Will coronavirus change the way we travel forever ?

 

In early April 2020, 96 per cent of the world's destinations were impacted by travel restrictions and other lockdown measures according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In the meantime, the number of flights worldwide has dropped from some 200,000 to 64,000. Busy airports are now ghost places, empty parking lots and mostly blank screens showing arrivals and departures. More than 10 per cent of the global workforce is employed by the tourism industry, from farmers who supply hotels and restaurants with produce to drivers who ferry tourists around between excursions and beyond, millions of people rely on business generated by travelers.

It is too early to know the full nature and impact of these changes, but they will be transformative for the entire planet, and every destination will need to re-create its tourism from the ground up.

Tourism post-Covid and its impact

In 1950 there were 25 million international tourist visits, rising to 166 million in 1970, and 1.5 billion people in 2019.

France was the most visited country in the world last year and welcomed 90 million visitors, almost 70 million of them from other European countries, followed by Spain, US and China.

“Tourism is generally only measured in the number of international arrivals, but we need new indicators and a new set of measures of tourism,” says Paris mayor.

It is probably the right time to admit that in the past there was an "over-tourism" with some negative impacts which include pollution, over-crowding, destruction of cultural icons and antisocial tourist behavior.

Certainly, the most relevant reasons for this “over-tourism" are low-cost air travel, the development of cheap accommodations, the increase in standards of living across the world and the increased in marketing, particularly through the internet and social media.

Much of the tourism industry is built on a financial strategy around a trouble-free future, planning for eternal blue skies with high tourism demand and open borders.

Now, we have the opportunity to stop and think and rebuild a more sustainable tourism system, not only on a political level, but we all have the opportunity to define and the tourism of tomorrow and answer a few questions, such as: Are jobs in tourism decent? What about the quality of life of local residents? How overcrowding tourism impacts local environments and communities?

Tomorrow’s tourism trends

Many operators will understandably be desperate for any kind of tourists to start coming back and it’s not going to be easy to get buy-in, but we can turn the disaster into a better future.

As a response to the need for sustainable and socially innovative tourism, the trend of “slow tourism” is growing, with destinations promoting local tourism. For example, France already leads the way in establishing visitor programs such as the route des chateaux, Alsace à Vélo and la Route des Vins. Slow tourism seems to offer an alternative to both the hurried traveler and to the sun, sand and sea that mass tourism initiated in the 1960s in the Mediterranean. Slow tourism requires acceptance of a slow pace, and greater personal interaction with the locals and their culture. Advocates of this type of tourism promise a more authentic travel experience, a greater consumption of local products, preservation of heritage, use of an ethical vision of tourism, and a deeper concern for the ecology and for the quality of life of locals and visitors alike. In addition, slow tourism in inland rural and urban areas could reinforce the local and autochthonous culture.

The universal grounding of global travelers has already had a positive impact on a planet wracked by the effects of climate change, and when borders do reopen, a more mindful approach to travel will likely be adopted: fewer trips, longer trips, more meaningful trips.

My three predictions for the future

After weeks, possibly months of isolation and self-avoidance, travelers will be hungry for human connection and fun. However, they will think twice before engaging with large groups.

The moment people feel safe and secure in their individual ability to travel again and start to put plans in place for destinations that have always been on their bucket list.

·       The new age will be that people will shift towards exploring on their own guided and private tours. Greater shoulder-season travel, where travellers can still enjoy all that a country can offer without the crowds.

·       Travelers will be more selective, taking in consideration health safety and think more carefully about details in service such as small and private accommodation and intimate experiences where they are able to be outdoors and surrounded by open air to provide an extra level of comfort.

·       Travelers will spend the majority of trips in off-the-beaten path communities and rural countryside will be more of a draw than large cities.

When this is over, more than anything we will have a new appreciation for travel and just how privileged we are to be able to move about this world so freely. Travel is a gift and I am hopeful that this crisis will serve as a reminder for people just how special being able to explore our world can be. 

Above all, travel is an antidote to all this: providing positive, aspirational feelings in the wake of our current confinement.

Coronavirus will not impact the beauty of the World, hotels, restaurants with delicious food and wine, culture, people, and landscapes. Those experiences will be waiting to be enjoyed in the near future.