This year sure has been an unusual one. At TravelManor, our team has been hard at work considering all the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic and the way it impacts the travel industry will affect our clientele in future. At the moment, our main focus is on ensuring that every business traveller we assist feels safe and certain of protocol whenever they set foot on a plane or road transfer on behalf of their respective companies.
As such, we’re keeping a close eye on the travel predictions that are currently being made by experts in the field. Here are a few of the most interesting forecasts we have come across:
The time we’ve all spent grounded due to the travel restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired many intrepid adventurers to look beyond ‘obvious’ travel destinations (think London, Paris, Tokyo, etc.) to consider bucket-list destinations that are somewhat off the beaten track (think Llubjana, Reykjavik, Mestia, Corsica). This trend can be ascribed to the fact that people want to explore beyond the reaches of the well-known, but it also has to do with the fact that there are smaller, more dispersed crowds.
Speedy check-ins will also become more prevalent as airports around the globe adopt biometric identification measures. Instead of standing in long queues waiting to be authenticated by means of their identity documents, travellers will simply have their retinas or faces scanned prior to being cleared for boarding.
Cleanliness will remain a big trend, even once the COVID-19 virus is more under control. As such, experts postulate that airlines are likely to develop a ‘hygiene class’ that gives travellers the option of paying more to be seated in an area with added air filters, more stringent sanitation measures, etc.
So-called ‘robot maids’ are likely to become a feature in hotels where accommodation owners want to ensure top-notch housekeeping hygiene at all times without any intrusion to their guests’ privacy.
There you have it - four forecasts that will likely shape the way we travel for business and pleasure in future. Keep an eye on the blog in the coming weeks and months for more expert insight into all things travel. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to a member of the TravelManor team to learn more about our financially efficient corporate travel services - we’re here to ensure that your company enjoys some exceptional ROI whenever you jet off on a business trip.