Being skeptical doesn’t necessarily mean being a pessimist.
In the face of an unknown future for the travel industry, it means to doubt
certain “certainties” everyone believes in and to set out to find your truth.
One day (no one knows exactly when), the danger of coronavirus will have passed, and the world will open up to
international travel again. The thoughts (and hopes) for this day, have led
many experts and industry leaders to try to predict what this day will be like.
Most of them sound pretty much the same.
After reading some of these predictions, I
called an
internal discussion in my company.
Will things really have to change? Do we
believe everything will be different?
After hearing opinions from my staff that went
against all common predictions, I’ve decided to go and ask others for their
thoughts.
But (and that’s a big but) I’ve decided not to ask industry leaders
alone. I wanted to hear from the people who are the basis of the travel
industry - travelers themselves.
It was important to hear from these travelers
too, as I noticed that industry leaders sometimes all tend to think the same,
which is not necessarily a good thing.
So, we asked hundreds of travelers about
how this new reality would change their travel routines, preferences and
expectations. We asked them open-ended questions, as it was more important to
hear thoughts rather than to have a statistical analysis.
There were three standout insights that came
up following the answers we heard. Though I can’t say they will surely happen,
I most definitely think that they can show how we’re preparing for the day
after COVID-19, by not taking predictions for granted.
For some, everything will stay
the same
When we asked travelers, “How do you think your
travel routine will change?” We didn’t expect to hear “It won’t.” But we did. A
lot. It appears that customers from countries that dealt successfully with
COVID-19 anticipate that it will not change
their travel routine.
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And when you think about it, that might make
sense. After all, countries such as Singapore, Argentina, New Zealand and
Israel didn’t experience the epidemic in the same way as countries that
suffered high death tolls. So, their citizens don’t carry the same fear or
concerns as those who live in Spain, Italy or New York.
From the answers we received, these countries may
become a driving power that will start up the travel industry again when all
this is over. This suggests that travel brands may want to focus on these
countries as specific points of sale.
It may also turn out that these countries will
become a favorite travel destination, as we received large amounts of answers
from travelers that the results of COVID-19 on a country have an effect on the
probability of travelers visiting that destination - regardless of the country
of origin of the travelers. We saw many U.S. travelers state that they would
still be likely to travel to “countries less infected” or “places that are low
risk.”
Regardless of travelers’ origin or destination,
we discovered another audience that things might stay the same for. There are
many Gen-Y and Gen-Z consumers who didn’t experience the full impact of
COVID-19 and are eager to claim their freedom of movement back as soon as
possible.
These young travelers saw (and will continue
seeing) coronavirus as an “elderly person’s” disease that doesn’t affect them.
This perception was bluntly expressed with both “Corona Parties” and “Corona Challenges” on TikTok.
Off-season as the new
in-season
Brands who are able to adapt themselves to the
requirements of the new traveler will have higher chances to successfully
overcome this current crisis. When it comes to shifting marketing strategies,
it might be more important to think about proactively taking advantage of a
situation, rather than simply reacting to it.

Consumers will look for all types of answers and will only book when they will get them.
Eran Shust
One of the most insightful answers we got made
me think about travel seasonality. When we asked, “How do you think your travel
preferences will change?” We got, “I’ll plan to travel at times that are not as
busy” as an answer.
This is something for travel brands to consider
in their strategies. In the past, we are used to having regular, familiar
travel peaks. These were typically based on the seasons, school schedules and
holiday times.
In the near future, we may start to see new
peaks forming, during times that we would naturally think of as the
“off-season.” We may see large numbers of travelers who would prefer to avoid
high-density seasons (even in high-density destinations).
Such change, if it will
happen, could be an opportunity for travel brands to actively promote their
off-season dates to encourage travel during historically slow times of the
year.
The
longest time-to-book in history
When we asked travelers how they thought their
travel preferences would change, the answers painted a picture of a slower,
more deliberate and thoughtful traveler.
We’ve gotten used to a long decision/booking
process, with over 50 touch points and a timeframe of four to six weeks, but the
travel industry may find itself facing an even longer process, one that will
break records.
We can see that travelers will be holding
hotels and other accommodation providers to a much higher standard than usual.
They will do more research before booking and will become more proactive in the
information-gathering process.
Consumers will look for all types of answers
and will only book when they will get them. Some will look for “higher,
well-documented cleaning standards,” or “more transparency about how they keep
their guests safe.” Some will even “inquire about policy for maintaining
sanitary spaces and contact with housekeeping staff.” In the words of one
consumer, “It will take more preparation.”
This also represents an opportunity for travel
brands. The more upfront hotels, airlines and travel providers can be with
information, the more these newly cautious consumers will feel like they can
trust them. And when that will happen, the more they will be able to shorten
the “time to book” and encourage travelers to choose them.
To be successful on the day
after, skepticism is key
It’s impossible to predict exactly what the
travel industry will look like when all this is over. If COVID-19 has taught us
one thing, it’s that we never know what’s coming up around the bend, and the
world can change in the blink of an eye.
However, one thing is clear. Following the herd
is not a smart strategy. The travel brands that are able to listen carefully to
the needs of customers, not just the opinions of industry insiders, will be
more likely to thrive. Those who will challenge common perceptions and will not
take things for granted will see the opportunities others have missed and will
be able to make the most of the new world of travel.
About the author...
Eran Shust is co-founder and CEO of
Splitty.