We all can agree on this one: Travelling will most certainly never be the same again. Not only because of fear, sanitary precautions and such, but also because of the aftermath of the tourism crisis that Coronavirus has caused. Moreover, the damage affects mostly areas that depend on tourism as its main income. On the other hand, it also affects the thousands of people who travel every year especially during the high seasons. So, here is what you should keep in mind about travelling in the future, and how this pandemic has altered everything we were used to!
Airlines Industry Will Take Longer To Recover
It’s undeniable that the aviation industry is taking one of the greatest hits, in addition to countries and tropical areas that need tourists. In fact, experts say that airlines will take years to recover, as Reuters reported that ”International seat capacity has dropped by almost 80% from a year ago.” Yet, the worst part, is how long it will take the industry to return to their previous flights’ rates. Actually, and according to OAG, that the airlines industry will not be able to the same schedules until ”maybe 2022 or 2023, in the best case scenario.”
Flights Will Be More Expensive
Obviously, the aviation industry’s draw-back affects the consumer directly. Due to fewer flying rates and less destinations, travelers will have to pay a lot more to travel now. In addition, several companies have already announced that they lowered their flights to 50% until further notice. In other words, instead of taking a direct flight from A to B, now you’ll need to have one or more layovers. And of course, double the price.
Furthermore, the rising concerns about safety and following WHO’s recommendations, planes will have to leave a 1-2 meters distance between travelers. This means that the flight capacity will be a lot lower than it used to be, and people will have to literally ”fight” to get a seat.
But, There Is A Silver Lining
However, and despite the cynicism surrounding this whole situation, there is always a silver-lining. Yes, travelling will never be the same again, but it may actually be more beneficial post-Coronavirus. For example, authorities of the marvelous island of Sicily in Italy have announced a fund of 50 million euros, to revive their main income-generating sector : Tourism. In fact, they have offered to ”pay for half of your plane ticket, as well as a night at a hotel and your attraction entry fees.”
Photos: Pixabay, Unsplash.