Sydney: India and China will be the new global players competing for a huge chunk of tourists, transforming the geopolitical landscape. The US, though a key factor, will have less influence, according to a study.

Changing consumer tastes and environmental concerns will drive global tourism in 2020, according to researchers from University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australian School of Business (ASB) and other universities.

The group, led by Larry Dwyer from the ASB, have uncovered a series of mega-trends in consumer sentiment and values, political and economic factors and IT growth, which, it says, will shape the future of global tourism.

By 2020 global citizens can expect to live in a liberalised and privatised world, characterised by more democracy, higher trade and investment and changing consumer tastes fuelling a booming niche tourism services industry, for retired and single people.

New Internet technologies will act as agents for greater consumer power and threats of terrorism will be more decentralised, says the report.

"Tourism stakeholders have the opportunity to strategically fashion the future to their needs, and in doing so, plan economically sound tourism initiatives that promote cultural and environmental sustainability," said Dwyer.