Covid-19 took the world by storm in 2019, and nothing remained the same. The real meaning of life was unearthed, priorities changed, emotions replaced materialism, and people became more aware of themselves. Amidst this, the meaning of traveling also changed by leaps and bounds. Pre-covid vacations and post-covid vacations became the two distant poles of the earth.
Today, vacations are not even remotely similar to what they had been only 1.5 years back. With the rapid changes tightening their grip on the travel and hospitality industry, we have tried to predict the latest travel and accommodation trends that might stay here for some time.
Explore the latest travel and accommodation trends with us.
Travel will be about experiences
Travelers will look forward to adding more meaning and depth to their vacation, which won’t come with hopping around the popular tourist destinations. To make their vacation meaningful, travelers will select locations wisely, create a meaningful itinerary, and prefer staying at a place that could enrich their vacation. For the latter, they will select vacation rentals for the raw and local experience they offer. All in all, staying at any of the charming apartments in Wellington, FL, will appeal to travelers more than staying at a luxury hotel in Vegas or NYC.
By staying at a vacation rental, people will get a chance to live like a local, shop from the local market, explore local recipes in the kitchen, and mingle with locals.
People will travel close to their home
The outbreak of Covid-19 has instilled fear in the minds of people. With some places safe and some unsafe, people would not want to risk their health by venturing into faraway destinations. They are more likely to select close-to-home locations for their travel.
Domestic or local travel will be the trend this year, and with this, the local economies will get a good boost.
Private spaces will be preferred
Due to the pandemic, which is still looming, people will prefer private stays. Instead of opting for hotels and resorts that house many people at a time, travelers will look for places that are safe and offer them privacy.
Large vacation rental properties will score high with families, while small but luxurious apartments will welcome small families or groups of friends traveling together.
Longer stays will be the flavor of the season
Again, the lockdown factor will come into play here. As people have already spent months in their homes, they desperately need a break. They won’t shy away from booking longer stays for a change of scenery and much-needed peace of mind.
Another factor that contributes to it is that with no restriction of working from the office, people can now stay anywhere and work. So, they won’t mind a week-long vacation or even more if they have the opportunity to work from there.
As most vacation rentals offer high-speed internet connection, privacy, and calm needed to work, they are sure to magnetize the crowd.
Seasonal travel is passé
Gone are the days when travelers would plan their trip based on the season. Ever since the pandemic set its foot and forced people to stay locked inside their homes, they are now yearning to get out of their homes. No doubt, this year, the vacation plans won’t depend on the off-season or peak season.
It would be safe to say that for this year, and maybe for the coming year, the only time travelers will consider the season will be while packing their bags for vacation.
The bottom line
Pandemic has brought a great deal of change in traveling habits of people. While lockdown and travel restrictions brought major change, the change in people’s outlook also has a part to play.
These trends are expected to fuel this change.
