As international travel resumes after the COVID-19 crisis, new research shows young professionals, local families, and backpackers will be among the first to book trips abroad. Service sector advisor Sentimantle analyzed more than three dozen tourism recovery cases from prior epidemics in addition to customer behaviors and risk perceptions. Reports suggested these groups possess the demographic characteristics, motivations, and psychological properties to resume international travel before most.
Sentimantle’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Elad Harison said, “Young professionals are expected to travel mostly to business and financial capitals with current low rates of COVID-19 infections. For example, Copenhagen and Oslo are relatively safe destinations for business travels, while New York, London, Paris, Milan, and Madrid have significantly higher numbers of cases, which may prevent executives and business persons from traveling to them—or companies sending them to these cities—in the next few months.”
Families are looking for weekend getaways says research
Families with young children are looking for shorter weekend getaways to nearby destinations that they’re more familiar with. These local families are likely to leave additional family members or friends behind, avoid group tours, and opt for accommodations convenient to parks, nature, and other open-air sites and attractions.
Backpackers are likely to travel for longer periods on a budget
Backpackers, who tend to be young, single, and often male, are motivated to travel for work. They would also spend several months away from home during periods of unemployment or hiatus. This group is likely to target discounted mid-range hotels or hostels to stretch their budget, as they might travel for longer periods.
While not everyone will resume travel at once, there’s reason to be optimistic about 2020. Half of the frequent travelers are “beginning to make definitive vacation plans for this year”, according to a recent Travel Leaders Network survey.
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