How will future travel be after the lockdown?
While you are sitting at home, all locked up in your house waiting for this pandemic to get over! You might also be wondering if it will ever be back to normal. Even though it’s very early to say, but here are few things what one might expect the future of travel after lockdown:
At the Airport
Blood tests and sanitisers before the flight might sound extreme but these will surely be the common sight at all major airports in London, UK and even other parts of the world. While the airports have already started introducing safety measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, which might even sound familiar to you!
These will include:
- Maintaining a safe distance of at least one or two metres at all times.
- Using hand sanitisers at all entries and exits across airport terminals.
- Also, washing your hands for 20 seconds before and after the screening process.
- Or maybe going through a full body-disinfectant device like they are doing at the Hong Kong International Airport.
- You will have electronic check-in kiosks to avoid interactions and meeting with anyone.
- Awareness posters and hoardings will be things for future travel.
All in all, it is going to take a bit longer to board your flight at the airport. Social distancing has and will become the new norm in our everyday lives.
On the plane
Unlike the pre-pandemic days, you will have your flight attendants wearing masks and gloves! All you would get to see are those smiling eyes. There will be proper cleaning and sanitation procedures when you leave your tray table, seat rest and safety belt.
There are high chances that you might also see people in full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) on the aisle seats. You won’t have people anymore sharing your armrests anymore. Middle seats will be kept empty to maintain social distancing.
At your destination
Miss going to the beaches? Oh, those lovely forest walks! How about going for a historical tour? All these things right now seem so far fetched, right! But as the future of travel looks like, you might be sitting at one of your favourite beaches in Italy between a tall sheet of glass that separates you from the other sunbathers.
We are serious. According to reports, they are seriously considering this as an idea to promote tourism in the country. In your favourite beach holiday destinations like the Mediterranean, it doesn’t look like that the pools will open soon! Hotels all around the world are stocking up on hand sanitizer and promoting a la carte menus that will replace buffets
What is the future of International Travel post lockdown?
Your idea of an overseas holiday looks a little bleak right now. People are less likely to travel internationally. Ship cruises, ski holidays and long-haul flights will be replaced by domestic staycations at least till 2020.
It is definite that the new normal way of travelling will loo nothing like before – from how we book, where and why we travel, seat selection, airlines that we book to our onboard experiences at the airport. The travel will definitely open up but there are definite chances of a change where health checks and travel insurance can become the new normal.
The popularity of the destinations you travel to will spend on the lockdown. For example, you might not be able to go to Barbados for some months and may be able to get to Montego Bay!
The fact is that domestic travel – staycations, national parks and beaches near home will see a surge in demand.
What will be the cost of travel?
At the moment, if you book holidays and flights for the future, they are available at a bargain price because remember supply and demand theory! So, in the future, after lockdown, when the travel eases after the lockdown, the cost of travel like airlines, and hotels can increase.
We could also see a shift of people booking flights & holidays more with the travel agents than the OTAs for the sheer advantage of the security, customer service and ease of booking. When you book with travel agents there is certainly ease of dealing with issues if things go majorly wrong again.
Increase in Family Holidays & Business Travel
The future of travel after lockdown holds a special place for family holidays and business travel. On one hand, where there will be an increase in multi-generational trips be it domestic or international, business travel will also see a surge to make up for the loss they have incurred in the past.
