Since March, travel has come to an almost complete standstill. Between lockdowns, we’ve had the chance to explore our beautiful country. But largely, we’ve been armchair travellers, dreaming about destinations further afield. Planning our next holiday for some much-needed relaxation once restrictions ease and life starts to return to normal.
The pandemic has changed not only our behaviours but how we prioritise what’s important. It has made us think about how we want to travel and the experiences we want to have.
With a shift in priorities, what travel trends can we expect to see in 2021 and beyond?
Working Away
Working from our sitting rooms, bedrooms and, for those lucky enough, home offices have become the norm for most of us over the past eight months. But, what if you could combine work and pleasure? In 2021, working holidays are set to become a popular way to travel.
Most hotels and apartments have high-speed internet, perfect for working remotely. Add a few days or an extra week or two to your holiday for a change of scenery. Discover local restaurants or cafes for your lunch and explore the area once you finish in the evening. It really is the best of both worlds!
Bucket List Trips
Among the many things we’ve learned this year, one is to make the most of the time you have. In terms of holidays, this means more people are likely to plan those bigger bucket list holidays. After being stuck inside and unable to leave your county for most of the year, far-flung destinations and those dream holidays are front of mind now that the world is opening up. Holidaymakers will be thinking about those longer trips where they can really explore their dream destination, especially if they have annual leave to carry over to 2021.
More Staycations
Ireland is a fantastic country to staycation in. In 2021, the desire to support local businesses, especially the hospitality sector, has been huge. In fact, the government launched the Stay & Spend Scheme in October to encourage people to explore all that Ireland has to offer.
From the vibrant cities of Cork, Kilkenny & Galway, scenic drives along the Wild Atlantic Way and hidden gems in the Hidden Heartlands, there’s a holiday to suit every interest in our little country.
Flexibility
As the pandemic brought so much uncertainty and caused life to come to a standstill, flexibility is a big factor for Irish holidaymakers going forward. What does flexibility look like when booking a holiday? The main components of a flexible holiday are:
- Clear cancellation policies
- Clear refund procedures
- Refundable and amendable accommodation
- The ability to change dates with minimal or no extra cost
Safety & Cleanliness
This year we’ve been constantly sanitising our hands and disinfecting surfaces. As we learned how long the coronavirus lasts on various surfaces, cleanliness became a top priority. This is especially true when for the hospitality sector.
Many tourist boards across Europe have rolled out their own safety charter or safety standards for hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. This ensures that these businesses adhere to a high standard of cleanliness and have put in place additional safety measures for guests. These would include:
- Mandatory mask wearing for staff
- Plexiglass or plastic screens between staff and customers at check-in / pay point
- Enforcing physical distancing measures
In Ireland, Fáilte Ireland announced their COVID-19 Safety Charter, which gives a clear set of guidelines for reopening hospitality, ensures staff are well-trained on COVID-19 health & safety and ensures the business strictly follows official Government public health advice.
In Portugal, the tourist board launched the Clean & Safe initiative. This is a set of hygiene, cleaning and distancing measures, which are based on recommendations by the Directorate-General for Health. Over 1,000 business from hotels and restaurants to golf courses and car hire have signed up to this to put staff and customers’ minds at ease.
What will be influencing your holidays in 2021?