Travel’s Come Back Story: 6 Trends for 2021

Will travel go “back to normal”?

Maybe not, but the good news is that it could be better than ever. We have all been given an opportunity to maybe do things a little differently.

We all know that our desire to explore the world, see new places, experience new cultures and, for some of us, get off the beaten path is still burning strong. So as vaccines get rolled out across the globe and we begin to actually plan our future adventures, maybe this is our chance to re-think and reinvent the way we travel?…….

Here are some positive trends that we are seeing already:

1: Bigger & Better Holidays

Months of lockdown and restricted travel has given us all the time to dream, plan and potentially save more than ever before for our next big trip. 2021 and 2022 are the years that we can hopefully start to tick off some of those bucket list items, which I personally prefer to call a “live life to the full list”.

People are planning to stay longer, go further and make their trips really count. Whether it is going on safari, sailing around deserted Islands, climbing a mountain, seeing the Northern (or Southern) lights, or doing that road trip you have wanted to do for years, or something else entirely?? Now is the time to make the most of our travel liberties as soon as we can.

2: Responsible Sustainable Travel

Many travellers are becoming more conscious about how they travel and thinking more about their footprint with each journey. Not only their carbon footprint, but also their impact on the destination they visit, the local communities and fragile ecosystems. We have probably all seen the photos of famous landmarks and destinations which have finally had the chance to breathe and regenerate during the absence of mass tourism.

In Venice for example, officials are using the pause to re-think their whole system with an emphasis of keeping sustainability and quality tourism at the core. This would be an amazing benefit and huge silver
lining to the year that was 2020, offer an improved tourist experience and of course be much better for our planet. I believe we will see many such initiatives to get excited about going forwards. Stay tuned!

3: The Rise of the Digital Nomads

Even before COVID-19 there was a trend towards remote working and the pandemic has simply accelerated this. In 2021 and beyond, it is predicted that we will see a rise in people swapping home offices for a more
exotic beach or mountain view! Barbados was one of the first to give this opportunity with their “digital nomad visa” which offered the chance to work from paradise for a year. Bermuda, Anguilla, Georgia, Dubai, and Estonia followed suit and Aruba and Croatia are next. In Portugal, some resorts are offering a reduced rate for long-term stays aimed at families who want to relocate and the next couple of years look set to redefine what it
means to travel for work.

4: The Return of Travel Agents

The rise of online booking engines from the mid 90s had a big impact on the industry. Many people turned their backs on traditional ways of booking and started to book their holidays themselves. However, some people did
not realize the risks that can come from this and the challenges many people have had getting these self-booked plans refunded or rescheduled amid the pandemic, is bringing a change in the way travel agents are perceived. Indeed, if you have ever had to hang onto a call centre, for hours, trying to change a trip, cancel a holiday, or fight for a refund, you probably already understand some of the reasons why having a personal travel agent by your side is so much better. The future is definitely Travel Agents!

5: Wilderness Seeking

This is probably quite obvious, but with social distancing now being part of our everyday language, nature breaks and wilderness trips are becoming more and more popular. Travellers are looking for wide-open spaces, tranquil settings and the opportunity to get out and about in the great outdoors. After multiple lockdowns there is a strong desire to immerse ourselves in nature as much as possible.

6: Flexibility

With constant changes in rules and regulations for travel and a mind boggling amount of new information on a daily basis, we are seeing that an absolute necessity for people to feel comfortable booking their future trips is to have full flexibility. Something that was previously seen as nice to have but mostly considered unnecessary, is these days seen as a must. The travel industry has of course responded with initiatives such as “Book & Relax” guarantees, giving customers the peace of mind of knowing that they can change or cancel their plans if necessary.

Are you planning to be part of this new, improved, re-invented travel industry? I for one can’t wait to get back out there and see how we can, in the words of G Adventures, one of our amazing travel providers “Change the world just by having the time of our lives!”

 

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