The The new kinship economy: from travel experiences to travel relationships report was compiled by hotel giant Intercontinental Hotels and The Futures Company.

It identifies groups of 'new global explorers', travellers from high-growth countries such as China and India. Members of the group are likely to follow well-trodden paths, want to visit all the must-see sights and are high-spenders

The report highlights that Asian travellers are expected to account for one third of the world's travel spend by 2020.

According to the report, there will also be a likely increase in city breaks to as yet 'unknown' cities that few people have yet heard of, or cities that haven't even been built.

Some 400 largely unknown midsize cities in emerging markets - predominantly China and India - are to generate 40 per cent of global economic growth over the next decade and beyond.

Other emerging categories of travellers identified in the report include:

• Evolving families, who represent the changing shape of the family traveller today. At one end of the spectrum the industry is seeing multi-generational families taking over whole floors in hotels whereas at the other end of the scale, the growth of the single person household is driving the need for stimulating independent travel.

• Laptop and latte workers, a new breed of business traveller. Often young, they prefer creative coffeehouse-style environments where they can be inspired by meeting other travellers while they work on their own laptops and smart phones

• Expansive mid-lifers, the growing numbers of adventurous over 50s travellers - currently and for the first time the fastest growing and most affluent age group.

To download the full report in PDF form,
click here for the IHG website