The difference in the traveller preferences pre and post Covid.

The traveller preferences are different after the Covid-19 virus hit the countries across the globe.

Although vaccination rates are high and cases are manageable in the majority of parts of the world, there are still new variants coming and infecting people.

But people are still willing to travel as long as death and hospitalization rates are low.

Nevertheless, they do look to travel and stay in places where they can feel safe, sanitization is proper, and people are following Covid-19 protocols.

We can say they are more cautious and avoid anything that can hampen their health and safety.

It’s important to assess how the pandemic has changed people’s preferences for accommodation, transportation, conducting meetings, and all.

The article takes insights from various surveys conducted by various institutions.

For instance, the Center for Hospitality Research to better understand the traveller preferences pre and post-COVID-19.

Let’s take a look into this:

While there are many people whose preferences are the same.

But, still, the majority of people have displayed changes in their preferences after the pandemic.

Now, people want to stay in hotels that provide enough services and not just a place to relax and sleep.

So that they do not have to go to different places to have food, or for spa services and so on.

They want to get the most from their stay and experience everything that the hotel can offer.

The reason for this is nearby restaurants, cafes, gyms, and spas are struggling to provide services with proper sanitization during this time.

Their sitting arrangements style is not adaptable as per the standard social distancing norm.

Moreover, they are also facing a shortage of staff and many don’t install advanced technologies, because of that human contact is unavoidable.

Hence, it can affect their health. That’s why people do not want to stay in hotels where the services are limited.

Therefore, branded hotels are showing higher demand compare to budget hotels.

There is no major change in the accommodation preference among people who come under particular income levels and age groups.

And were travelling for leisure purposes before the pandemic and at present time.

Before the pandemic, the majority of people prefer to stay in alternative accommodations like Airbnb.

And the rest of the people prefer to stay in big brand hotels or independent hotels.

Travellers indicated they are still more likely to book an alternative accommodation like Airbnb and less likely to book a room at a major brand or independent hotel.

The business traveller frequently stays in big brands hotels, while a few percent book independent hotels and alternative accommodations before the pandemic.

In the coming years also people are likely to book major brand hotels and very few are willing to stay in alternative accommodation.

However, there will be no change in the booking percentage of people staying in independent hotels.

In transportation also we can witness that people are more willing to travel by their personal car to different locations.

They do not want to travel by plane, bus, ship, and rental car, if possible.

Before the pandemic, people’s favorite mode of transportation was airplanes, but it is their personal vehicle.

Hence, we conclude that leisure travellers do not want to travel through public transport.

The reason is obvious, they are prioritizing their health and safety.

Likewise, for business travellers, their interest shifts to personal vehicles from airplanes.

Moreover, bus, train, and rental car demand slightly diminish.

Most probably, the location where leisure travellers choose to stay was a resort, urban.

Although post-pandemic they still have resorts on their list, even higher in demand than it was previously.

But urban see approximately 50 percent decline in their demand.

And the demand for suburban, small metro/town properties witness a rise.

Whereas business travellers mostly prefer urban property locations for their stay, now there is a decline in urban property locations.

And demand increases for resorts, suburban, small towns, and interstate motorways.

AS Covid-19 cases are still active, people do not want to stay in a place where they can get infected.

They want the hotel to be clean, and properly sanitized, and staff should wear masks.

And all other guidelines and protocols must be followed so that there is no chance of getting infected with the virus.

An example is Airbnb. Guests want the property should be clean by following the process of standard cleaning protocols.

Here the chances of transferability of the virus are very high.

So, people demand proper sanitization, maintaining proper social distance among people, and everyone should wear their masks.

In business meetings, professionals, employees, company representatives, clients, or department leads.

Come together to discuss issues, address changes, or anything related to the organization.

As the meeting is between so many people, they want a proper distance between their sitting arrangement.

Everyone should wear a mask, and the area should be clean and sanitized.

Authorities meet in professional conferences to deal with organizational matters, the status of the profession, or similar interests.

So, they want everyone should be vaccinated, wear masks properly and a proper distance is maintained between them.

Pandemic affects the travel industry badly, the recovery is still slow because different waves of Covid-19 hit the industry every now and then.

Hence, traveller preferences are not the same, they are more cautious and appreciate people wearing masks.

Wants to visit places where covid-19 protocols are taken care of like social distancing, proper sanitization, and more.

Traveller now wants to attend virtual meetings, use their personal car to travel distances and stay in safer places and avoid urban stay.

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