When we travel again
It is a pertinent and relevant question for which, sadly, I have not got an answer. For me, however, the more thought-provoking question is - “HOW will we travel again?”
As I write, whilst there are signs that we are getting on top of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, and there is an easing of the social distancing measures, with more freedom of movement, there is no doubt the virus is still out there, and will continue to have a major impact on our day-to-day lives for some time.
From the earliest days of the virus, the travel industry has taken a lot of blows, with flights, cruises and tours cancelled, hotels closing, and many, many travel and hospitality employees laid off or furloughed. It will certainly be a different travel industry when the ‘bounce back’ begins, and hopefully, most of these services and travel companies will return.
Many airlines will cut their routes and flight frequencies, and there will be a demand for more direct routes. Social distancing will be almost certainly be mandatory, leading to longer queues at check-in and security, and airlines possibly ‘blocking out’ middle seats or limiting numbers on board. And just imagine the evil glares you will get when you sneeze or cough!
Initially, this will lead to a greater demand for holidays closer to home, especially where you can load up the car, or jump on a train, to reach your destination. Although there is currently a lack of capacity, opportunities will open, and once the hotels and holiday camps can operate again, there will be even more. Importantly, domestic holidays tend to have a lighter economic impact on disposable income for the holidaymaker, boosting the desire for a ‘staycation’, with the bonus of stimulating local businesses which have lain dormant for many weeks
Hotels and holiday homes will also need to stress their cleanliness and hygiene practices, and their dedication of their staff and management to look after the guests’ health and safety, as well as their own.
If budgets allow, there will be a craving for more private rented accommodation, rather than big hotels and resorts, with special occasions becoming a focus for large groups of friends and family to plan some time away together. Perhaps we will want to stay in more remote locations, avoiding the previous honeypot resorts and destinations as much as possible. Why not stay in those beautiful country cottages in Cornwall to celebrate your ‘big birthday’? Or, that stunning private 6-bedroom villa in Spain?
Cruise lines have had to cancel most of their 2020 sailings already but have always shown a resilience to pull through any crises, though I envisage less cruise ships on our oceans in the next few years. Hygiene standards on board, already under the spotlight, will need to be even more visible, and there will need to be clear procedures in place should any illnesses break out again. There will also need to be better arrangements with ports visited for any emergency action needed, and the destinations themselves will benefit from lower visitor numbers with safeguards against over tourism. Venice breathes a sigh of relief.
In my opinion, there will be less spontaneous booking of trips, with more thought and time given to researching holiday options, not just in terms of time and cost, but the potential health implications and environmental impacts of the choices made. Caution will be exercised to avoid areas that may have a threat of a fresh virus outbreak, especially if on return you are required to quarantine or self-isolate. Destinations that are currently seen as less affected, like the Caribbean and New Zealand, will become popular choices, if our travel there doesn’t carry an infection risk for that destination. You may therefore need to travel with some sort of proof of immunity as well as your passport
Throughout the ‘lockdown’, we have really missed seeing family and friends, so I see visiting friends and relatives as a big growth area. It will be the domestic market that initially opens, and then Europe, but soon enough, the long-haul routes will start to reopen, and people will want to visit friends and families further afield. I envisage booking lots of well-planned trips to Australia, New Zealand and North America, with people investing more time in planning these trips, making sure they are truly magical, memorable and rewarding.
“Travel” will become a more valued commodity. The appreciation of using the services of a travel agent, such as myself, can only grow. Searching the websites for that bargain deal, grabbing your credit card and simply clicking a button has almost become the norm. This is great until you need some help. Just look at the problems overseas holidaymakers had getting home at the start of the outbreak, when all they had was an online ‘presence’. When things go wrong you need a Travel Counsellor like me in your corner.
I feel in the post-Coronavirus world, a Travel Counsellor’s expertise in planning and providing a personal service, and being a real-life person to assist and reassure you, will be truly valued. In the future, people may travel less but cherish the trips they do make even more than they have in the past and will have a better understanding of the rewards and risks involved. There are many people already booking their future holidays, especially for 2021, and confidence will return and, undoubtedly, we will ALL need a holiday after all this.
I am here to help with existing plans, and new exciting adventures for next year and beyond, and look forward to speaking to you soon.