Travel has been the food for soul for people across borders. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism sector came to a near standstill. However, it has also made way for long staycation and workations as people sought respite from the confines of their homes.
Long vacations were replaced by quick getaways, sustainable tourism and experience-driven travel. This compelled hotels and resorts to relook at their overall strategy.
The summer of 2022 has a new story to say with a sense of semblance setting in and a lesser degree of fear associated with the pandemic. While people have been dusting away their passports and exploring international travel after two long years, local tourism within India is sure to see a massive surge.
Heritage properties, nature and wellness retreats and luxury homes are sure to see a beeline of guests waiting to enjoy summer in all its glory. Local destinations with a rich legacy and heritage like Gokarna, Jaipur, Orissa, Sikkim have now become increasingly popular choices among Indians across age-groups and categories. These new locations have become not just become local favorites, they are also attracting the global travelers revisiting India.
THE SHORT END OF IT
In line with latest global travel trends, avid travelers are now exploring newer concepts like mini-moons, family-moons and solo travel to fuel their wanderlust. This has paved a platform for hotels and hospitality brands across the country to integrate activities and personalized packages to attract people who have been looking to unwind and celebrate special occasions that took a back seat during the pandemic. It is safe to say that these trends are here to stay for the long run, considering a sense of waving uncertainty that still looms large.
Heightened focus on health, safety and hygiene are the key factors that hospitality players across the globe are factoring in to ensure a seamless experience for guests. Enhanced transparency around health and safety protocols have topped the list and continue to be the key decision drivers when people pick stay and travel options.
While looking for ideal getaways to reconnect with friends and family, people are willing to spend that extra buck and go a mile longer to ensure highest level of precautionary standards are followed. Amenities like a no-contact dining, automatic hand sanitizers and dispensers have been added to the basic room services offered at both global hotel chains and local properties.
WORK HARD, TRAVEL HARDER
The hybrid work model has given rise to a whole new segment of travelers who are taking work to beaches, mountains, jungles, the options are limitless. This has pushed remote properties to invest in high-speed internet connection and mobile reception as opposed to pre-Covid days when people would plug off and disconnect from the trials of everyday life.
Hybrid workplace setting and schooling has been the key driving factor to encourage extended holidays, spanning from 10 days to month. Owing to this, hotels and homestays have customized their packages to accommodate the needs and provide a home-away-from- home experience for their guests. This includes access to kitchens and pantry, laundry services and access to the entire property.
The pandemic has proved to be a double-edged sword for the travel and hospitality space. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of all inventions, it has proved to be a game-changer for travel and tourism across the globe. Innovating along the way, banking on trial and error and keeping guests and customers at the heart of everything, this is a new dawn for the hospitality industry as a whole.
