Travel trends come and go, but after the tourism industry came to a halt due to COVID-19, every avid traveler is looking forward to what 2021 could offer.
Nonetheless, even with the global rollout of vaccines, travel will look different from before the pandemic. Increased health awareness, governmental regulations, and life-long COVID-19 impacts will forever change how the tourism industry operates.
So without further ado, let’s dive in and know more about what’s in store for tourism this 2021.
#1 Social Distant Travel
Though a recent Amadeus survey suggests that avid travelers this year wanted to go all out on their vacation plans, most travelers are aware that they should opt for travel destinations that are easier to maintain social distancing practices.
In a pre-pandemic era, exploring crowded cities, wandering through busy markets, and enjoying dinners at local night hotspots are possible. Unfortunately, these exciting and invigorating experiences only incite fear for health and safety.
As the travel industry slowly resumes operation this year, tour companies need to be more creative in making their itineraries. Public forms of transportations and crowded tourist attractions should be avoided. This means travel itineraries for 2021 might focus more on growing niches such as ATV tours, biking, and bird tours.
At most, any tours which involve lesser contact with others are preferable.
#2 Change in Market Popularity
In line with social distant travels, countries or regions that have successfully controlled the virus might be the next popular destinations. Travelers would want to relax and unwind in a location where they would feel safe.
How the initial outbreak was handled and what precautionary measures are in place says a lot about how vacationers would be safe in the place.
Sadly though, this would mean that once-popular hot-spots might disappear. Lack of tourism in the area due to the coronavirus outbreak might cause resorts and other business establishments to close down.
#3 Change in Transportation Expectations
It is not only travel destinations that are going to change this year. How people travel to those destinations will also be different. Airplane ticket prices are no longer the sole driving force for travelers’ choice of airline and the company’s hygiene standards. Details like seat occupation spacing and compulsory mask-wearing are crucial.
For domestic travels, many people prefer private transportation modes or upgrade to business classes to avoid crowds and stay safe.
Like their food, travelers are now keener in knowing more of how their preferred airline is implementing COVID-19 regulations and the likes.
Pleasure flights are also becoming a thing for those who miss being on a plane. These “flights to nowhere,” which started in the Asia-Pacific region, are a growing trend. Rather than leave aircrafts unused on the Tarmac, airlines are welcoming passengers for sightseeing flights.
#4 Less Group Tours
During the pre-pandemic era, group travel is a great option if you want to save money while meeting new people during your travel.
But with the recent COVID-19 crisis, traveling in groups is highly unattainable. When you travel with strangers, you widen your social bubble, making yourself at risk of catching the deadly virus.
Several tour operators and travel agents specializing in group tours now offer free independent travelers (FIT) packages instead. Notwithstanding, there are still those that continue to offer group travels for those groups that regularly interact with each other.
#5 Reunion Travels
With people stuck at home and unable to travel for most of 2020, many are keen on reuniting with friends and family soon this year. While this might not be difficult to pull off for an in-country destination, it can be for international travel as many details are involved.
But vaccination rollouts give us hope that out-of-the-country leisure travel would somehow be attainable soon this year.
#6 New Appreciation for Conservation & Sustainability
This pandemic brought a renewed appreciation for conservation and sustainability among travelers. Though good and bad travel impacts have been widely discussed pre-pandemic, the travel industry and its consumers are allowed to understand deeply how we move around this planet impacts the environment.
The travel industry will emphasize how travelers could lessen their carbon footprints and positively impact their travel destination.
#7 Nomadic Travel
Millennials have greatly been espousing this nomadic lifestyle. Thanks to COVID-19, it has been strongly proven that remote work is possible for almost every job. This means workers will opt to be working out of the office more than ever.
Experts anticipated a rise in leisure travels. As long as you have a good internet connection and a reliable laptop, you can do your job anywhere in the world.
So, what 2021 travel trends are you excited about? Let us know.
