The Covid-19 pandemic that has led to a major economic crisis all across the world has hit the travel and tourism industry the worst. With lockdowns in place and countries imposing restrictions on both domestic and international travel and a palpable sense of unease and panic amongst the people in general; tourism has come to a standstill. While it has led to considerable loss to businesses, many of which are on the verge of closure, it has also led to a loss of livelihoods for thousands.
As there are efforts underway to develop a vaccine and effective methods of treatments, there is hope that normalcy will be regained soon. Till then, new travel trends are here to stay!
Emerging Trends
International Travel Restrictions are here to linger: To prevent the import of fresh Covid-19 cases, countries will continue to impose restrictions on international travel. Experts also believe that if at all, cross-country travel resumes, it may require countries to produce Covid-free certificates. It is also believed that if evidence suggests that Covid-19 survivors acquire immunity from subsequent infections and transmissions, the worst-hit countries may open up for travel first.
Impetus to Local and Inward Travel: Governments may stimulate the tourism industry through timely bailouts and thrust to local travel, to boost the local economy on priority.
Resurgence of the ‘Staycation’ trend: The popularity of the trend is beginning to peak already! Due to the restrictions and risks involved in long-distance travel, more and more people are opting for staycation packages that require taking a road trip and staying at homestays instead of hotels. As the ‘work from home’ culture and increasing lay-offs are beginning to take a toll, people are scrambling for stress-free nearby getaways for short breaks. Thus, drive-to destinations are beginning to recover.
Growing Importance of Safety and Hygiene: People are now willing to shell out extra bucks for safer and more hygienic stay options and this is a concern that is expected to dominate all travel decisions in the near future.
The travel and tourism sector, we all know, will take a long time to fully recuperate. There’s still a long way to go for a time when the world will fully open up and movement will be smooth and convenient. Till then, we hope to see the above trends contributing to instill some buoyancy in the sector.
Arvind Kumar