I would like to share with you the latest travel predictions of booking.com for the coming period. This is the annual Travel Predictions global campaign, which this year has evolved into the Future of Travel. The campaign uses global research from more than 20,000 respondents from 28 countries and territories alongside Booking.com insights to uncover the top travel trends for 2021 and beyond, particularly through the lens of the legacy and unprecedented impact that Coronavirus will have on the travel industry.
The nine predictions are:
1. WANDERMUST
Amidst new waves of travel hiatuses, restrictions and continued uncertainty, our innate human desire to travel has not been dampened. During recent lockdowns two-thirds (65%) of travelers reported being excited about traveling again, while 61% indicated they are more appreciative of travel and will likewise not take it for granted in the future
2. VITAL VALUE
The financial legacy of Coronavirus will inevitably see people demand more bang for their buck in the future. 62% of travelers will be more price conscious when it comes to searching and planning a trip in the future and 55% are more likely to hunt down promotions and savings, behaviors that we predict will last years.
3. FAMILIARISTS NOT TOURISTS
When it comes to local travel, 43% plan to explore a new destination within their home region/country and 46% will take the time to appreciate the natural beauty of their home country, while – locally or not, half (50%) intend to travel somewhere they’ve already been previously for its familiarity.
4. SEARCH ESCAPISM
Our appetite to consume travel content, get creative with our travel plans and share our travel dreams with each other will continue to grow exponentially over the coming year. Seeking comfort and distraction during weeks in lock-down, the overwhelming majority (95%) of travelers spent time looking for vacation inspiration, with over a third (38%) looking at potential travel destinations as often as once a week.
5. SAFETY CLEANS UP
Global travelers (79%) will take more precautions due to Coronavirus and will look to the travel industry to help them gear up for this new normal. 70% will only book a particular accommodation if it’s clear what health and hygiene policies it has in place, with three quarters (75%) favoring accommodations that have antibacterial and sanitizing products. Short-term there will also be a change in transport preference and provisions, with almost half (46%) opting to avoid public transport for fear of contracting Coronavirus.
6. IMPACT AWAKENING
With over half (53%) of global travelers wanting to travel more sustainably in the future, we expect to see a more eco-conscious mindset in 2021 and beyond, as Coronavirus has amped people’s awareness about their impact on the environment and local communities.
7. BYE BYE 9 TO 5
Working remotely has irreversibly entered the mainstream during the pandemic with the knock-on effect that people will look to take longer trips in the future that more effectively combine work and pleasure than ever before. No longer confined to five days a week in an office and desperate for a change of scene from Working From Home (WFH), we’ll see a significant rise in the “Workcation”, with travelers looking to extend their vacation experience in new locales by staying an extra week or two to work remotely – or conversely factoring holiday around a stint of remote working. Expect laptops to become even more of a mainstay in luggage than ever before, and an attractive spot on which to rest them a must-have when choosing where to stay.
8. SIMPLE PLEASURES
As we learn to live with the consequences of the pandemic in 2021 and beyond, travelers will be keen to embrace a new and stripped-back way of experiencing the world. So much time spent in our own homes with our loved ones has given birth to adjusted travel priorities and a desire to enjoy more of our natural resources.
9. SPONTECHNAITY
Tech innovation will play a crucial role in rebuilding traveler confidence and we will see the accelerated use of tech to adapt to a new type of traveler. Tech will help us regain the spontaneity, confidence and ease of times past, while at the same time help people travel safely and responsibly.
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