Allianz Partners just presented the study: ‘The Future of Travel: consumer habits and preferences’. In this report, the company puts the situation in the sector in perspective and predicts that the best scenario for the trip will be in 2024, when the recovery of the tourism sector is expected. After a significant drop of 77%, the forecast is that this summer the visits from abroad increase between 30% and 40%, expecting mainly a tourism of English, German and French origin, as well as national travelers.
The study considers the doubts and fears of travelers, which represent an opportunity for the transformation of the tourism sector. The 79% of the travelers surveyed fear that the incidence rate of infections by Covid-19 at the destination is high. In addition, 76.3% of those surveyed are concerned about quarantining when they return, and 39.5% that they are forced to take a PCR test. Added to this, 67% will not travel if they are not vaccinated.
Travelers’ fears are summarized in six assumptions: Getting sick, having an accident, testing positive for Covid, not knowing which hospital or clinic to go to, and losing luggage or documentation.
Travel insurance ‘a must’
Due to the current concerns of travelers, there has been an increase of approximately 20% in the purchase of cancellation and travel insurance.
In addition, 71% are being hired when buying travel tickets, and most of it is done through digital platforms.
What’s more 60.73% would like to have the possibility of contracting vehicle rental insurance at destination, while 58.75% of travelers highly value enjoying ‘concierge’ services for assistance abroad.
Thierry Moubax, director de Market Management de Allianz Partners, explains that “the pandemic has established a before and after in the way of traveling. It has created new needs and we see that the traveler demands immediacy, accessibility and, above all, security and protection. Consumption of Travel insurance has completely changed: before it was an extra in our visits -mainly abroad- and now it is a ‘must‘that everyone who travels, even in Spain, considers acquiring “.
Local tourist and with new preferences
As soon as willingness to travel, it also maintains a positive trend. Although 30% of residents in Spain are willing to travel this year, it increases up to 49% when asked if they would travel at the beginning of 2022, and the curve is on the rise until reaching 88% by 2023, generating optimism in the sector. As for which places they would visit, 87% of those surveyed favor national tourism, compared to 37% who would be willing to travel to countries on the continent, with France being the first option, followed by Portugal and Italy.
Local tourism also has its trends: Among the destinations most valued by travelers, Galicia is in the first position with 29.43%, followed by Andalusia with 28.74%, Asturias 27.74% and Canary Islands 19.06%. Among the least popular, Murcia with 5.41%, Ceuta 1.64%, and Melilla with 1.19%.
On the other hand, the tourist has new preferences: The tendency to travel to large cities or popular destinations is reduced, as is the predisposition to use mass means of transport. Mass tourism is no longer a trend. 82% of those surveyed favor rural tourism, without crowds. 63% would avoid staying in large hotels by choosing hostels or rental houses, and 37% campsites. Regarding mobility, 72% of travelers prefer to travel in their own car, or rent one.
Travel insurance, a must
Finally, the study highlights that digitization is the tool of the traveler and of the companies of the future. 43.65% of the respondents hire their trips on their own, and when asked which digital services they would value most in their insurance, 70.46% of the respondents would like to have access to video-consultations with a doctor.
–
