What Is Crypto Tourism?
Crypto tourism is a form of tourism that caters to cryptocurrency enthusiasts by offering packaged travel tours that can either be paid for with digital currency or offer lectures or classes about cryptocurrency as part of the tour.
Key Takeaways
- Crypto tourism gained traction in 2017 and continued until the COVID-19 pandemic shut all forms of travel and tourism down.
- Some countries, like New Zealand and the Bahamas, advertise their use of cryptocurrency in their marketing to tourists.
- The cryptocurrency market is unregulated as of October 2024.
- Using bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can make it easier to pay for trips and avoid high ATM fees, currency conversion fees, and protect against monetary theft while abroad.
- Crypto tourism is a special kind of tourism dedicated to travel programming that caters to crypto enthusiasts and investors, and often, both.
Understanding Crypto Tourism
Several tourism companies launched special, dedicated travel programs to cater to the needs of crypto and blockchain enthusiasts in 2018–2019. Most such travel programs include cruises, which offer a host of amenities dedicated to cryptocurrency participants.
For instance, Blockchain Cruises, organized by the tourism arm of the Edinburgh, Scotland-based crypto wallet provider CoinsBank, held four big crypto tourism cruises. Their most recent was in Europe in 2019. The cruise trip spanned five days and sailed in the Mediterranean. Approximately 2,500 participants attended. Then the travel industry, crypto tourism included, ground to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other forms of crypto tourism are simply travelers who use cryptocurrency to pay for their vacations. For example, before the pandemic hit, some tourist companies in Queensland, New Zealand, harnessed cryptocurrency to offer travel programs where tourists could use digital coins to experience the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
In addition, countries like Grenada, Cyprus, and the Bahamas are all friendly toward tourists wanting to pay with digital money. The Bahamas was among the first countries to roll out its digital currency, called the Sand Dollar, in October 2020.
Who Uses Crypto Tourism?
The apparent target clients for such tours are the crypto-rich and famous. Still, plenty of regular folks interested in cryptocurrency may embark on a crypto tourism adventure or use cryptocurrency to pay for their holidays.
Beyond the usual fun and sightseeing activities, crypto tours and cruises include conferences, exhibitions, and panel talks on cryptocurrency-related matters. The events have included prominent speakers who are considered industry stalwarts in the cryptocurrency and blockchain domain. For instance, the 2019 CoinsBank cruise hosted the crypto token proponent John McAfee, CoinsBank co-founder Vitaly Andrusevich, and noted investor and bitcoin cash supporter Roger Ver.
In the past, a few such crypto tours were organized for specific purposes, like the promotion of a promising initial coin offering (ICO). The programs included conferences, presentations, and market talks by promoters, industry leaders, and the like and aimed at audiences looking to make significant investments in cryptocurrency offerings.
As more countries open their borders to travelers, Americans are planning to continue to use digital coins. Travala.com reports that 80% of users on its site are paying for their travel with crypto.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Crypto Tourism
When digital currency is allowed to be used to pay for holidays, it offers a new way for tourists to pay for their vacations. For would-be crypto investors, a tour geared toward learning about digital currency may be helpful by teaching travelers how to invest and navigate the crypto market.
In addition, while the pool of participants in crypto tourism is small, it may grow in the future. Blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin, is making inroads into the travel industry.
However, a few red flags are being raised about crypto tours and crypto tourism in general. With the cryptocurrency market already operating in a not-so-clear, unregulated manner globally, crypto tours are often accused of solely being used as a promotional medium to pitch ICOs and insignificant offerings to participants. It is also a small market for tourists, as most of the general public is not using digital currency, and investing in digital coins may be a limited group.
Digital currency offers tourists more ways to pay for things
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Crypto tourism programs offer opportunities to learn more about investing in digital money
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Opportunities to meet with crypto experts during travel programs
The crypto market is unregulated as of 2024
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Crypto tourism may be used as a marketing tool
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Crypto tourism isn’t a very large market in the travel industry
Example of Crypto Tourism
The COVID-19 pandemic put crypto and other forms of tourism on hold. As the industry rebounds, there may be events in the future like the 2019 CoinsBank cruise, which hosted the crypto token proponent John McAfee, CoinsBank co-founder Vitaly Andrusevich, and noted investor and bitcoin cash supporter Roger Ver. The cruise on Oasis by the Seas by Royal Caribbean began in Barcelona and ended in Rome.
And even while the high volatility in cryptocurrencies has raised concerns among investors, the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry continues to have its fans. In fact, a report from Travala.com, the “world’s leading cryptocurrency-friendly online travel agency (OTA),” found an increased desire from tourists to use cryptocurrencies to pay for their vacations.
How Is Crypto Used in Tourism?
There are a couple of ways that crypto is used in tourism. It is used as a form of currency to pay for things like hotels, meals, and even airfare in some cases. Cryptocurrency is also used as a theme in tourist programs, such as a cruise offering expert lectures and classes given by digital currency experts.
What Is a Crypto Tourism Cruise?
A crypto tourism cruise offers passengers access to lectures and workshops held by blockchain and digital currency experts. An example is the CBDC Cruise, scheduled for Nov. 16, 2024, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
What Is Blockchain Tourism?
There isn’t “blockchain tourism,” but blockchain is used in the tourist and travel industry. Blockchain is a database often used in the cryptocurrency market. The blockchain holds the data in blocks and chains them together. Blockchain enables cryptocurrency to occur, and this technology is impacting the travel industry by providing secure methods of payment and helping with managing multiple vendors and platforms.
The Bottom Line
Pre-pandemic, there was a lot of buzz around the promising blockchain technology and the numerous crypto tourism offerings, but not all businesses and initiatives are successful. Crypto tourism programs are an emerging trend that attempts to serve as a platform for bringing together like-minded participants and promoting selected offerings. However, as countries begin to woo tourists back, cryptocurrency may continue to be an option for paying for a holiday.
While such dedicated programs offer an opportunity to build a network among the still-nascent crypto community, the participants should practice due diligence before making their next big investments in the specialized sector.
Investing in cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICOs) is highly risky and speculative. This article is not a recommendation by Investopedia or the writer to invest in cryptocurrencies or ICOs. Since each individual’s situation is unique, a qualified professional should always be consulted before making any financial decisions. Investopedia makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein. As of the dates this article was written (June 29, 2018) and previously revised (July 23, 2021), the authors own no cryptocurrencies.
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