If we say it enough times, it will happen – travel in 2021. Travel will open in 2021 and everything will be right in this world, as we continue to explore new places in completely safety and with ease.
Now, back in the real world, we know that travel is unlikely to return to normal in the near future, but it is likely that at least some travel will resume for many of us. We look at some of the things that will change and a few things that will stay the same for travel in 2021.
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So strap in and get ready as we look at what it will be like to travel in 2021.
Can we actually travel in 2021?
Based on what we are currently seeing and how some people are not taking the virus seriously, it might not be possible for all of us. However, given the lowering numbers in numerous countries – Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, New Zealand, Taiwan, Brunei and others – around the world, we might start to see limited travel sooner rather than later.
This is where travel bubbles or closed travel spheres will emerge, so that we can safely travel without the restrictions that have plagued the travel industry for the last year.
But, what can we really expect, because it won’t be the same.
Be aware of different regulations per country
Excited to travel once again? Well, don’t expect to just hop on a plane and breeze through customs and immigration without a hitch. It is likely that each destination will have a strict set of rules and regulations that need to be followed. It is also likely that they will not have any global or regional standard, so expect to do a lot more research before every trip.
Some of the likely regulations will be around testing, vaccines and safety precautions. They might include:
- Coming to the airport early rather than 40 minutes before your flight
- Swab tests before going through immigration or even before disembarking from the plane
- Medical proof of vaccination – this is tricky as it depends on the type of vaccine and how long ago you took the dose
- Restrictions based on your travel history, such as countries not allowing you to enter if you have been to certain places beforehand
The start of revenge travel
Revenge travel is the over compensation that is likely to happen when travel restrictions arise – more people will travel just for the sake of it. We are already seeing the first signs as countries like China open up both international and local travel.
We see this happening too, however, it is likely to get old very quickly as travellers have already started adjusting to a more localised form of exploration and relaxation. This includes staycations or local travel and exploration.
It is likely that travel in 2021 will go through peaks and troughs as consumers try to get to terms with all the changes.
Familiarity will trump exploration
As we start to travel in 2021, it is likely that most of us already have our heart set on a few places we have to visit. Chances are, it is somewhere we have been before and absolutely love.
This is likely to change our travel patterns to favour familiarity over exploration or in the spirit of this platform – wanderlust. As travellers, we will focus our money, time and effort on comforts that we know and trust, so it is likely we will rarely venture into the unknown.
Does this mean we will never visit new countries? No, it just means it will be unlikely that we will be going to a new city every single time we step on a plane.
Quality will beat out quantity
Tying back to revenge travel, we can expect an initial surge of travel, but it will likely die down as travellers focus on quality rather than trying to rack up the numbers. Give it a month or even three, it is likely that the number of trips each person makes will stabilise as we prioritise longer and better planned trips over a quick weekend away.
This may impact the rebounding travel industry for the short term, but given how starved we are for making a trip, there should still be strong growth for the industry.
However, we won’t make too many impulsive trips and invest more in the planning phase to avoid wasting the opportunities that we do have. There is likely to be strong growth in the family and group travel sector, given that families have been cooped up in apartments and houses now for almost an entire year.
So what’s next for travel in 2021
Right now, it is the waiting game as we wait for countries to open up their borders, remove most of the restrictions like quarantine and the pandemic to start to fade. Hopefully this happens sooner rather than later, but there is a chance some of us may not see any travel for the whole year.
Let’s continue to be patient as we plan for future trips and try our best to keep sane during these troubling times.
