(4min read) 2020 was a year of major change that saw the travel, tourism and hospitality industry alter for the foreseeable future. We have a listed a few of the most significant travel trends that shaped 2020 below, from social distancing to the rise in the popularity of the ‘staycation’. In addition to our thoughts on potential travel predictions for the year ahead. 

Staycations

Confined to the safety of their homes, people sought creative yet safe ways to spend quality time with their close friends and family. Staycations have become increasingly popular over the pandemic.  

Combined with minimal required travel, low on holiday planning time, cost and carbon footprint, staycations came to be the perfect solution for travelers of all generations. 

Wellness Travel

The past few months compelled a lot of people to slow down and focus on their own health and wellbeing. The future of travel remains increasingly focused on experiences that positively impact overall wellness.  

There was a rising trend of traveler’s embarking on wellness retreats that allowed them to reconnect with nature, indulge in curated wellness menus and rejuvenate their body and mind. 

Staying Outdoors

Outdoor spaces have more room for social distancing without too many constraints leading to more than 70% of nature camps, hiking trails, adventure sports, national parks and beaches having reopened around the world.  

While only 30% of nature parks & wildlife reserves have decided to reduce the visitor capacity, over 70% of museums & aquariums have limited the number of visitors allowed to visit the attractions. 

Cleanliness

With increased scrutiny on cleanliness due to COVID-19, search data cites that 45% of travelers included enhanced cleaning within their top three decision-making factors. This will likely lead to an increase in health and safety measures from vacation rental managers and owners alike. 

The UK tourism organisation VisitBritain has stated that they expect a small increase in inbound tourism during the early part of the year, although still at a very low level, followed by a recovery in the second quarter of the calendar year if restrictions start to ease, and then a gradual increase throughout the rest of the year. However, by the end of 2021 they do not expect inbound tourism to be back to, or even close to, normal levels. 

Whilst other news media outlets are predicting that travelers will likely need to and should be prepared to show proof of their vaccinations. It’s likely that international travelers or those traveling to attend certain business or special events will need to have their records available in order to fly or enter certain venues. With many people opting to take road trips instead to escape to socially distanced destinations such as outdoor resorts, due to the combination of ease and safety of travelling from the comfort of your own vehicle. 

With the Horus-I app, you can have peace of mind as you go about your daily activities, as well as providing added reassurance. Our app aims to help education establishments to resolve the travel challenges surrounding the safety of their students and staff, helping them mitigate risk, provide live time information and assist in an emergency.

Download the Horus-I app from either the App Store or Android Play Store depending on your device.

Access to the app is granted via the Horus Control Centre or by the reseller who will issue the users login credentials.

Contact the team at info@horus-global.co.uk to discuss how the Horus-I app can improve your travel security.