Space tourism: what impact on holiday rentals?

Pack your bags… and your pressure suit! Space tourism, long dismissed as science fiction, is slowly becoming a reality. But what consequences could this new form of tourism have for holiday rentals? Let's set off together on a journey through the stars… and the property market of the future.

What is space tourism?

Space tourism covers all the activities that allow non-professionals, tourists like you and me but with a slightly beefier bank balance, to travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

That includes:

• Suborbital flights (a few minutes of weightlessness, an express return trip)
• Orbital stays (think space station hotel)
• And, one day, why not… stays on the Moon or Mars

The concept is nothing new: back in the 2000s, the International Space Station had already welcomed a handful of wealthy tourists. But the idea has genuinely opened up (just a little) thanks to the arrival of private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.

How does space tourism work?

Unlike a Ryanair flight, where the only preparation involves working out whether your bag really is 40 cm, a space flight calls for slightly more… technical logistics.

Training the tourists

Before floating off among the stars, tourists have to go through training (relax… it is no longer as gruelling as the programme for professional astronauts).

The stages include:

• Weightlessness simulations
• Learning anti-G postures
• Safety lessons
• And of course… the art of taking the best possible photo of Earth from space

The flight itself

Depending on the operator, flights can be:

• Suborbital: barely 10 minutes in space, but a breathtaking view
• Orbital: stays of several days in orbit
• Interplanetary (one day): Moon trip, Mars trip… be patient.

The cost of space tourism: how much to reach for the stars?

Brace yourself: space tourism currently costs between 250,000 € and 55 million € per person, depending on the type of trip.

Yes, it stings. A lot.

• Virgin Galacticoffers suborbital flights at around 450,000 €.
• Blue Originsits in a similar price range, sometimes higher depending on the auctions.
• SpaceX, meanwhile, offers orbital stays running into several tens of millions of euros.

But as with every emerging technology, prices should come down over time.

After all, remember what a plasma television cost in 2003…

Setting up space tourism: challenges and innovations

Space tourism does not come out of nowhere: it requires colossal infrastructure.

Spaceports!

Yes, you read that correctly: the airports of the future are called spaceports.

The first ones have already appeared in the United States and in other countries investing in this new type of tourism.

Reusable craft

To bring costs down, companies are betting on reusable rockets, rather as if you could reuse a firework (please do not try this at home).

Space stations inhabited by tourists

Plans for space hotels are also floating around on the drawing board, quite literally.

Just imagine for a moment:

• A suite with a view of Earth
• A zero-gravity spa
• A bar where the cocktails float in transparent bubbles

We can laugh about it today… but give it a few decades.

Space tourism and holiday rentals: what is the connection?

Here is the big question: what impact could space tourism have on holiday rentals here on Earth?

Because even if our guests will not all be heading into orbit tomorrow, the emergence of this new form of tourism could change a great deal.

Here are the possible shifts.

1⃣ New competition… but very high in the sky

Let's be honest: traditional holiday rentals are not about to lose their guests to an orbital hotel tomorrow.

But in the long run, the arrival of an ultra-premium tourism segment could influence:

• Guest expectations
• The standards of luxury
• Service innovation

The holidaymaker of 2050 might compare your hot tub with the one… in a space hotel (where the water does not even stay at the bottom ).

2⃣ "Space" destinations on Earth are set to become fashionable

Tourism is expected to soar around the areas linked to space travel, in particular:

• Spaceports
• Training centres
• Launch viewing areas

Any region that hosts a spaceport will undoubtedly become a new tourist hub.

Rather like Cape Canaveral in Florida, but multiplied by ten.

Owners of holiday rentals located near these future facilities could see their market take off.

3⃣ A new type of very wealthy guest

Space tourism attracts a rare clientele:

• Very well off
• Keen on exclusive experiences
• Looking for cutting-edge technology

These guests may also be looking for:

• High-tech villas
• Design-led accommodation
• Premium experiences before or after their flight

Something like a "pre-holiday" or "post-holiday" around their space adventure.

4⃣ An impact on technology expectations in rentals

Tourists who have flown into space will obviously not want to come back to:

Finding an old-fashioned door key

Connecting to Wi-Fi that works whenever it feels like it

Sleeping on a mattress from 2001 (A Space Odyssey of discomfort)

In time, space tourism could push rentals to:

• Modernise their equipment
• Add automation
• Build in immersive experiences (virtual reality, night-time observatories, and so on)

The bar will be set even higher. Literally.

5⃣ An influence on rental marketing

As space tourism grows, new marketing strategies will emerge, such as:

• Space-themed accommodation
• "Stay + launch viewing" packages
• Immersive VR experiences echoing orbital travel

Even the listing descriptions will become more cosmic:

"Sleep in our cosmic suite with a view of the stars, without ever leaving Earth."

6⃣ New collaborations

Holiday rental owners could strike up partnerships with:

• Space companies
• Specialist agencies
• Training centres

Picture a "night + zero-gravity simulator" package…

There will be plenty to draw in thrill-seekers after a one-of-a-kind experience.

Holiday rentals on the Moon: science fiction or future reality?

Plans for lunar and Martian hotels do exist.

And while we are not yet renting out a studio flat advertised as "Crater view, ideal for watching Earth rise", the research is serious.

In the very long term, holiday rentals could become… interplanetary.

Conclusion: one small step for man, one giant leap for holiday rentals

Space tourism is only just beginning, but the way it develops could profoundly reshape the world of tourism on Earth.

Holiday rentals, for their part, will have to:

• Adapt to new expectations
• Make the most of new tourist flows
• Innovate to offer ever more memorable experiences

An exciting (and slightly futuristic) future awaits us.

And even if we are not all lifting off tomorrow, one thing is certain: space tourism is going to redefine the way we travel… and the way we rent our holidays.