The sector hardest-hit by the COVID pandemic – travel and tourism – is at last poised for a comeback, thanks to a confluence of political will and the painstaking, steady vaccination of the global population. The passage of the US$1.9 trillion stimulus plan proposed by the Biden Administration contains billions of dollars in direct and indirect support for the industry – where 100 million workers globally have lost their jobs. The U.S. plan dovetails with tourism rescue plans in other nations including a major initiative offered by the World Travel & Tourism Council. Serious discussions and early steps towards opening up abound.
Contributed by Gerald “Jerry” Inzerillo, CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Riyadh, vice chairman, Forbes Travel Guide
With Italy announcing a move to open its borders to international tourists in June, talk of travel bubbles being set up in Australia, New Zealand and a few European countries, and massive new heritage tourism attractions like those planned in Saudi Arabia moving full-steam ahead, we’re hopefully looking at a resurgence of international travel in late 2021. In the U.S., major attractions such as California’s Disneyland have announced reopening plans with new ticketing and safety guidelines.
Despite the familiar comforts that travel provides to so many, let’s not expect a return to normalcy. Like it has for many other sectors, COVID-19 has and will continue to redefine travel worldwide. As we slowly take the first steps towards recovery, let’s take a look at what to expect in the future, both in the short and long term.
According to a recent survey conducted by The Vacationer, only 12.5% of respondent felt comfortable with immediate international travel. A survey by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) found that 60% of people questioned would wait for two months before booking flights after the coronavirus is contained, 40% said they would wait for at least six months. As a result, we can expect a major gain in domestic travel and the rapid development of local tourist destinations and experiences, particular outdoors. In the U.S. the Biden Administration’ support for state and local governments means more museums, parks, and other local attractions will welcome guests, at levels that will easily eclipse pre-COVID levels.
While that comes as good news, we must not forget the utter devastation the pandemic leaves in its wake: in addition to the millions of unemployed workers, many hotels have defaulted and shuttered, important infrastructure maintenance has been deferred, and airlines and transport companies have gone bankrupt across the globe. It will take time to get domestic travel markets to full capacity.
As more and more countries ease travel restrictions and open borders, business travel will resume – most likely at much lower level than pre-COVID, as work continues it shift online. COVID has changed how we live and work. It has accelerated existing trends in economy and society, such as use of technology and telework. Zoom calls and telework means not only less time in offices, it means less business travel.
But at the end of the day, you can’t shake hands over Zoom. You cannot soak in a hot spring through a Netflix documentary. You cannot put your toes in the Red Sea or smell the tulips in Holland or run your hands across an ancient adobe city in Saudi Arabia through an iPad. The pandemic may change some behaviors, but it cannot change our DNA. The human encounter and thirst for exploration are part of who we are.
This is not to say we are predetermined to get back on airplanes and go to theme parks. Caution is also hardwired into us. To protect safety-conscious visitors and workers, expect new rules ahead, such as mask requirements, social distancing, and limited access.
We are navigating unchartered waters together, and as the pandemic continues to recede, we will adjust, adapt, and find a new “new” normal. Only one thing is certain, and that is that the people at the front lines of hospitality – the innkeepers, valets, guides, doormen, and attendants of the world – can’t wait to meet us.