Jan 29, 2021
Even as the Covid-19 pandemic has continued to pause travel around the world, it has not stopped people from dreaming about where they want to take their next, somewhat off-schedule, vacation.
By Jiten Vyas, regional group chief operating officer: Australasia, China, Africa and Europe & CIS at VFS Global
While UNWTO’s Panel of Experts foresees a rebound in international tourism in the latter half of this year, what awaits on the other end of this static period is a more prudent traveller in a far more evolved travel ecosystem.
For travellers, the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns will cause a significant shift change in perception of holiday destinations, caution around air travel, increase in preference for ‘safe and trusted’ destinations, and hygiene concerns. At the other end, the travel industry will continue to adopt an increasingly digital ‘contact-less’ approach for most things – from travel planning to customer engagement, with greater assurance for