Covid-19 came into our lives unannounced and decided to stay, making permanent changes that none of us wanted. Earlier planning for a vacation away from the mainland seemed a bit intimidating, but now it’s even more complicated. The travel and hospitality industry took the biggest hit because of Covid-19 and it still hasn’t been able to recover. But as each Covid wave slows down, things get better for us and we have some better days. It is these days that give us the hope that with time, things will return to normal once again and people will travel without any worries.
One thing is for sure, even after the pandemic is over, traveling won’t be the same. While domestic travel has started to pick up the pace with strong safety measures, traveling internationally doesn’t seem possible in the distant future. Either way, we are going to see numerous changes in the travel sector.
With social distancing being the new normal, we can expect smaller crowds at popular tourist sites, which would otherwise be bustling with people. Queues and waiting times may seem longer than usual, considering people will always need to maintain social distancing.
Before entering any place, each person will have to go through a temperature check first. A lot of places already require visitors to show documentation proving they are COVID-free. And it’s highly possible that by next year, a vaccination certificate may become as necessary as a passport and visa. Some countries may even deny entry without a vaccination certificate, especially if we are traveling from a hotspot zone. Moreover, the average time taken in an airport to go through immigration and customs will be doubled.
Chances are ticket prices will rise since airlines are not allowed to operate in full capacity. They must keep several seats empty to practice social distancing among passengers. Every traveler and flight attendant will have to wear masks to be able to fly to any destination. Cleaning and sanitizing the aircraft will be done more frequently. The air quality inside the aircraft will gain a lot of attention as airlines will have to assure their customers that they are using the best filtration system.
If you have the common flu, it is best to avoid any sort of travel until you recover. The rate at which coronavirus started to spread worldwide, even a normal cold and cough has become socially unacceptable now. People are always on edge, considering these are some of the symptoms of COVID-19. Packing hand sanitizers and wet wipes will be considered under the ‘essentials’ category.
There is no doubt that traveling after the pandemic is nothing short of concern right now, but with safety measures being followed religiously across the globe, people will still be able to enjoy their time.
