25
November
2020
|
04:28
Europe/Amsterdam

SMARTER, KINDER, SAFER: BOOKING.COM REVEALS FIVE PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL

New insights, data and research spanning 20,000 travellers across 28 countries combine to uncover the trends that will shape the way we experience travel in the year ahead, and beyond

NEW ZEALAND, 20 OCTOBER 2020 - Booking.com has today released findings of research that surveyed more than 20,000 travellers across 28 countries*, including 499 from New Zealand, to reveal five predictions for the future of travel - in the coming year and beyond.

With few facets of our lives and world unchanged by the unparalleled impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, travel too will be forever re-shaped by this extraordinary moment in time. Innovation within the travel industry will accelerate faster than ever to respond to marked shifts in travel expectations and behaviours. Travellers will look for a heightened level of travel safety and more sustainable travel offerings, while also looking to find new ways to blur the lines between work and travel.

With nearly half of New Zealand travellers agreeing they won’t be comfortable travelling until a Covid-19 vaccine or treatment is in place (46%), it may be a long time before we experience the world as freely as we did previously, but the industry will continue to adapt at pace, satiating our appetite to travel whenever it’s safe to do so.

  1. SEARCH ESCAPISM

While much travel may have been put on hold in 2020, dreams of far flung destinations have not. During weeks in lock-down, the overwhelming majority (95%) of travellers spent time looking for vacation inspiration, with over a third (34%) looking at potential travel destinations as often as once a week.

As restrictions continue to ebb and flow, Booking.com expects destinations and accommodations to come up with even more inventive ways to capitalise on travellers’ heightened desire to escape reality and connect them with the experiences that await – from accommodations revamping their social media presence by leveraging content created by influencers who visited pre lockdown, to local tourist boards creating inspiring Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) content to visually showcase the best these places have to offer.

       2. IMPACT AWAKENING

The impact Covid-19 has had on the environment will be inspiring more travellers to make more sustainable travel choices in 2021 but the onus will be on the travel industry with two-thirds (60%) of travellers expecting the travel industry to offer more sustainable travel options. Travellers believe that the industry must adapt to this sustainable mindset for the long-term by offering more attractive off-season travel packages (54%) and proposing alternative destinations to prevent overcrowding (32%).

There are also strong signals for travel operators to be more transparent about how travellers’ money is being used to rebuild a community, paving the way for more regenerative tourism. Two-thirds (63%) of respondents indicate that they want their travel choices to also support the destination’s recovery efforts, and half (50%) want to see how their money is going back into the local community.

       3BYE BYE 9 TO 5

The pandemic irrevocably altered our ability to work from anywhere - even holiday. No longer confined to five days a week in an office and desperate for a change of scene from Working From Home (WFH), we’ll see a significant rise in the “Workcation”. Expect laptops to become even more of a mainstay in luggage than ever before, and an attractive spot on which to rest them a must-have when choosing where to stay.

Nearly a third (32%) of travellers have already considered booking somewhere to stay in order to work from a different destination, while 44% would be willing to quarantine if they could work remotely. Travel platforms and places to stay will prioritise showcasing home office facilities and Wi-Fi speed in an attempt to attract this new wave of digital nomads.

       4. SPONTECHNAITY

Tech innovation will play a crucial role in rebuilding traveller confidence. Already, 61% of travellers agree that technology will be important in controlling health risks when travelling and 56% say that accommodations will need to use the latest technologies to make travellers feel safe.

The innovations coming next are predicted to bring even more change, with enhanced online experiences influencing future travel behaviour and planning. Three in ten (29%) of travellers would feel more comfortable about going to an unknown destination if they could scout it out beforehand by using virtual reality (VR). That being said, the real thing reigns supreme with only 22% expecting to participate in more virtual/online experiences run by tourist attractions, local tours and workshops, proving that while we trust technology implicitly to bring us more convenience, personalisation and peace of mind, its prime role will reside in being a conduit for, rather than a replacement (yet), for seeing, feeling and tasting it for yourself.

        5. VITAL VALUE

The financial legacy of Covid-19 will inevitably see people demand more bang for their buck in the future. 62% of travellers will be more price conscious when it comes to searching and planning a trip in the future and 52% are more likely to hunt down promotions and savings, behaviours that Booking.com predicts will last years.

But the value consumers expect will go beyond price tags with three-quarters (75%) stating they want travel booking platforms to increase their transparency about cancellation policies, refund processes and trip insurance options.

And while the majority of travellers are keen to support the industry in its recovery (87%) and want their future bookings to help rebuild communities around the world (63%), they will expect a lot more from the travel industry in return. The industry will need to come together to respond inventively to offer deeper value, better choice, increased flexibility and transparency as well as more thoughtful experiences for tomorrow’s travellers as they scrutinise spend in 2021 and beyond.

Todd Lacey, Area Manager New Zealand at Booking.com comments: “In New Zealand, perhaps more so than many countries, the impact the pandemic has had on travel has been keenly felt. While the future of international travel remains uncertain, the ability to explore our own backyard continues to bring moments of joy and inspiration, whether through dreaming and planning, or cherishing the trips we have been able to take.

As we head into 2021, with our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience travel, we will be there for our customers offering the widest choice, great value and the easiest experience from anywhere and on any device so travellers can enjoy all of the unforgettable experiences New Zealand has to offer.”

For a deeper dive into Booking.com trends for the future of travel, including four additional predictions, visit: https://www.booking.com/articles/category/future-of-travel.html

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information, contact the Booking.com New Zealand Press Office;

briarb@thisismango.co.nz / 021 172 8037

METHODOLOGY / NOTES TO EDITORS

*Research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who have traveled for business or leisure in the past 12 months, and must be planning to travel in the next 12 months (if/once travel restrictions are lifted). In total 20,934 respondents across 28 countries were polled (including from 999 USA, 496 from Canada, 497 from Mexico, 997 from Colombia, 999 from Brazil, 499 from Argentina, 995 from Australia, 499 from New Zealand, 999 from Spain, 996 from Italy, 996 from France, 999 from UK, 996 from Germany, 498 from Netherlands, 499 from Denmark, 499 from Sweden, 498 from Croatia, 1001 from Russia, 498 from Israel, 997 from India, 994 from China, 499 from Hong Kong, 497 from Thailand, 496 from Singapore, 499 from Taiwan, 997 from South Korea, 500 from Vietnam and 995 from Japan). Respondents completed an online survey in July 2020.

About Booking.com: 

Founded in 1996 in Amsterdam, Booking.com has grown from a small Dutch startup to one of the world’s leading digital travel companies. Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com seamlessly connects millions of travelers with memorable experiences, a range of transportation options and incredible places to stay - from homes to hotels and much more. As one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces for both established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes, Booking.com enables properties all over the world to reach a global audience and grow their businesses. Booking.com is available in 44 languages and offers more than 29 million total reported accommodation listings, including more than 6.6 million listings alone of homes, apartments and other unique places to stay. No matter where you want to go or what you want to do, Booking.com makes it easy and backs it all up with 24/7 customer support.

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