What does travel look like after COVID-19? That’s the golden question that we’re all asking. Working in the travel industry (and forever living for my next adventure), this is definitely something on my mind. While in lockdown, it’s difficult to see beyond the next couple of months. Predictions are aplenty and while everything may feel uncertain right now—it is certain that things will eventually recover.
So, what will traveling look like when it does?
- We’ll start off with domestic trips. Long haul flights will be traded for staycations and road trips will be favored over flying or cruising.
- Local will be the focus. From family-run restaurants and small businesses to locally known B&B’s—we’ll turn to our own backyards, as people stay closer to the safety of home (at least until 2021). For awhile, we will be seeking new experiences in familiar places.
- Off-the-grid. The classic two-week summer vacation is likely to become a long weekend. Rather than visiting overcrowded tourist destinations and major cities in that time, travelers will look for a greater sense of calm by bringing more remote locations into focus.
- Travel with purpose. In the hope that our future trips will help communities (and the environment) heal after this travel hiatus, lots are expecting travelers to make more mindful, altruistic, and sustainable decisions. A beautiful change we should all hope for.
- Luxury redefined. There is a new ‘luxury travel’ paradigm shift well on its way which is leaning into life-enriching exploration. We won’t be traveling simply for the sake of checking into a stunning hotel but instead, intentionally designing valuable experiences which will help us answer the question: what are you searching for?
Travel will come back and when it does we’ll be that much more grateful for the opportunity to see the world—to meet locals and taste their food, to embrace each other and remember what it feels like to get lost in a foreign place. The industry will bounce back. So, let’s keep the traveling mindset alive and be ready 🖤
Here are some places in my post-lockdown dreams right now:
Catskills
Utah
Kau’ai
West Texas
Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
Joshua Tree
Big Sur
Montauk