‘There is great pent-up demand for revenge-travel’
The travel industry is very resilient, and it will bounce back with a vengeance. Sheema Vohra, Managing Director, Sartha Global Marketing believes that it is just a matter of time for business to be back and the industry needs to be prepared for better times because they are definitely going to come soon.
What travellers are also looking for at this time is clarity on safety and travel protocols being implemented by destinations and airlines. Clear information dissemination on this subject will help destinations attract travellers earlier, as compared to those whose rules are ambiguous. There is great pent-up demand for ‘revenge-travel’, a term that some are using, and people are waiting to travel as and when the skies open up, and destinations are ready to welcome tourism.
“One of the biggest game-changers for the restart of outbound travel from India will be the air-travel bubble agreements that the government is working on. The fact that arrangements are also in place with top outbound travel markets like the USA, UK, France and Germany among others, and with several others in the pipeline will help in reinforcing faith amongst potential Indian travellers to plan holidays overseas,” tells Sheema.
Reflecting back, as an organisation, the whole objective of Sartha Global during this crisis was to keep up their interaction with clients and the travel trade. Sheema shares more, “On behalf of our clients, we set up an extensive product-training program as well as a robust media and influencer engagement program, with Indian trade partners industry as well as consumers. All this was done with the prime objective of being well-positioned and creating strong brand-recall for our destinations, as and when the markets revive and travel resumes. “
Sanitation will also be one of the top concerns, and destinations will need to be geared up for better hygiene and sanitation regimes in place. There will be a rise of the responsible traveller who will be more cautious regarding health and cleanliness, and hence, will expect it from hotels and services at a destination.
“Going ahead, travel will have a whole different meaning for wander-lusters and enthusiasts. The lockdown has made people realise how precious holidays are and how integral they are in our lives. This will lead to a more evolved traveller who will seek greater experiences –culture, nature, roadtrips, outdoors, and local life, primarily taking a deeper dive at a destination, not just visiting tourist attractions,” concludes Sheema.