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AUSTRALIA needs to creatively promote itself as a green getaway to create long-term demand for travels, says a leading travel trendspotting.

New research from New York-based travel marketing and publishing firm Avant-Guide Institute, has revealed green travel as "the biggest trend of our lifetime".

"I think Australia is in a unique position in that at least from outside people perceive it as being a more natural place than Europe or the US," said Daniel Levine of Avant-Guide Institut in the Australian Newspaper.

Avant-Guide's research also revealed travellers are looking for new destinations their neighbours haven't visited and virgin experiences.

"Distance is a big barrier to entry that is not going to go away: optimally it would be great to focus on it rather than to try to hide it."

"What's really emerging this decade in spades is this whole idea of the experiential economy," Mr Levine said.

"As people get richer they are not one jot happier.

"Hotels in destinations such as Sydney (should be) competing against each other to offer small things and experiences that nobody else offers: it's about being innovative."

Mr Levine cited examples such as a nightclub in the Netherlands that built its dance floor on springs and generates enough electricity from dancing patrons to power the whole venue. Other examples included hotels that allowed visitors effectively to rent a dog while they were guests.

"The idea is that by looking at how innovative companies from other industries are embracing these same social trends, we in the travel industry can get excellent ideas of what we should do."

By Lara Sinclair May 15, 2008

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,23702336-5014090,00.html