Dr Yeoman is an Assoc. Professor of Tourism Management at Victoria University and is a popular speaker at tourism gatherings.
From what we can fathom, Dr Yeoman's job involves making a few outrageous predictions on the future of tourism based on a few pithy observations that provides quirky fillers for odd-spot sections in newspapers and social networks. The best aspect of Dr Yeoman's job is that there is no accountability. By the time the future rolls around your future predictions made long ago would have been forgotten and the focus would be on your next set of headline making forecasts.
Brilliant!
You may remember that we wrote about one of Dr Yeoman's revelations last year that predicted the rise of Robot Sex Tourism.
So the question needs to be asked - what is Dr Yeoman's latest revelation?
Well, the tourism industry needs to brace itself for the next big thing: "Knitting Tourism".
That's right, the future of tourism will be accommodating hoards of tourists armed with wool and knitting needles that wish to have a quiet, inspirational spot away from home to churn out an assortment of jerseys, scarves and mittens.
Before you dismiss this as being silly, there appears to have been extensive research to back this prediction.
Apparently there is all sorts of social change going on right below our noses, without any of us being aware. Dr Yeoman observes on our behalf that consumers have a renewed interest in heritage and tradition. Consumers are feeling the guilt of being seen in designer labels and embracing vintage, authentic and natural goods.
We are seeking crafts and old fashioned skills. It is claimed that there is a surge in knitting clubs as highly educated, single urban folk are huddling together to form wool based social networks.
I bet you weren't aware of that!
And of course New Zealand with its natural woolly flecked landscapes is in the perfect position to appeal to this apparent high yielding tourist opportunity.
The only thing that concerns us is what's going to happen to all those horrible "homemade" woolen jerseys?
