Change is coming and has arrived and will make it so that things will never again be business as usual due to Covid-19. Whether you are on the side that says this is statistically far less deadly than flu, or the side that says everyone needs to be vaccinated before we can return to normal life, travel as we know it has forever changed. People’s habits are changing and this will affect airlines, hotels, travel and entertainment companies of all types. In a Reuters/IPSOS opinion poll it was found that fewer than half of Americans plan to go to sports events, concerts, movies, and amusement parks when they re-open to the public until there is a proven C-19 vaccine. Of course, there is then the problem that a successful vaccine has never actually been created for humans, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the quick production of a vaccine as it will have to go through extensive human trials. This is the challenge for travel-related businesses in the short term, seeing as even when businesses open back up, demand has fallen sharply, and even those who are yearning to travel will likely do so differently.
There are many theory facts flying around about what travel will look like going forward, but Brian Chesky, co-founder of Airbnb gave his outlook and we believe it deserves a look for both the business person and travel enthusiasts. According to him, travel will bounce back stronger, but it will take more time and will look very different than before. He coined the term “travel re-distribution”, predicting:
1. A decline in business travel
2. An Increase in local travel
3. Affordability is key
4. An increase in remote working will redefine WFH (Work from home) as to where “home “ is.
Essentially, it is a race to see who can successfully predict and fulfill consumer demand, and the traveler will set the precedent. To all of you travel enthusiasts, will you change your methods of travel, or will you return to life as usual? Will you wait for a vaccine, and only then go on with life as if nothing happened? Do you agree with Brian Chesky’s forecast of travel re-distribution? We look forward to your comments and feedback during these unprecedented times to know whether your sense of adventure will still keep you going to all corners of the globe or not. Stay tuned for more travel updates, and exotic places coming soon!
