Visualise The Future — James Albon’s Vision
Check out James’ piece, process, artist statement, and our reactions
On Tuesday March 30th, Traveltech for Scotland launched their ‘Visualise the Future’ project, in which they commissioned four Scottish-based artists the create a visualisation of the future of tech-enabled tourism in the next 20 years.
About James Albon
James Albon is a British author and illustrator. His editorial clients include the Folio Society, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Libération, Penguin Random House and WIRED. He studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art and went on to a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Drawing School in London. On top of this he has written and illustrated three graphic novels, Her Bark & Her Bite (2016), A Shining Beacon (2018) and The Delicacy (2021). Check out his work here.
James’ Vision — ‘The Future of Tourism in Scotland’
(Depending on the software you are using the animated elements of this piece might not play. Dragging the file into a tab on a browser should make it play automatically)
Artist Statement:
“While “The Future of Tourism” is often present as a flashy, futuristic realm of space travel, flying cars and underwater hotels, I believe that no advances in technology will eclipse Scotland’s greatest attractions: beautiful landscapes and historic cultural heritage that have enthralled visitors for hundreds of years and will continue to do so long into the future. Rather, the implementation of technology over the next twenty years will have a more nuanced, discreet effect on our ease of travel; smoothing logistics, providing information, streamlining and building upon existing systems to make Scottish tourism more accessible for all.
In my illustration I’ve sought to convey the multitude of experiences available to the future visitor to Scotland. While many of these scenes are familiar to locals and tourists already, advances in technology, from integrated smart systems and augmented-reality live translations, to easily-accessed self-driving cars and low-carbon high-speed rail, will turn the tourist experience on its head and help everyone to get the most out of their visit to Scotland.
The artwork was created using gouache and watercolour on paper, the painting was then scanned so that the animated elements could be included for the final GIF format image. The figures and elements of the Scottish landscape are all based on my own sketchbook drawings, drawn on location at various tourist spots around Scotland, and the composition is based around those real, observed moments.”
Josh’s Response (Director of Traveltech)
On the surface, James’ vision may not appear bold. Some of the specific technologies explored are in some way achievable now. But it is bold. When viewed alongside James’ artistic statement, you see that what he is illustrating is a fun vision of the mythical ‘connected journey.’ Where the visitor, can seamlessly and subtly navigate and choose their adventure without the technological friction.
That’s a really hard challenge. It requires businesses and public authorities of all types to be ‘talking’ to each other, all the time. A holistic destination API, that allows some data to flow freely between organisation, including competing businesses. I’m also not sure a connected journey can be ‘owned’ by one company or technology platform. For a truly connected journey the destination itself becomes the ‘platform.’ The tech might be do-able, but can the politics?
The pandemic is the greatest post-war crisis for tourism. What we know is that at times of great crisis there is a greater urgency for positive collaboration between us. Although hotels, restaurants and other businesses will compete with each other, right now, they’re mutually co-dependent. Perhaps now is the time to push for the data-led collaboration that could present to a visitor a truly connected tourism journey.
It is bold, but it is also grounded. He is correct when he points out the quintessential tourism experience of Scotland won’t change that much in twenty years. We’ll still want great food and whisky. We’ll still want to see the castles and heritage. We’ll still want to walk and run and swim amongst Scotland’s great beauty. Travel technology entrepreneurs and innovators should never forget that the visitor experience will always be the goal.
P.S. — I particularly enjoyed the robotic, wheely suitcase.
Check out a full video of the event here, including James’ presentation and process. Otherwise, read the recap and find the other artists’ work here.
Thank you to everyone who was involved in this project, and to James Albon for his contribution.
Sign up for our newsletter to get updates on future events and opportunities.
