Latest global flight demand trends
There has been plenty of positive news for the travel industry globally over the past weeks. With vaccination rates in key outbound tourism countries such as the UK and the USA increasing, the implementation of travel corridors for Israeli and Australian travellers, as well as the relaxing of quarantine measures in popular destinations such as Thailand, there is much to be hopeful for.
Over twice as many travellers believe the global situation regarding COVID-19 is improving compared to those believing it is getting worse – 49% vs 20% (Skyscanner Pulse Survey n=5363, w/c 29th March) Top five most searched countries worldwide on Skyscanner in March: - USA - Spain - Russia - Turkey - United KingdomReduced quarantine times are leading to surges in searches to popular destinations: - Thailand announced its quarantine time would be reduced to 10 days for vaccinated tourists
Worldwide searches in March increased by 478% compared to February
Domestic travel continues to drive recovery in some countries: - USA week-on-week increase in searches: Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale + 316% Boston Logan to San Diego +170% Los Angeles to Maui Kahulu +117% - South Korea week-on-week increase in bookings: Daegu to Jeju +44%Travel corridors are leading driving bookings: - Australia-New Zealand On 6th April we saw a 1570% increase in bookings compared to the day before - Israel-Cyprus On 4th April we saw a 1704% increase in bookings compared to the day before - UK-Israel We are monitoring an uptick in bookings between London and Tel Aviv following reporting that Israel could be one of the first green list countries
Hugh Aitken, VP Flights at Skyscanner comments: “With many travellers awaiting the green light for international travel to resume from their respective governments, Skyscanner data shows that there is a growing sense of optimism around the world. Where measures have been announced providing clarity on dates and restrictions, we see direct correlations with surges in demand. Domestic travel and international travel corridors are showing early signs of promise. Whilst there is some way still to go, it’s clear that testing and vaccines are key enablers in unlocking travel. However, the industry’s recovery is dependent on how straightforward and standardised the processes on both ends of the journey are for travellers, in addition to clear and timely guidance on re-opening.”
