Travel has “become a privilege again”, according to a study by SiteMinder, which reported on the rise of last-minute bookings and shorter trips.
The described Covid-19 as having been “the ultimate equaliser”.
Mike Ford, managing director, SiteMinder, said: “The question everyone in travel has asked this year is whether the industry will ever completely go back to the way it was, and we know now that in some ways it will, but in many other ways it will differ, perhaps permanently.
“We are living in the democratised economy, with neither travel and accommodation providers nor travellers in control. Covid-19 has been the ultimate equaliser. For now, travel is no longer a booming industry of endless trips that we are able to take for granted. Travel has become a privilege again, which means that the future for every hotel is one of more discerning guests and shorter lead times. Predictable seasonality is over.”
SiteMinder’s study revealed that, while the current pandemic had negatively affected the financial situation of more than three-in-four travellers either ‘a lot’ or ‘somewhat’, more than 85% said they were likely to take their next domestic trip before 2021 year-end.
The group identified trends including the dominance of last-minute bookings, and the growing divide between urban areas and less-populated coastal or regional towns. Other macro trends included the shortening of trip durations, and the demand for greater flexibility with ‘free cancellation/booking modification’ ranking as the most important factor for nearly a third of travellers when choosing their accommodation.