The coronavirus pandemic not only changed the airline industry’s predictions, for which traditional business flights and mass events would be reduced in the coming years, but it also generated changes in the habits of travelers, who are now looking at other variables when planning their flights.
Prior to the outbreaks in Europe, an investigation by the Interamerican Network company conducted in six Latin American countries (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Chile) found that as the pandemic progressed, one in four travelers in these countries (26.9 percent) considered traveling alone when there is a widely available vaccine against covid-19, the option most commonly chosen by those who have been consulted.
It may interest you: On airline tickets in the country, the VAT will be reduced to 5% until 2022
And according to the results, Colombia and Peru have the lowest percentage of people who would feel safe to take a flight only if this happens (that is, there are more people who want to travel without vaccination), as this option marked 15 percent in this two countries, compared to 29 percent in Brazil; in Mexico 30 percent; and Argentina and Chile, 25 percent.
Further, the percentage of people who would feel safe to travel again in the first half of 2021 reached 35 percent in Colombia and Peru, while 22 percent said they would do so in the second half of next year.
Of the six countries analyzed, both Colombia and Peru had the highest percentage of travelers who would only feel safe if they were to fly from the year 2022, by 11 percent.
We also recommend: Incident of an Avianca plane with balloon sparks controversy
On the other hand, the survey showed that the main concern in choosing the next travel destination is still the places with a safety, health and hygiene policy, with 27.47 percent of responses, a percentage that in the case of Colombia and Peru was at 26 percent.
In this second survey places that are not too busy was a new option, which eventually received the second highest mention (22.5 percent), ahead of flexibility if plans need to be changed, which came in second in June, and 19 percent in Colombia and Peru.
In turn, price remains an important comparison in destination selection (18.12 percent), unlike places that provide good hospital care, which again came in last.
(Also Read: Colombia Records 11,528 New Infections and 270 More Deaths from Covid)
But in the case of Colombia, Travel flexibility and taking them in advance had 21 percent of the listings, while the price was 20 percent of the mentions of the travelers consulted.
“Due to the financial impact caused by the pandemic, these travelers will be more cautious as the price of tourism products will be a third deciding factor even above the gathering of the place or if it has hospital or emergency assistance,” points out one of the findings of the survey in these two countries.
Last minute travel, habit diminishing
Another pertinent piece of data from the survey has to do with the change in habit that the pandemic caused in planning your trip.
A well-known habit seems to have been hit hard by the pandemic: leaving the myth to fix everything at the last minute27 percent of those interviewed say they plan to fix the trip at least six months in advance, ”he adds.
In Argentina, the highest percentage (27 percent) of respondents plan to make travel plans three months in advance, which was the second most chosen option overall (21 percent). Under this option, Colombia and Peru had 22 percent; Mexico, 20 percent. And Brazil, 22 percent.
When it comes to managing travel, scheduling alone and directly with hotels, airlines remain the most chosen option in the region (58 percent), up eight percentage points compared to the June survey.
In Colombia and Peru, this answer was given by 51 percent of those consulted, in Brazil the rate was 71 percent, in Mexico 54 percent, while in Argentina and Chile it was the lowest at 33 percent.
Traditional travel agents follow, well ahead of online travel agents (OTAs). In the former case, 46 percent would pay for complete packages and 19 percent would buy everything with an OTA.
Internal destinations and Europe, the most important
When analyzing the most desirable type of trip, those made in the country remain the first, although they went from 60 percent in June to 47 percent in October, according to the firm Interamerican Network.
In this sense, Europe remains in second place, growing from 14 percent to 21 percent in Latin American traveler preferences, which can demonstrate to the company a certain public acceptance of this new mode of travel.
“The destinations swept off the map by the pandemic are, according to responses, mainly in Europe and the United States,” adds the survey paper.
But the situation is different in Colombia and Peru, as only 38 percent are considering traveling somewhere in their own country, while 16 percent expect to travel to Europe and 15 percent to the United States, as this country is still the main foreign destination for Colombian travelers.
Asked about the impact of the pandemic on travel, only Brazilians think there will be few changes and not significant, with 53.94 percent of responses.
But overall, the majority of Latin American tourists believe there will be a before and after the pandemic and that the trips will be completely different (53.78 percent).
Also find in Economy:
How expensive will bank credit at the beginning of 2021?
Gasoline prices start the year with an average increase of 106 pesos
Usurers who charge interest of more than 25.98% in January
ÓMAR G. RED SMOKED
Deputy Editor-in-Chief Economics and Business at EL TIEMPO
On Twitter: @omarahu