The coronavirus pandemic not only changed the aerospace industry’s forecast, for which traditional business and mass event flights would be reduced in the coming years, but also generated changes in the habits of travelers, who now look at other variables when planning their flights.
Prior to the regrowth in Europe, a survey by the firm Interamerican Network, conducted in six Latin American countries (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Chile), showed that As the pandemic progressed, one in four travelers in these nations (26.9 percent) contemplated traveling alone. when there was a widely available vaccine against covid-19, being the most chosen option by those consulted.
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And, according to the results, Colombia and Peru have the lowest percentage of people who would feel safe to take a flight only when this happens (i.e. there are more people willing to travel without a vaccine), already that this option marked 15 percent in these two countries, while in Brazil the percentage was 29 percent; in Mexico, 30 percent; and Argentina and Chile, 25 percent.
Besides, the percentage of people who would feel safe traveling 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.
However, among the six countries analyzed, both Colombia and Peru had the highest percentage of travelers who would only feel safe when flying from 2022 onwards, With 11 percent.
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On the other hand, the survey showed that the biggest concern in choosing the next travel destination is still places that have safety, health and hygiene policies, with 27.47 percent of responses, a percentage that in the case of Colombia and Peru it stood at 26 percent.
In this second survey, places that are not too crowded was a new option included, Which ended up receiving the second highest mention (22.5 percent), ahead of flexibility if it is necessary to change plans, which came in second in June, and which in Colombia and Peru had 19 percent .
In turn, price remains an important equation in the destination choice process (18.12 percent), unlike places that offer good hospital care, which again came in last.
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But in the case of Colombia, flexibility in travel and making them early had 21 percent of mentions, While the price marked 20 percent of the mentions of travelers consulted.
“Due to the financial impact caused by the pandemic, these travelers will be more cautious, as the price of tourist products will be a third decisive factor, even above the concurrence of the place or if it has hospital care or emergency, ”notes one of the survey’s findings in these two countries.
Traveling at the last minute, a habit that goes down
Another relevant fact from the survey has to do with the change in habits that the pandemic generated when planning your trip.
“A famous habit seems to have been hit hard by the pandemic: abandoning the myth of solving everything at the last minute, 27 percent of respondents say they intend to resolve the trip at least six months in advance, ”he adds.
In Argentina, the largest percentage (27 percent) of respondents intend to make travel plans 3 months in advance, which, overall, was the second most voted option (21 percent). In this option, Colombia and Peru had 22 percent; Mexico, 20 percent. And Brazil, 22 percent.
When it comes to managing travel, planning only and directly with hotels, airlines continue to be the most chosen option in the region (58 percent), up eight percentage points from the June survey.
In Colombia and Peru this answer was given by 51 percent of respondents, in Brazil the percentage was 71 percent, in Mexico it said 54 percent, while in Argentina and Chile the lowest percentage was given, with 33 percent.
It is followed by traditional travel agencies, well ahead of online travel agencies (OTAs). In the former, 46 percent would pay for full packages and 19 percent would buy everything with an OTA.
Domestic destinations and Europe, the main ones
When analyzing the most desired type of trip, those made within the country itself remain the first, although they went from 60 percent in June to 47 percent in October, according to the firm Interamerican Network.
In this way, Europe remains second, and has grown from 14 percent to 21 percent in Latin American traveler preferences, Which for the signature may show some acceptance by the public of this new way of traveling.
“The destinations that were wiped off the map by the pandemic, according to the responses, are mainly found in Europe and the United States,” the survey document adds.
But in Colombia and Peru the situation is different as only 38 percent consider traveling somewhere in their own country, While 16 percent plan to do so in Europe and 15 percent in the United States, as this country remains the main destination abroad for the Colombian traveler.
When asked about the impact of the pandemic on travel, only Brazilians believe the changes will be few and not significant, with 53.94 percent of responses.
But overall, most Latin American tourists believe there will be one before and one after the pandemic and that travel will be totally different (53.78 percent).
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Omar G. SMOKE RED
Deputy Editor of Economics and Business at EL TEMPS
On Twitter: @omarahu