Pandemic will change the travel and tourism industry, not by going back to what it was but adjusting with the changing world.
The travel and tourism industry thrives on profits incurred from people leaving their houses. The lockdown that resulted from this unforeseen pandemic of a colossal magnitude caused a deep wound on the industry that has not recovered. Industries across the world are toppling and have taken a hit, and travel and tourism are no exceptions to this.
The COVID-19 pandemic has inherently brought travel to a standstill. However, countries worldwide are re-opening their borders to allow travelers and visitors to enter despite the risks. But, how will travel change in the post-coronavirus world? What changes can be expected in the short and long-term? Let’s explore a few possibilities.
Here Is What We Expect To Be The Future Of Travel:
Apart from the fact that people will be seen with half of their faces visible, these are the changes one can expect
Local Tourism Will Boom And People Will Gravitate Towards Local Destinations
People are going to be anxious about traveling to foreign countries. Domestic travel will be a boost for the local tourism industry. People will switch to traveling to nearby places because of the fear of being exposed to the virus in a foreign country. Shorter trips to reach a nearby destination that can be covered by driving in private cars will be preferred so that the classic road trips will make a comeback.
Cleanliness And Hygiene Will Be Everyone’s Priority
This pandemic has reminded everyone how important it is to stay hygienic. Tourism industries have to reevaluate health and hygiene strategies and provide a safe space for consumers. The hotels and the transportation industries are also implementing better sanitation practices to ensure cleanliness. Accommodation choice is also going to change as people prefer places with less crowded and better cleanliness standards.
People Will Be More Concerned About Health
To maintain stronger immunity, people will switch to healthy eating habits and focus on physical well-being. With everyone changing their lifestyle, preference will be given to more sustainable practices. This BBC Travel article points out the importance of sustainability post coronavirus.
Relocation Will Increase Home Rentals Demand
People will look for small rentals that are located centrally so that public means of transportation can be avoided to travel from one place to another. On the other hand, people will choose secluded home rentals when they plan to visit for a longer duration. The bliss and comfort of working from home without having to be physically present in the office will encourage people to combine work with the pleasure of traveling. Consider these tips if you think about remote-work trips.
Flight Ticket Prices Might Go Up
Social distancing gets tricky on an airplane because the seats cannot be moved and placed far away. They are now busy grappling with the problem of reconfiguring the seating arrangement to give more room to the customers. The only feasible and sensible way to do that is by blocking off some of the seats, most likely middle seats. However, to balance the seats’ limitation, the prices of tickets might go up; otherwise, airplane companies will incur high losses.
Local Crafts And Street Food Vendors Might Suffer
The primary source of earning of individual small enterprises and local businesses located at tourist destinations might suffer huge losses. More than locals, their primary source of income is from tourists visiting these places. Less income leaves a massive impact on their livelihood as these people depend on the daily revenue for their living. It will also affect their health because less money means a low standard of living and weaker immunity.
Contact-Free Technology Will Be The Top Priority
The most feared thing in recent times has been human to human contact. To avoid coming in contact with each other, people of all sectors are implementing conscious safety practices. Technology will turn out to be a game-changer in this because it will prioritize health and safety and make people more comfortable. Hotels are trying to change their room keys into digital keys that will enable you to open/lock your room with your cell phones. Abundant sanitizers, reminders about distancing, lobbies with more spaces, and less interaction with hotel staff is what people can expect.
Technological Advancements
In Airports and every other place, biometrics will be a widely accepted solution for identity verification. The use of biometrics will become widespread as the hand scanner, and fingerprint scanner process will phase out. More touchless alternatives will be used, such as iris and face recognition, voice recognition, which will reduce the risk of coming in close contact with each other to a greater extent.
Conclusion
It will take a prodigious amount of time for travelers to feel secure about traveling abroad. Nobody knows how long the duration will be. However, we should remain hopeful that the enthusiasm for getting back on the road and exploring the world will come back once again.
