If Only’s Gordon McCreadie ponders social distancing, flexible working and video appointments
Who else has forgotten what ‘normal’ feels like? I’ve done my best to see the positives of the current situation – more time with the family, long walks with the dog and a break from the daily commute – but lockdown has also given me plenty of time to think.
Like most of us, I’ve been looking to the future, and dreaming of getting back into a routine. The more I’ve thought about it, however, the more I’ve come to the conclusion that going back to ‘normal’ isn’t an option, not just for me, but for the travel industry as a whole.
The challenging circumstances around Covid-19 have undeniably highlighted our industry’s strengths – solidarity, adaptability and commitment to our customers – but it’s flagged some shortfalls too. From lack of clarity around insurance policies, to the need for greater crisis management procedures, I think we’d all agree we’re living in a period of inevitable change. The question is, what does the future look like, and is it possible to define the new ‘normal’ for our beloved industry?
Predicting the future
The new look of the industry is becoming increasingly hard to predict. As operators, agents, hoteliers and airlines adapt and react to the current situation, it’s clear we won’t simply be able to pick up where we left off when all of this is over.
Airlines, in particular, will be faced with difficult decisions over social distancing measures once destinations do slowly start to reopen to tourists.
Do they leave every second seat empty in order to keep a distance between passengers? And if so, for how long would that be financially viable? If aircraft are forced to fly at half capacity, it’s inevitable carriers will start to struggle, and we’ll be likely to see failures across the industry.
The government has to step up in terms of support – it may be the time has come for a dedicated outbound tourism minister.
It’s also hard to say how high street agencies will fare in the coming weeks. On the one hand, the desire to social distance may deter customers from visiting agents in-store, and push them towards platforms such as web, social media and email to book their future trips. On the flipside, as a nation, we have all started to truly appreciate the value of social interaction since lockdown was implemented, so it may be the high street will make a dramatic and unprecedented comeback, as customers crave those face-to-face relationships. What’s more, challenges over rebooking and amendments over the last few weeks have demonstrated the value of booking with a travel agent, encouraging customers to place their trust in a professional.
Adapting to circumstances
Even the most technically challenged among us have had to get to grips with technology over the past month, and it’s highlighted the ease and value of virtual interaction. For many parents, or workers with a lengthy commute, the move to homeworking may have come as a breath of fresh air.
As an industry, we’ve shown ourselves to be extremely adaptable, which will hopefully lead to more flexible working conditions in the future – a silver lining for sure. It’s also likely that the general public will continue to adhere to or maintain social distancing measures for quite some time, so we need to be prepared to connect with customers wherever they are, and this means placing more of a focus on social media and other digital platforms.
Who knows, we could even see some agencies hosting video calls with customers in place of walk‑ins and, hopefully, we’ll see record-breaking sales inspired by social media.
Now, more than ever, people need something to look forward to. But I believe customers’ travel tastes will change. Never before have we been so aware of keeping our distance from others.
When it is safe to travel again, people will still want to avoid the crowds and will opt for private villa escapes, or boutique properties where they are guaranteed more exclusivity.
Yearning to travel
Having said that, the current situation has done little to dampen our general wanderlust. As a nation, we love to travel, and a lot of my time in isolation has been spent dreaming of my first cold beer on sunnier shores. I’m clearly not alone – we’re definitely seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, with the number of bookings and enquiries slowly but surely on the rise.
Without doubt, our industry is fulfilling an essential role – providing the nation with hope, inspiration and something to look forward to.