Manoj Saraf

MD, Gainwell Travels

The current booking trend is showing marginal improvement since July and August. However, it will still take a long time before a full recovery can be seen. September has shown an improvement in bookings ahead of the festive season.

I do not agree with the term Revenge Tourism. The recovery for travel, tourism and hospitality is going to be very gradual. It may take another 2-3 years before we can achieve the pre COVID-19 level of business seen by us. The emerging trends in the travel industry which are here to stay include technological up-gradation and automation, more online bookings, and more emphasis on safety & hygiene. There will also be a massive cost reduction on account of manpower, rent, interest, etc. We at Gainwell, have adopted many such practices in order to survive this massive crisis.

We were definitely experiencing over-tourism in terms of the massive crowds at the airports, flights, hotels, monuments, amusement parks, and sightseeing attractions. In a certain way, it is a blessing in disguise that these numbers will come down post-COVID, leading to an overall improvement in the environment. I think the right balance will be struck between over-tourism and sustainability.