The Covid pandemic essentially transformed the way we live, work, socialise, and interact with one another for quite some time. However, one of the things that changed most during and after the pandemic was travel and tourism.
Those people who take out time every year for tailor-made luxury holidays found themselves stuck at home, unable to do anything about travel restrictions. Meanwhile, tourism trends around the world changed for the worse as regular travellers all over the world were unable to avail the luxury adventure experiences they have always been so fond of.
This article will discuss five ways the pandemic has brought changes in tourism trends. By the end, you will have a better understanding of how tourism trends have transformed in a post-pandemic world and how you will need to adapt to them for your next solo or luxury group travel.
1. Sustainability Is Making a Comeback
If there is any single silver lining of the pandemic, it is that consumers all over the world are making sustainability a driving force within their communities. In a post-pandemic world, travellers and tourists are now taking on the role of concerned citizens demanding that the travel industry responds with more responsible policies.
The industry’s response was to take active measures to prioritise health and safety over profit margins. New sustainable practises within the tourism industry include fewer flights, staying at green hotels, and making more effort to recycle waste.
2. Tourism Trends Are More Inclusive
If there was any single global event that had almost as much significance as the COVID pandemic, it was the Black Lives Matter movement. This movement brought the issue of representation and inclusivity to the forefront of the travel and tourism industry.
Although these issues are long overdue, the industry has responded with a move toward meaningful change by working to cater to and celebrate travellers and tourists of colour. Black Travel Alliance is leading the way forward by considering, for the first time ever, questions surrounding the travel experiences of minority BIPOC and LGBTQ people and how they can be made more inclusive.
3. Small Local Communities Play a Bigger Role
The Covid pandemic shed light on the economic struggle that small local communities around the world were forced to confront. As a result, many regular travellers are now choosing to visit these disaffected communities around the world in order to shift the profits made by the tourism industry to the less fortunate among us.
Therefore, travellers are now forgoing tailor-made luxury holidays and focusing on reviving the tourism industry in the relatively lower-income countries outside Europe and North America. As a result, tourism trends are shifting away from mass tourism in wealthy cities and focusing more on communities that actually need it.
4. Road Trips Are Making a Comeback
There was a time, not very long ago, that road trips were the most popular mode of travel and tourism. However, with the increasing availability of cheap flights and accommodations, this form of travel gradually became less common.
Today, in a post-pandemic world, however, road trips are making a well-deserved comeback. Driving across the country or even to another country can be much more exciting than flying in an aeroplane, especially given the stress involved with social distancing protocols. Imagine exploring the scenic landscapes of Southwest America in a car, taking in the beauty of driving across European states, drinking the majestic sights- surely that is an experience you don’t want to miss!
What’s more, road trips are a great way to connect with your loved ones on those long drives. Finally, the ability to make multiple stops along the way during your road trip will allow you to visit many local communities that deserve your money more than already wealthy cities that have experienced a booming tourism industry for decades.
5. Long Breaks
After staying on house arrest for almost two years, people have grown tired of being at home. To revitalise their exhausted selves, they are planning extended vacations.
In the past, a week plus or minus a day or two was the duration of holidays travellers would plan. But now, they want to get longer breaks to make up for the time lost during the pandemic and revitalise their body and soul.
Final Words
The COVID pandemic changed many aspects of our daily lives, from how we work and live, to how we socialise and interact with one another. However, no industry suffered more during the pandemic than the travel and tourism industry.
Nevertheless, today, in a post-pandemic world, tourism trends are not just picking up again; they are changing in several important ways.
As the world continues to adapt in the wake of the pandemic, you too can take advantage of these changing travel trends by getting in touch with SevenTravel and booking your next tailor-made luxury holiday.
