A Journey Into The Future of Travel

Industries are continually disrupted by new trends and new innovations, and 2020 saw more than its fair share of these. As COVID-19 continues to set the backdrop, the travel industry has had to keep pace and cater to the new priorities of consumers.

As we enter a new age of travel with countries slowly re-opening their borders, travellers are itching to return to the skies and get away from the same four walls that they have been confined to for so long. 

The evolving travel protocols and needs of consumers will keep the travel industry on its toes. Read on for more insights into what businesses are doing to stay competitive...

Member-based Services

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous with exclusive destinations and private planes are not new to the world, and high-end travel clubs are in demand. Luxury travel clubs like Manifest and Inspirato offer their members curated escapades for small groups and help book private travel and hotels for a vacation in splendour. 

The membership travel model offers peace of mind by bringing in ambassadors who act as your own private travel agent. These ambassadors help manage the pain points that may now come up when traveling, from dinner reservations to leaving your holiday early due to an outbreak or medical emergency. They help to ease the burden of planning and uncertainty with safety at the forefront.

Private travel has boomed in comparison to other forms of travel in light of the pandemic. While these providers come with a high price tag, travelers who can afford this luxury buy into the exclusivity and safety at an influx. 

Multigenerational Travel

In Asia, travelling with the family, including grandparents and children, has become more prevalent than it was pre-COVID. With international travel taking a backseat, more families are looking for ways to spend more time together after having their social circles shrink due to lockdowns – making multigenerational vacations more compelling. 

Spending months only socialising with immediate family members will naturally lead to wanting to travel together. While international travel may not be feasible for many multigenerational travelers, hopping into a car, van or bus and having a family gathering at a domestic destination has become increasingly in demand. 

Destinations will need to shift their focus and ensure that they cater to multigenerational needs. For example, Accela client Desaru Coast in Malaysia offers something for everyone with the region’s largest waterpark, globally renowned hotels and resorts, championship golf courses and more; they provide unrivaled experiences for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Incentivised Travel

Many countries are working on ways to reignite their tourism industry which has led to countries paying travelers to take a break in their destination and even offering pandemic insurance coverage.

Emirates became the first airline to cover COVID-19 expenses and quarantine costs. Others have quickly followed suit, with Air Canada and WestJet also launching free COVID-19 travel insurance. WestJet will provide this coverage until 31 August, 2021. Virgin Atlantic is offering complimentary COVID-19 global insurance cover for all customers until 31 March 2021.

Another Accela client, Finns Bali, recently launched Bali’s most prominent tourism campaign to invite visitors ‘Back to Bali’. The initiative offered guests an experience voucher of USD 1,050 for the price of USD 350. The voucher can be spent on food & beverage, accommodation, travel and more, and all guests needed to do was put in a down payment of USD 69 to lock in their voucher. Finns Bali shared that guests only needed to pay the balance of the total price of USD 350 over three years to offer flexibility.

The variety of offerings by airlines, hotels and tourism boards all help to reinvigorate tourism and are aimed at both domestic and international travelers. 

With international travel slowly returning, brands and businesses are working on new innovative ideas to offer a safe escape to future guests. Whether it is architecture, memberships or curated offerings, the travel industry will remain on its toes and continue to create experiences that guests can look forward to.

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