It’s no accident that I became a travel writer. Travel has always been my passion. So, I’ve been watching with anticipation this year to see how a global pandemic will affect future travel trends.
Like everything, travel has evolved over time. Technology especially has made its mark. People now have the option of booking their trips online as opposed to using a travel agent, emails have replaced postcards and travellers’ cheques have become obsolete.
Over the last decade, travel tourism has also significantly grown. But this travel boom isn’t all positive. It has resulted in over tourism in certain destinations, increased cost of living and crowding for locals, and problems with pollution. Air travel has also been implicated as a culprit in climate change.
Despite the steady increase in the travel industry, it hasn’t been impervious to short-term setbacks from disasters like terrorist attacks, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. And then along came COVID-19.
To be clear, COVID-19 isn’t the first health crisis that has affected travel. The MERS, Ebola and Zika viruses all caused concerns over the last 10 years. But the effects of COVID-19 have been the most global and dramatic. To get a sense of the future of travel, post-pandemic, I asked four BC tour operator experts to weigh in.
Most tour companies are seeing new bookings coming in for fall 2020. With “staying local” being encouraged, people are using the opportunity to get out and explore the beauty of BC.
“In the short-term, I think we’ll see a reduction in international travel and a focus on more regional trips,” says David Rose, general manager for Mile Zero Tours. “We are seeing a lot of demand for our tours to Tofino and the Okanagan. I think as BC seems to have handled the pandemic well, these types of trips are seen as safe and a lot of people are itching to get out.”
Teresa Marshall, co-owner of Pitmar Tours, says that now is one of the best times to book travel for 2021.
“Many of the suppliers are offering amazing deals to get their businesses back up and running,” says Marshall. “There are new cancellation incentives to entice you to travel with peace of mind, so if COVID-19 hits a second wave, you are protected.”
Before you travel, you will want to learn what regulations are in place for flying, cruising or coaching. Many airlines are now requiring that you wear a mask for the entire flight, which will change in-flight service.
“Short-haul flights will likely have water-only service, and boxed meals for longer flights. Some of the airlines have also given up their prime positions at various airports along with the frequency of some flights to cut costs,” says Marshall.
At least in the short-term, coach travel will have a different feel. Drivers will be wearing masks, and probably guests, too. There will be hand sanitizers on board, as well as frequent disinfecting during the day. Buses will be at half capacity giving passengers more comfort and protection.
Tour companies, like Ageless Adventures, are working with every component of their tours (coach lines, trains, airlines, hotels, restaurants, etc.) to ensure health and safety.
“We have discussed what each company’s protocols will be and have worked with them to tweak their protocols to suit our tour group,” says Melinda Burns, owner and operator.
Cruise lines are stepping up their cleaning protocols and having to re-invent the cruising experience.
“For those that have future cruise credits, you will not be disappointed with the offerings: free gratuities, free drinks, free excursions and on-board credits are yours for the taking,” adds Marshall.
“But all of these perks will come at a price,” she continues. “The days of ‘cheap’ travel are gone. Some suppliers will not be returning and have closed their doors. If you booked with a BC registered travel agent, your money is protected. Some credit cards will have protected you, as well.”
Due to the pandemic, insurance companies have paid out millions, and premiums for future travel will likely increase. Some insurance policies have frozen the premium price if you did not cancel the policy when you accepted a future travel credit instead of the refund.
“That is going to be a big issue now,” says Gery Valtiner, owner/program director with Special Travel International. “Will insurance companies come up with an insurance package that is sort of affordable and allows people to get most of their money back? If there is no security for travellers, then they will not be willing to commit their monies a year in advance to a tour. In that case, how will operators/specialty operators be able to plan projects for two years down the line?”
Since short-notice lockdowns and quarantines can’t be predicted, Valtiner warns that tours based on special events, like concerts that only happen at a specific time, can be affected.
As for the long-term future of travel, some operators, like Burns, believe travel will go back to normal in a year or two, with new cleanliness protocols permanently in place.
“Health checks for international travel (and possibly all air travel) could be here to stay,” says Rose. “With air fares likely to increase substantially and new additional checks at airports, I think less air travel and longer trips will be the popular trend.”
Valtiner agrees there is no doubt travel will return, the question remains, “in what format?”
“It will be 100 per cent crucial to see what airlines, hotels, etc. will implement in terms of rules/procedures to make people feel safe and confident, and how these suppliers will be able to sustain themselves and still make money. As a traveller, I would not want to spend three hours every day in line-ups from breakfast to bathrooms to all kinds of sites – I would rather not travel… or pick places off the beaten path.”
Valtiner is unsure of how people 65 and older will be impacted.
“They want to travel because many know there will be a time when they are physically not able to do certain tours anymore,” he says. “On the other hand, they are also the most fragile in terms of health and the extra stress of having to stand in lines, etc., so I am sure they will change their travel habits, stay away from packed cities, mega events and maybe cultural travel.”
COVID-19 has forever changed travel as we know it in the short-term – and in future ways that are still difficult to predict. But with a large portion of the world population relying on the tourism industry for their living, and the benefits to humankind of being able to experience new and different sights, sounds, cultures and people, I truly hope it’s possible to piece this important industry back together in a sustainable way.
Time will tell.
For more info on these tour operators, visit their websites:
Ageless Adventures: agelessadventures.com
Mile Zero Tours: milezerotours.com
Pitmar Tours: pitmartours.com
Special Travel International: sticanada.com
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