Spring, summer, and fall travel with a global pandemic unfolding, the usual business travel, family vacations, sun-drenched beach getaways, road trips, and extended voyages to far-flung destinations like Europe and Asia experiences might look a little different this year. The trend has been to go for road trips and staycations instead.
Coronavirus outbreaks continue to flare up around the world, international travel restrictions remain in place, and over half of the world’s airplanes are still grounded. Many families and business travelers are also feeling a financial sting due to the economic downturn. And folks who had already made plans have likely been forced to cancel them.
With that in mind, we don’t know exactly what travel will look like in the future, but one thing is certain: You can expect change. Some countries and U.S. states have already begun relaxing their stay-at-home orders, while others are extending their lockdowns by several weeks. So, lots of people have been enjoying staycations. Meanwhile, airlines continue to cut flight schedules and most international travel remains prohibited.
In order for anyone to consider traveling again, though, they have to feel comfortable first. To that end, the U.S. Travel Association published new hygiene guidelines formulated by medical professionals to help companies meet the public’s health needs as they consider “travel in the new normal.”
Regardless of the type of trips travelers end up booking, sanitation will be on the top of their minds. Cleanliness, hygiene, and health will be the “holy trinity” for travel decision-making.
Travel companies, including hotels and airlines, will do everything possible to implement and publicize new sanitation efforts. Many travel brands already seem to be putting these policies into practice. Many airlines like Delta and American are limiting the number of passengers on flights in an attempt to create more social distance between people on board.
When it comes to lodging, short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO could outperform hotels in the near-term as travelers attempt to avoid interactions with strangers. However, hotels will tout new cleaning practices to their advantage. The bigger hotel brands that are able to advertise their new hygienic and socially distancing measures will outperform all other hotels. New practices such as promoting mobile check-in, discouraging groups in public areas and even advertising low occupancy rates as a guarantee that guests will have more space to move about hopefully will encourage occupancy rates.
We predict that people will largely look to visit domestic and drivable destinations because of new health and economic concerns. We’ll see more three- and four-day trips because of finances, work pressures, safety concerns, and changing school schedules. Even if that goes smoothly, international trips still might not be on the horizon for a while.
Wide-open-space and wellness destinations have been very popular. Given how long folks have been cooped up in their homes, many travelers will gravitate toward the great outdoors. The U.S. National Park Service is already bracing for an unprecedented influx of visitors this summer, and quickly implementing new safety measures.
The good news is when it comes to flying airlines will maintain their current flexible change policies and fee waivers, as well as offer attractive fares to woo passengers back onto planes. Airlines will likely apply more flexible restrictions to fares that allow at least one change to reservations so that passengers can purchase with a little more confidence and reassurance around changing flights.
2020 travel is shaping up to be a very different year indeed. Voyagers and road warriors who do decide to take a trip will have to contend with major concerns surrounding finances and health, even as airlines, hotels, and destinations adjust to the new normal with heightened sanitation standards.
The most important thing, however, will be to keep yourself and those around you healthy and to plan to travel when you are comfortable doing so based on your own personal concerns.
By Aram Gesar
