How attitudes towards travel have changed since the pandemic
New research by comparethemarket.com reveals how attitudes towards holidays have changed since the start of the pandemic.
Given the number of holidays that have been cancelled or postponed, it’s unsurprising that over half of respondents (58%) are already dreaming about their next holiday abroad. However, even after lockdown hopeful holidaymakers may need to wait for COVID-19 travel restrictions to be lifted and vaccinations to be rolled out before jetting off.
How attitudes towards travel have changed since the beginning of the pandemic Unsurprisingly, many people's attitudes towards travel have changed and the top three things people would consider when booking a holiday now are:
Taking out the right level of travel insurance cover before travelling (40%)
Less inclination to visit countries that suffered badly during the pandemic (37%)Taking further precautions while travelling, eg masks/bacterial gel/own food and drink (34%)
Whilst many are eagerly awaiting their next holiday, when it comes to travelling comfortably in the future, taking safety measures is the top priority. What’s more, over a quarter (27%) of people state they’ll be more cautious about where they eat and drink once abroad, and 18% will choose self-catering.
Looking ahead, 22% are prepared to spend more money than usual when booking their next trip abroad to ensure they enjoy themselves. In contrast, 18% have said they look to spend less.
Age breakdown Over half of Gen Z (57%), aged 18-24, are feeling optimistic about their future travel plans and over half (58%) of those aged 65 plus say their attitude towards preferred holiday types has remained unchanged by the pandemic. Meanwhile, 18 to 24-year-olds are looking to explore new options with Gen-Z showing an increased interest in adventure holidays (24%), countryside breaks (22%), and beach holidays (22%)
Interestingly, 44% of those aged 65 plus said they’ll be more cautious about where they eat and drink compared to only 17% of millennials (aged 25-34).
Looking at how attitudes have changed towards holiday budget amongst different age groups, at 63% millennials are the most likely to book in advance to save money and plan, whereas 35 to 44-year-olds are the most likely to book last minute to try and get the best possible deal (24%).
Josh Daniels, head of travel insurance at comparethemarket.com, said: “Without a doubt, the pandemic has had a significant impact, especially within the tourism industry.
Travel restrictions are in place and could be for quite some time depending on the vaccine roll-out and countries lifting restrictions. However, many of us are dreaming of being able to go on holidays abroad again and it's reassuring to see that taking out the right level of cover before travelling is a priority for those looking to travel in the future.”
