Whether you’re “bored in da house” or walking down the streets with a face mask on, there’s no doubt you’re not thinking about your next travel all day every day. Especially for those who love exploring new places and find it fulfilling, coronavirus pandemic seems to be the worst nightmare.
So let’s be honest here: we will for sure travel again, but it will not be the same. And when the borders reopen, new health and safety systems will be mandatory.
First things first, close to 90% of the world’s population now lives with travel restrictions. This means you’re not alone with your “travel depression”. Airlines, travel companies, and the tourism sector in general are among the most affected businesses. An estimated 25 million aviation jobs and 100 million tourism jobs are now at risk. For the industry to recover, travelers will need to feel safe and confident that their health is protected.
The pandemic is a huge challenge for both travelers and travel companies.
So let’s see what will the post-pandemic travel look like in the nearest future.
Touchless travel
The most immediate change will be the shift to touchless travel from airport to hotel check-in. Even with strict cleaning protocols, exchanging travel documents and touching surfaces while checking-in, border control, and boarding are still a significant risk of infection for both travelers and the staff.
Automation across the entire tourism sector will become the new normal. Biometrics for identity verification will soon become more widespread replacing physical fingerprint and hand scanners. More touchless options will come along the way. For example, the face recognition system.
The masquerade
Masks will be so fashionable next time your plane takes off. As you take your seat, you’ll have to imagine the usual smiles of the flight attendants yourself, as they will most likely be wearing masks. You might want to smile back, but you’ll probably be wearing one. That’s the tough part!
So are you planning your next trip already? If you’re still not sure which country to conquer next, make sure you keep up with DNA, as we have a lot of cool projects waiting for you to apply! Each of them will give you a unique opportunity to spend a few days abroad within the frames of an international exchange project, where you can develop new skills, gain unforgettable experience and, of course, widen your world through traveling!
Written by Nellie Melkonyan