exclusive access and a members-only mentality is a driving force in the NFT space, replicating the attractive offers that traditional airline and hotel membership clubs have lured travellers in with for decades.
NFTs – or non-fungible tokens – are no new phenomenon. These digital assets that live on the blockchain are nearly a decade old, though only recently has the concept been embraced in the mainstream.
In October 2021, a report by consulting group Verified Market Research estimated that the global NFT market was worth €11.3 billion and may rise at a rate of 33.7 per cent annually to hit €231 billion by 2030.
And such high expectations have finally made companies in the travel space take notice.
Imagine planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro, but instead of booking your stay through a conventional website, all you need is your NFT to gain access to a private hotel that only 10,000 travellers will ever be able to sleep at.
‘Complete culture shock’: Will you be chasing these travel trends in 2023?
Cheap traveller? You're not welcome in these 6 countries that only want rich tourists
No booking confirmation required. Not even a room key is necessary.
Such is the premise of the Lucky Ape Travel Club, which was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 2021. It was arguably the first NFT company to specifically tap into travel, occupying a sweet spot where the emerging metaverse crosses over with the real world.
How is LATC NFT “a valuable trading asset”❓
3⃣ words: Multiple. Revenue. Streams.
👉 Learn more about it in the video below
🚀 Mint yours here: https://t.co/KV0x3bPFll#nft #nftcommunity #LATC #NFT #travel pic.twitter.com/y20oTt1RhB
— Lucky Ape Travel Club (@luckyapeclub) April 29, 2022
This ‘room key’ application of NFTs is most likely to extend its stay in the travel sector. Earlier this year, Casa de Campo Resorts & Villas in the Dominican Republic became the first hotel partner of Pinktada, an NFT platform that is hoping to shake up the hospitality industry through the application of blockchain technology.
Together they’ve launched transferable RNTs (Room Night Tokens), which allow guests to access competitive, discounted rates on certain room types, alongside the flexibility to sell or swap tokens if their travel plans change.
“Blockchain and NFTs are changing the hotel industry as we know it,” says Jason Kycek, senior VP of sales and marketing at Casa de Campo.
‘Your dream vacation is just a bid away’: while it may sound like a bit of a ruse to NFT sceptics, the tagline for Black Platinum Gold says everything you need to know about the world’s first luxury travel auction platform.
“I strongly believe that cost and value are two very different things,” says Viola Palescandolo, founder and CEO. “BPG was created to empower travel dreamers to be go-getters, a platform where you can ‘fight’ for what you want.”
AUCTION 📣Indonesia, #Bali | @alilavuluwatu
Now open for bids: https://t.co/woqaPmiyYP
I͟t͟ ͟i͟n͟c͟l͟u͟d͟e͟s͟:͟
• 3 nights / 2 guests
• One Bedroom Pool Villa
• Breakfast
• Butler service
• Priority entrance + transfer to Savaya
• Valid until Dec 2023@AlilaHotels
— Black Platinum Gold (@BlackPlatinumG) October 21, 2022
These luxurious escapes need not come at a premium, at least for some experiences. For instance, a recent week-long auction for a three-night stay in Jamaica started at just €330. The winning bidder would receive accommodations for two at Geejam Hotel (usually €435/night) with breakfast included (usually an extra €60 per night).
Of course, more elaborate experiences warrant higher bids. Another auction offers 13 days in Kenya, with everything from domestic flights and luxury accommodations for two to safari activities and a private guide – all at a starting bid of €16,600.
“BPG is unique because its NFTs will be stored in crypto wallets to symbolise the truly unique experience that happened in the real world.”
Many of these auctions offer experiences that are as one-of-a-kind as the NFT itself. For instance, the ‘Unlocking Uniqueness On Lake Como’ NFT will send its holder and 15 guests to Italy's Villa Breakwater for New Year’s Eve week. Meals, a mixologist, a photographer and a branded NFT video are among the spoils.
With partners including Nobu, The Ritz-Carlton, and members of the Small Luxury Hotels of The World, Black Platinum Gold’s curated itineraries offer NFT collectors and discerning travellers alike a way to purchase, collect and experience an exclusive luxury holiday.
Critics point out the environmentally damaging impact of NFTs. Similarly to cryptocurrencies, most NFTs are ‘minted’ or verified using a blockchain – a digital ledger of transactions – called Ethereum. It relies on a huge computer network that consumes huge amounts of energy.
More ‘eco-friendly’ alternatives to Ethereum exist, but making payments using cryptocurrency is inherently carbon-heavy.
Despite this, some destinations are using NFTs to launch eco initiatives. In Bhutan, the new Trans Bhutan Trail has launched a collection of NFTs to fund sustainability projects along the route. These NFTs offer hikers exclusive experiences and community connections – adding another coveted element to join the rarely shown-off passport stamp.
Meanwhile, one hotel in Paris, the Lancaster, has joined forces with Plastiks to prove its commitment to sustainability with NFTs attached to individual rooms. Each one comes with a Plastic Recovery Guarantee linked to Green Mining, a reverse logistics company removing plastic waste in Brazil.
No matter how NFTs take shape, it’s clear that this trend will influence how, where, and why we travel in a real world that’s making room for the metaverse.
The NFT club trend is explored in more detail in Expedia and Euronews Travel's Trend Report.
British finance minister Jeremy Hunt appears to have delayed the "properly tough" decisions needed to balance the public finances, possibly in the hope of an economic upturn that will reduce the need for a painful squeeze, a think-tank said. "Hemmed in by rising interest payments and poor growth prospects, the chancellor decided to allow borrowing to rise, and to put off properly tough decisions for another couple of years," Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said on Friday. Hunt announced 55 billion pounds ($66 billion) of fiscal tightening on Thursday to take full effect by 2027/28.
Swiss company uses algorithm to judge whether contested Portrait de femme (Gabrielle) is genuinely by French artist
COP27 has been extended by a day, as delegates struggle to wrangle a final deal. With just hours left of the conference, here are the key takeaways from the second week.
Euronews Culture spoke to architects on the ways they want to redesign the city to remove cars and make everyone's lives better.
Ten British nationals lost their lives in the tragedy
While most tourists choose Santorini or Mykonos, there's much more to Greece than its most popular islands.
The family of a British man accused of murdering his terminally ill wife at their retirement home in Cyprus hopes he could be home for Christmas after a court agreed to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Russia raises concerns over situation in Korean penninsula, blaming US for pushing North Korea
Carnival Cruise Lines’ makes vaccinations and mask wearing compulsory as cases rise and after Majestic Princess reported 800 positive test results
Millions of workers in the US work throughout the night, and the impacts can be profound on their health
This David and Goliath story of the man who collected enough Pepsi tokens for a military aircraft – and went to court to get it – is so drawn out it’s as empty and bloating as a fizzy drink
The parents of murdered University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin have hit out at the conspiracies surrounding the dramatic case. Source: KING 5
New chief executive will have their work cut out for them after what some scientists call ‘painful’ change under Larry Marshall
Hundreds of tons of farm-raised fish died due to strong winds and heavy rains in Lake Maninjau, Indonesia, resulting in around 380,000 dollars of economic loss. The footage, which was filmed today (November 19), shows tilapia and majalaya carcasses, and fishermen working in the lake. According to the Department of Fisheries and Food Security (DPKP) Kab. Agam, the 25 tonnes of fish died as of Friday (November 18). "A day later, today, at least 400 tons of caged fish in three sub-districts died suddenly due to strong winds and rain", said the Head of the DPKP Agam, Rosva Deswira. According to Deswira, the death of fish is linked due to the lack of oxygen in the cages. Farmers were asked not to throw carcasses into the lake and the government helped with their removal.
The Queen Consort meets Ebony Horse Club students at Ascot's November racing weekend.
Humanitarian aid was distributed in and around the recently liberated Ukrainian city of Kherson.
Manchester United have begun taking “appropriate steps” in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan.Source: Piers Morgan Uncensored, TalkTV
Death of Georgia mother-of-two has been shrouded in mystery for the last two months after she left a cryptic message to daughter before bizarre death
Benzema is the reigning Ballon d’Or holder after a brilliant year for Real Madrid
A utility company has paid thousands of pounds for a community Christmas tree after upgrading works caused lengthy disruption in the area.
