For this list, we’re looking at what’s on the horizon for the travel industry.
Top 10 greater customization and personalization platitudes
Generic packages and blanket policies don’t make anyone feel safe or cared for, though it might be cost effective. The one size fits all approach simply doesn’t work in the travel industry anymore. This was a shift in consumer priorities that was already being felt in the travel industry before the pandemic, with travelers increasingly prioritizing unique experiences and more personalized service from smaller providers. The rise of boutique hotels. Is just one such example. If you work in the travel industry, expect to be hearing the terms UI and UX even more than you already have. More importantly though, it’s going to be about creating versatile business models that can satisfy an infinite number of individual wants, needs and concerns specific to the traveler. For those of us booking trips this evolve or die moment within the industry could translate greater travel freedom than ever before.
9 Unprecedented cleanliness of facilities.
When the pandemic struck, Germaphobia went global and with very very good reason. But even before concerns about COVID-19 took hold, there were plenty of people who felt preoccupied with questions of sanitation when traveling. If you’ve ever been unlucky enough to catch a bug while abroad, you know all too well how miserable it can be. Being sick is never fun, but it’s downright madding to fall ill when you’re trying to get your moneys worth in another country. Traveling cheap and you want to make the most of every second. Given the nature of business, airports are essentially one giant high touch surface moving forward. However, there is likely to be far more rigorous cleaning protocols in all spaces touched by the travel industry. Theoretically, this should translate to less illness when traveling
8 Eight, more personal space
If you flown since March of 2020, you and your fellow passengers may have found yourself with an empty seat next to you, depending on the airline, as any frequent flyer will tell you that elbow room. Has long been a rare perk in the competitive world of passenger air travel. The every second seat policy was implemented to facilitate social distancing on airplanes. Even with vaccines in the works, however, industry insiders are predicting that this could become common practice for the foreseeable future, especially given the resurgence is that have been reported around the world. Some airplane manufacturers are even changing the way they designed their aircraft to create greater distance between passengers, including dividers and rear facing seats.
7 Change that benefits
The environment the pandemic has had a very complicated relationship with the environment. On the one hand, people staying at home has temporarily reduced the use of fossil fuels, animals and plant life have also had the chance to recover and reclaim certain spaces as a result of less foot traffic. On the other hand, people have been setting new records for home delivery and plastic bags came back with a vengeance. Then there’s all the personal protection equipment, or PPE going into landfills. All that being said, concerns about high touch surfaces and social distancing will likely mean less waste within the realm of hospitality and transportation. All those in flight magazines, pillows, blankets, headphones and random amenities will likely be dropped. We know that such conveniences are nice, but they add up to a lot of trash, so we’re going to call this one a win.
6 Even more steps will be done online
Many industry insiders have predicted that travel is about to get a lot more inconvenient and stay that way. The general consensus seems to be that with additional health screenings, you’ll be spending more time than ever waiting in lines when you travel. True health screenings will add time, but radical systematic changes often inspire similarly radical innovation. A few decades ago, the concept of advanced check in for flights sounded like something from science fiction today. It’s standard practice. The reality is social distancing dictates that we not spend hours waiting in lines. As such, it seems equally probable that airlines and airports will prioritize having people do as many of the preflight steps as possible on their personal devices to diminish contact. We take a nap over a public touch screen or long line any day.
5 Widespread consideration for personal hygiene.
Are you the sort of person who’s grossed out by bodily fluids and functions? You are not alone. It’s one thing when your kid or significant other has a runny nose. But when it’s the guy behind you in the grocery store, it’s a different story altogether. Well based on current trends and in general the paranoia surrounding transmission of illness, people are more self conscious of their actions than ever. Spitting on the street coughing or sneezing without covering your mouth, wiping your nose with your hand. These once minor infractions are now viewed far more harshly in public, and while you yourself might now have low grade anxiety about sneezing. Online we think the trade off is worthwhile. Travel is far more pleasant when everyone is courteous and practices good communal hygiene, and that seems to be the rule nowadays. #4 easier access to less visited destinations. We’re not sure about you, but the most popular and high traffic destinations in the world are no longer at the top of our bucket list. Over the last few years there has been a major trend developing under tourism in response to the overwhelming.
4 Tourists descending
Destinations like Barcelona, Venice, Paris, Santorini and Dubrovnik. Savvy travelers have been intentionally venturing off the beaten path, while the pandemic has only helped push this trend further into the mainstream, and it’s only natural that the travel industry will respond accordingly. Historically, travelling to an unpopular destination has often been expensive and required a fair amount of heavy lifting on the part of the traveller due to a lack of available resources. While any trip governed by the principles of under tourism demands. More planning businesses and travel agents are pivoting to help satisfy this growing demand.
3 Futuretech, why should
You be excited about the future of travel? The answer is right there in the question. The future. Not only do we expect the travel industry to be better prepared for managing epidemics and health scares after COVID-19, but the experience has also hastened the arrival of the next generation of travel technology, need drives, innovation, and the pandemic of 2020 has made us all too aware of the needs of modern travel. For starters, COVID provided an opportunity for VR technology. To reach a broader audience and refine its alternative travel offerings, we fully expect this to evolve into a marketing tool to preview potential travel destinations. Furthermore, touchless technology like phones serving as room keys is set to become the new norm. The goal is for you to be able to interact with the world of travel using only the devices you already own as well as voice and motion controls.
2. The travel industry
Will have to do better as much as we’re itching to go back. Out there and continue exploring the world. That’s not going to happen until businesses within the industry make us feel safe and taken care of. Fear requires incentive to be overcome and all the new inconveniences of travel in the post COVID era will necessitate new perks and benefits to balance the scales of the overall experience. Industry insiders have made it clear that in order for the industry to recover high risk, big ticket bookings like flights and lodgings will need to offer greater flexibility in terms of refunds and cancellations. Insurance companies will similarly need to offer cancel anytime options after leaving so many customers to foot the bill. When the pandemic struck. New policies such as these will certainly make for a welcome change. There are many ways companies can do better, but they all strike a balance of value and safety that goes beyond simply offering the cheapest price.
1 A renewed appreciation for travel
One traveling mindset is often the difference between a good, great or terrible trip, regardless of whatever obstacles. Or inconveniences you face, it’s the way you react to them that determines the outcome. Do you remember your first trip? Chances are you were incredibly nervous and managed to get a whole bunch of things wrong. But we also suspect that it was one of the most formative experiences of your life. The more you travel, the more you might take it for granted, and the travel industry largely came to a screeching halt in early 2020. We’ve had plenty of time to remember what life was like before we traveled. Something tells us that travelers are going to feel deeply grateful. Take trips in the future and that mentality is sure to carry us further and to greater experiences than ever before.
