By Anindita Acharya
In 2020, travel took a backseat when the Covid-19 pandemic hit us all and brought the daily life to a grinding halt. When coronavirus lockdown was imposed, people were forced to lock in, self-isolate and lakhs were left stranded. Travel was a distant dream in 2020. Even after travel restrictions have been lifted, people are touring with extreme caution. Face shields, masks and social distancing have become the norms of the day.
Now, with a rise in daily cases in Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, fear of second wave of Covid-19 in India is setting in. In such a situation, confusion looms large over the future of travel in Covid-19 era.
For travel industry, 2021 is the most significant year given an entire year has been almost without business. Post pandemic, travel is not the same. Challenges are new, the trends have changed and so have the rules. But the trends are adventurous and full of opportunities.
Safety and cleanliness
Sanitizers, masks and social distancing have changed the way we travelled before the coronavirus pandemic hit us. Cleanliness has become the top priority when making travel decisions. In fact, this is one of the key selling points for the hotels and resorts now. In fact, tourists have become increasingly aware of the places they are choosing to stay at, where they are eating and the vehicles they move in. A lot of places will see rapid testing, and encourage regular washing of hands and sanitization of places.
Domestic travel
Though much of the world has opened up and vaccines are here, travellers are still opting to choose domestic destinations over international locations. In fact, the search of remote destinations and road trips are on the surge. With people choosing to go into self-isolation mode, travellers prefer to move in their own vehicles or rented cars than airplanes where the infection can spread faster. The increase in domestic travel is also due to travel restrictions in various countries and the constant opening and closing of borders.
Domestic tourism will continue to grow in 2021. For example, China’s October Golden Week in 2020 had selected Sanya among their leading travel destination, followed by Shanghai, Beijing Chengdu and Hangzhou.
Virtual reality travel
With almost a year locked in, travellers resorted to virtual reality (VR) technology and Augmented Reality (AR) to satiate their travel-craving soul. In fact, borders of some countries are still closed and the travel industry has come up with alternate ways to attract tourists online. One of the many ways is enjoying a virtual tour of a place within the comforts of the house.
Imagine soaking in the great Buddhist culture of the sacred pilgrimage site of the magnificent Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple of Dambulla) in Sri Lanka. A UNESCO World Heritage site, one can take a 360 degree virtual reality tour of this cave monastery. Isn’t this amazing?