With few facets of our lives and world unchanged by the unparalleled impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel too will be forever re-shaped by this extraordinary moment in time.
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 traveling 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,” she added.
Highlights of the study:
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Safety Cleans Up: 77%of Indian travellers will only book a particular accommodation if it’s clear what health and hygiene policies it has in place.
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Wandermust: 63%of Indian travellers indicated they are more appreciative of travel and will likewise not take it for granted in the future.
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Vital Value: 70% of Indian travellers will be more price conscious when it comes to searching and planning a trip in the future.
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Familiarists not tourists: 52%of Indian travellers still plan to travel within their own country in the medium term (7-12 months’ time), with 41% planning to do so in the longer term (in over a year’s time).
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Bye Bye 9 to 5: 68%of Indian travellers have already considered booking somewhere to stay in order to work from a different destination.
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Impact Awakening: 70% of Indian travellers are wanting to travel more sustainably in the future.
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Spontechnaity: Technology will be important in controlling health risks when traveling as agreed by 79% of Indian travellers.
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Search Escapism: Seeking comfort and distraction during weeks in lock-down, 94% of Indian travellers spent time looking for vacation inspiration.
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Simple Pleasures: 68%of Indian travellers will seek out more rural, off-the-beaten-track experiences to immerse themselves into the outdoors.
