Why coronavirus will change tourism forever: 4 post-pandemic travel trends to watch out for
Travellers’ aversion to mass tourism and cookie-cutter travel experiences will compel the industry to move towards more sustainable, compassionate and mindful operating systems after the Covid-19 pandemic
In these unprecedented times when entire countries are shutting down and large-scale social distancing is rampant, the ways in which we operate and connect with one another and the world around us have changed.
Nowhere is this more apparent than when looking at the current state of the world’s travel and tourism industries. Granted, these sectors are mostly on a forced hiatus because of the restrictions on movement and border closures. Once the worst of the pandemic is behind us, however, these measures will ultimately ease.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean things will revert exactly to how they were in pre-coronavirus days. While it’s impossible to predict with complete certainty what the future may bring, the following trends are likely to shape the ways people engage with travel around the world.
1. #StayAtHome some more
The impact of the coronavirus crisis extends well beyond concerns for humanity’s physical health. Its aftermath is already having and will continue to have severe economic implications, leaving many travellers strapped for cash, unable to afford the epic international adventures of pre-pandemic epochs.
However, people will still want to travel. While personal budgets may tighten, the desire to get out and explore will only ramp up, especially after thrill-seekers and adventure junkies are released from lockdown.
As such, many travel-lovers will look closer to home for more wallet-friendly, wanderlust-busting excursions. Expect more people touring around their home countries, supporting local economies and exploring their own cities.