In travel, we’ve seen some notable changes these past 15 months as consumers turned to digital to figure out when and how they could travel again. This forced travel brands to re-evaluate the way they have always done things.
According to travel marketers, the top areas of investment for their companies this year are revised health and safety measures, contactless experiences, and flexible booking, cancellation, and refund policies.
With this in mind, only 62% feel prepared to meet the challenges ahead. As a result, we saw many businesses pivot and adapt their product and channel strategies quickly to meet the new consumer needs. For example, we saw hoteliers prioritize contactless technology and services, while airlines optimized routes, inventory, and supply with real-time demand signals.
We believe the future of travel will likely be 3 things: flexible, intentional, and “up for grabs.”
First, travel will be more flexible: 57% of consumers around the world say that they expect travel booking to be flexible and easy to change or cancel without penalty.
Second, travel will be more intentional: people will be more deliberate about what they book and with whom. For example, more than 70% of travelers think that travel companies should offer sustainable travel choices. And nearly a third of consumers around the world say they are looking to visit family on their next trip. And finally, we think about traditional notions of loyalty.
Travel will be “up for grabs”: 1 in 3 consumers around the world say they are open to booking with a travel company they haven’t used before.
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