Tourism and the Pandemic: Will Travel Go Back to Normal?

We all are tired of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the second wave, everyone still recovers from the first one. Countries pressured by huge financial losses are now in a hurry to restart air traffic and resume travel without even waiting for the situation to improve.

At the same time, many countries are working on developing testing vaccines against the virus.

People hope that once this pandemic is in the past, everything will go back to normal. But is it going to happen? What if this is the norm now?

Many experts and politicians are trying to answer these questions. It is believed that international tourism is among the economic sectors which were hit by the pandemic the hardest. It’s especially true for the countries that heavily depend on tourism.

Overview

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) analysts highlight the importance of safety and protection of tourists once the travel restrictions are lifted. However, they reiterate that it’s crucial to support tourism as this is a very important driver of a global economic recovery. Similar statements have been made by other organizations connected to tourism.

The change is obvious on the level of ordinary people as well. Recent polls in Spain reveal that more than 65% of participants are going to spend their vacations at home. Another Spanish survey showed that only about 10% are planning to go abroad. 27.2% of the participants noted that they intend to go on vacation, and more than 90% of them choose domestic destinations. It’s not too surprising given that Spain was among the countries that suffered from the pandemic the most with over 28,000 deaths.

At the same time, people in lots of countries notice the psychological impact of coronavirus. The studies show that after the quarantine people changed their perspective, and now they appreciate their jobs and personal space more than previously. The reason for that is the fact that going to work indicates harmony in one’s life and allows them to earn money to be financially secure.

Predictions

The slogan “We Will Travel Again” which has been heard in different parts of the world is not only a vow to return to normal life; it’s also a commitment to restore an entire sector of tourism. It stresses the new market demands the first among which is that tourists always feel safe on their trips.

José Carlos de Santiago, a Spanish journalist, hopes that tourism activities in the world will be restored fairly quickly. He writes that recent studies give a reason for cautious optimism. Not only in Europe, where the statistics on coronavirus are showing that the situation is improving little by little. Some Caribbean islands have resumed international tourism, for example, Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, etc.

Of course, traveling in given circumstances requires new standards of sanitary control. All travelers are checked before flying, there are additional disinfection measures in the airports, on the planes, and the use of face masks is obligatory.

However, World Tourism Organization experts warn that the first indications of improvement will not be noticeable before the last quarter of 2020. At the same time, the complete recovery of the tourism sector is much harder to predict. One thing is clear at the moment: there will be a higher demand for more sustainable tourism in economic, social, and environmental aspects. The long way to improve is just beginning.

Reality

The reopening of such establishments as theme parks, museums, etc. that normally attract a large number of people, will have to restrict the number of visitors to ensure their safety. The requirement to wear face masks is likely to remain, just like regular disinfection of anything and everything.

Airports and planes, of course, are amongst the places with the strictest safety requirements. Airlines require their passengers and personnel to wear face masks constantly; some have stopped serving food and drinks. In some airports, travelers have to fill out questionnaires about their health. In a number of airports passengers’ temperature is checked before the flight. It is obvious at this point that differentiating policies aren’t going to work properly in preventing the disease from spreading, thus, federal authorities are taking additional measures to ensure that the necessary sanitary policies are being implemented everywhere.

Conclusion

All in all, the amount of distortion brought by the coronavirus pandemic is yet to be fully understood. It is clear by now that the spheres of tourism and hospitality are amongst those that suffer the most. However, even they are now adapting to the circumstances, and we can expect slow but steady improvements in the near future.