Travel has been a passion for a large swathe of people who seek new experiences and a break from mundane lives. The COVID 19 pandemic has brought a lot of thoughts in focus about the way humankind vacations. Tourists and the hospitality industry, both are waking up to the menace of over-tourism. The supposedly virgin destinations are hyped to attract tourists by the drove. You reach your dream destination only to find it brimming with uncaring tourists. A real let-down, but you have no way out!
What has the pandemic done for hospitality?
The hospitality industry has faced a rude awakening. The hotels are empty, and many cruise ships are stranded at sea. International and domestic flights are non-operational and staring at massive hemorrhaging losses. Sounds dismal? Have heart!
The pandemic has taught the world that it is here to stay. Tourism has to find a way out of this crisis with innovation and safety protocols. The adventurous traveler will find his way back to vacationing, albeit in a safer way. The environment breathes a sigh of relief as the beaches are cleaner, water bodies are sparkling with health, the air is fresher, and you can see mountain peaks that were earlier shrouded with smog. Heritage sites are breathing a sigh of relief by the absence of crowds of uncaring people, camera flashes, and other pollutants.
Hospitality has learned a bitter lesson. The number of games has to give way to responsible vacationing. Oversold destinations will now become the haven of fewer but more aware tourists. Larger hotel chains are reopening with safety protocols in place. The aviation industry plans fewer flights with adequate sanitizing and lower passenger counts. You are looking at travel with PPE suits and no in-flight services. Hotels will likely open with no restaurant services, frequent sanitizing, and temperature testing for guests and staff.
How will travel become environment friendly?
Travel has an opportunity to become nature friendly. Responsible vacationing in sustainable ways with the baby steps that the industry needs to take to create an ambiance that is conducive to travel post the pandemic.
Road Trips will gain popularity
Road trips will probably become more popular. So, fit your car/SUV with roof racks to accommodate the essentials that you will pack for your journey into the countryside or remote camping site. The new normal will be road trips to vacation destinations that can be reached by car without taking too many halts in between.
Minimalistic holidays will be the way forward. The average tourist will be more in sync with vacations in the lap of nature in spots that are closer to home. Road trips are fun!
Travel Restrictions in the aviation sector
The low footfall or rather no footfall in the aviation sector has changed the long term outlook in the aviation industry. Bottom lines are being reworked. Many old aircraft have been eased out of fleets sooner than was on the anvil. This will lead to the induction of new aircraft with a lower carbon footprint sooner than expected.
Expect clearer skies, fewer flights, and social distancing norms practiced in-flight. A positive repercussion that we might see is shorter queues at airports and less congestion in the airspace.
Hotel and Cruise Line restrictions in the travel industry
Hotels will be cleaner and more thoroughly sanitized. Look out for a more pleasant stay with more privacy. Quality holidays may be the norm in the post-Corona virus pandemic.
Cruises will take more time to come back in favor. The recent spate of negative news may make the larger than life cruise line downsize the number of travelers on every cruise.
You may have to wait for a little while the industry recovers in totality. Wait a few months before you plan to take your dream cruise.
Destinations will change, and new vacation hot spots will emerge.
The destinations you crave to visit will have to remain a part of your bucket list for a few months. Tourism will see a sea change. People will take a cautious approach, but it is truly up to the travel industry to wake up to the changes in the traveler’s psyche.
Less will be more. The hospitality space will see a paradigm shift from the trend of community spaces that have defined vacationing in the past. People will be more amenable to personal socializing than social gatherings. Room service will probably gain more importance than the buffet spread.
Final Thoughts
There is no crisis that the world has not survived. Humans are not wired to live in isolation. The future is grim but not unsalvageable. Hotel design and sanitization will become the key to reviving the demand in the sector. The challenge will be to keep the safety norms in place. It’s a long haul, but the silver lining to this dark cloud is already visible. There are more searches online about places and hotels that are safe.
The pandemic will be beaten by your need to travel and see the world, albeit safely! The players that will understand the intrinsic need that humans have for self- preservation will be the winners in the long run.
Amelia cooper is a full-time content marketing specialist. She has been closely following the Travel industry trends for quite some time. She has dabbled in various domains before the Travel industry But currently focused on Travel roof racks. OnHer off days, She likes to spend her time at the nearest animal shelter, lift weights or be nose deep in a novel.