Tourism during COVID-19: Five-stage recovery outlined

Tourism during COVID-19: Five-stage recovery outlined
Tourism during COVID-19: Five-stage recovery outlined

The findings of a multi-month study that analyzed consumer travel sentiment and first party behavioral data related to the ongoing pandemic, were released today. The report outlines a five-stage recovery for the travel and hospitality industry, inclusive of the period of decline created by the pandemic through the anticipated market recovery and the return of international travel.

The research paper, entitled “Beyond COVID-19: The Road to Recovery for the Travel Industry,” explored and identified where the tourism and hospitality industry is on this road to recovery as well as 1) outlined the significant pent up demand that exists in the marketplace for travel and dining, 2) detailed the change in travel and dining behaviors resulting from the ongoing pandemic and 3) illustrated recent online search and traffic patterns on travel sites globally related to the crisis.

A snapshot of some key findings:

  • New Zealand, Germany and Switzerland among first markets to enter the Emerge stage, with restaurant searches re-surging strongly
  • Consumer desire to travel remains resilient – around two in five (41%) consumers are optimistic that they will take the same or more trips than last year
  • Shorter trips to destinations closer to home are a recurring theme, with nearly half (44%) of consumers saying they are more likely to take a road trip, and two thirds (61%) saying they are most comfortable taking a road trip for 3-5 days
  • Consumers are 218% more likely to want to take a trip where they can relax compared to before the pandemic, and nearly two thirds (59%) would prefer to go somewhere off the beaten path
  • Nature and beach destinations on the rise with spike in North American traffic researching Campgrounds, Ranches and Beach Motels, while Myrtle Beach, San Diego and Key West are among the most popular domestic U.S. destination searches in recent weeks

 

The five stages to recovery

Five distinct stages of tourism impact and recovery were outlined by the researchers:

  1. Declineย – Travel declines sharply as widespread restrictions enforced
  2. Plateauย – Sharp decline in bookings levels out, but travelers start dreaming their next trip
  3. Emergeย – Easing of travel restrictions begins, early signs of recovery in dining sector
  4. Domestic Travelย – Travelers book their first trips away, but stay close to home
  5. International Travelย – Border restrictions ease, and international travel begins to rebound

#rebuildingtravel

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Chief Assignment Editor

Chief Assignment editor is Oleg Siziakov

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