Reach Out and Touch Someone 2.0

‘60s visionary, Marshall McLuhan spoke of “high tech, high touch.” He predicted a search for meaning, a yearning for community, and a desire for deeper relationships to balance rapid technological change. We see this all around us today. Whether due to our global society, recession, unemployment, telecommuting, today’s 24/7 digital work life, or maybe even that infamous 50% divorce rate, all these forces combine to create a renewed desire to reconnect and share. Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, Match and its endless dating permutations facilitate just that. Via these social media, friends and strangers alike share information, experiences and bond around common interests like never before.

The social media side of travel is big business. InterContinental Hotels Group recently unveiled its “social hub” concept for Holiday Inns. This redesign combines bar, food, beverage, and lounge into one space. Livelier settings appeal to lonely business travelers eager to mingle. One of the newest Facebook apps is  Find a Flight Buddy, linking compatible travelers aloft. The heart of New York’s Ace Hotel beats in its lobby, where long reading-room tables lit by cozy brass lamps, create an inviting atmosphere that’s ripe for conversation. Food will always be a social catalyst, with communal tables, food halls, farmers markets, bar dining and Yelp meet-ups all playing a role. Destinations are linking travelers with local residents – people with stories to tell, or passions and expertise – in the locaphile movement. Travelers may dine with locals in Holland or families in Italy, visit with monks in Thailand, or party with club kids in Reykjavik.

Designers with a touch for tapping social psychology face increasing demands for their service, as more and more brands seek out forms that foster social interaction. Already, a limited edition dining table created to bring people together is on the market: “Phantom,” designed exclusively for stilwerk by GRAFT architects.

For more trends to watch in 2011, please read latest Luxury Travel and Lifestyle Trends 2011 newsletter.