Digital travel leader Booking.com has combined research from more than 20,000 travellers across 28 countries and territories, including India, with insights from proprietary search, data as well as over 20 years of travel expertise to reveal nine for the ‘Future of Travel’ – in the coming year and beyond.
With 71% of Indian travellers responding that they won’t be comfortable travelling until a Coronavirus vaccine or treatment is in place, it may be a long time before we experience the world as freely as we did previously, but the industry will continue to adapt at pace, satiating our appetite to travel whenever it’s safe to do so.
Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives at Booking.com said: “2020 has been a year like no other and while it will be some time before travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, all signs point to the fundamental and enduring role that travel plays in all our lives and the joy and inspiration it brings to people during times of uncertainty. Enhancing our understanding of one another and our common desire to explore beyond the horizon, I believe that travel has a unique potential to come back stronger than ever in the years ahead as a primary driver of growth, equality and prosperity for people everywhere. In the meantime, with our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, we will be there for our customers offering the widest choice, great value and the easiest experience from anywhere and on any device so travellers can enjoy all of the unforgettable experiences this world has to offer.”
Here are the 9 predictions by Booking.com that will shape future of travel:
- Safety Cleans up: In the future, 86% of Indian travellers will take more precautions due to Coronavirus and will look to the travel industry to help them gear up for this new normal. 71% will avoid certain destinations and 78% expect tourist attractions to adapt to allow for social distancing. In parallel, 77% will only book a particular accommodation if it’s clear what health and hygiene policies it has in place, with three quarters (79%) favouring accommodations that have antibacterial and sanitising products. 78% of Indian travellers will accept traveling to destinations that have health spot checks on arrival and 81% will accept wearing a mask in public.
- Wandermust: Time at home has made people crave the world outside more than ever. During recent lockdowns, two-thirds (63%) of Indian travellers reported being excited about travelling again while 63% indicated they are more appreciative of travel and will likewise not take it for granted in the future 65% Indian travellers are wanting to travel more in the future to make up for time lost in 2020. What’s more, over 50% intend to plan a trip to make up for a celebration missed such as milestone birthday or wedding anniversary due to Coronavirus while 54% intend to rebook a trip they had to cancel.
- Vital Value: Travellers will be scrutinising spend in 2021, with 70% of Indian travellers indicating they will be more price-conscious when it comes to searching and planning a future trip. In addition, 64% are more likely to hunt down promotions and savings, behaviours that we predict will last years. The value consumers expect will go beyond price tags with 77% of Indian travellers stating they want travel booking platforms to increase their transparency about cancellation policies, refund processes and trip insurance options. The focus on flexibility will also remain at the forefront, with 38% of travellers considering refundable accommodation a must-have for their next trip as do 36% when it comes to the flexibility to change dates without being charged.
- Familiarists not Tourists: Domestic trips will continue to dominate the travel space, with 52% of Indian travellers planning to travel within their own country in the medium term (7-12 months) and 41% planning to do so in the longer term (in over a year’s time). When it comes to local travel, 49% plan to explore a new destination within their home region/country and 50% will take the time to appreciate the natural beauty of their home country. 57% intend to travel somewhere – locally or not – they’ve already been previously for its familiarity.
- Bye Bye 9 to 5: Working remotely has irreversibly entered the mainstream during the pandemic with the knock-on effect that more people will look to take longer trips in the future that effectively combine work and pleasure than ever before. 68% of Indian travellers have already considered booking somewhere to stay in order to work from a different destination, while 63% would be willing to quarantine if they could work remotely. Almost two-thirds (63%) of Indian travellers say that they would take the opportunity to extend any business trips to also enjoy leisure time at the destination.
- Impact Awakening: Travellers will have a more eco-conscious mindset next year and beyond, with 70% of Indian travellers wanting to travel more sustainability in the future. As a result, 78% expect the travel industry to offer more sustainable travel options, and travellers will consequently visit alternative destinations in a bid to avoid travelling during peak season (54%) and overcrowding (49%). Additionally, the impact of Coronavirus has inspired 55% of Indian travellers to consider reducing waste and/or recycling their plastic when traveling once all travel restrictions are lifted, showing that people are not just committed to protecting themselves, but also the places they visit.
- Spontechnaity: Tech innovation will play a crucial role in rebuilding traveller confidence, and we will see the accelerated use of tech to adapt to a new type of traveller. Already, 79% of Indian travellers agree that technology will be important in controlling health risks when travelling and 81% say that accommodations will need to use the latest technologies to make travellers feel safe. More than half (58%) will want tech options to make last-minute restaurant reservations and 63% will want more self-service machines instead of ticket desks.
- Search Escapism: Seeking comfort and distraction during weeks in lockdown, the majority (94%) of Indian travellers spent time looking for vacation inspiration, with 56% looking at potential travel destinations as often as once a week. Social media is not the only source of inspiration for Indian travellers when day-dreaming about their next trip, with 49% also opting to have a good old-fashioned chat with friends and family to spark their travel creativity. In addition, 46% of Indian travellers feel nostalgic looking through old photographs from previous vacations to help them decide on a future trip, recognizing that analog inspiration will also have a recognizable resurgence on our social media feeds.
- Simple Pleasures : 75% of Indian travellers will look to appreciate more simple experiences such as spending time outdoors or with the family while on vacation. 68% will seek out more rural, off-the-beaten-track experiences to immerse themselves in the outdoors. Considering the renewed emphasis on privacy, sufficient space and personal control over cleanliness and hygiene, we will see travellers look for accommodation ‘closer to home’ with 62% preferring to stay in a vacation home or apartment. 68% will opt to eat in more as opposed to eating out at restaurants. Relaxing trips will also be high on the travel agenda in the ‘new normal’, with 47% of saying it was their preferred type of trip followed by beach breaks (30%) and city trips (25%).
