What will holidays look like after Covid-19
In 2020, we washed our hands more than ever before. We embraced face masks, stopped wearing makeup and gave up long drinks and long lunches…
But one thing that most of us missed in 2020, was taking a holiday (or even a mini break!).
For the most part, we understood that it had to be done. A small sacrifice for the greater good. We were (most of us) happy that we were able to do our bit, stay at home and try to see the back of this virus together. But it doesn’t mean that we haven’t missed the trip down the country, or escaping to the sun (oh, the sun!)
As a new year dawns, so too, does the prospect of us being able to travel again. But travel, as we know it, just won’t be the same experience that it once was. Hang on, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
The World takes a break
We all know how hard the tourism industry (domestic and global) has been hit this year. Many business across the work depend on a booming tourism industry to support their economies. But one positive thing that we have seen as a result of people staying at home this year, is that the planet has finally had a chance to take a breath. Less traffic on our roads and in our skies means less pollution to our environment. Delicate ecosystems and UNESCO heritage sites across the world have basked in the natural quiet that we can inadvertently destroy whenever we visit.
We are starting to see travel differently
This year, more than ever before, people have started to look at how they are spending their money. A new respect for our environment and the embracing of sustainable brands is becoming more important to us when making a purchasing decision. We believe that the same will be said for travel in 2021.
With the prospect of flights being more expensive than we have been used to (increased demand and appetite, along with airlines trying to re-coup their losses), we predict that people (at least for 2021/22) will travel abroad less. They will be more discerning about where they go and chances are, they will take longer holidays, which has been made possible by the recent working from home phenomenon.
For me, getting on a plane, even for the weekend was far better than spending a fortune on dinner and drinks on a night out at home. I had become quite the shark at sussing out good value flights and last minute accommodation and it meant that I was taking an average of 6 trips abroad each year. Do I miss it? Absolutely. Will I do it again? Probably not.
But, will we really change?
Lets be honest, we neither have the weather, nor (for many of us), the space to be able to enjoy the outdoors that much in Ireland. This year, I bought a new mattress and a new sofa. I’ve tried to make indoors as cosy as possible, because it was where we were spending all of our time. But, what I wouldn’t give to be able to have dinner outside or a few drinks at the beach on a sunny afternoon.
So yes, I will be on a plane as soon as it is deemed safe to do so (and I’ll probably wait until a few months after that!), but I feel that the 2 day mini break is a thing of the past for me. Instead, I feel that heading away for 2 weeks where the sun shines and outdoor living is truly possible, is what I crave. A place where I can work and relax all at the same time, with an altogether simpler day to day existence. In time, I may push that to 3 weeks, if work commitments allow. I’d like to travel a little around while I’m there, rather than take a separate trip back in 2 months time.
