Space vacations could be billion-dollar money-spinner by 2030
UBS analysts predict that space travel will soon serve both the long-haul, earth-bound traveller and the more adventurous cosmic tourist
London — Flying people to hang out in outer space could be worth $23bn by 2030, UBS predicted. Space hotels, theme park rides and flying wealthy long-haul passengers into orbit are among the opportunities to tap once the space industry gets off the ground, UBS analysts Jarrod Castle and Myles Walton said. The total space industry could be worth around $805bn by then, they said, with commercial aviation carving out about $20bn of that and tourism accounting for about $3bn. While some might consider the potential for space “to service the long-haul travel market on earth as science fiction, we think that, as space technology continues to evolve and costs fall” airlines may embrace the idea, Castle and Walton said. Long-haul routes of 10 hours or more carrying affluent and time-sensitive customers could utilise space travel, the analysts said. Companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic are investing heavily to eventually bring tourists into space. At present, the race is focused on resu...
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