Skyscanner’s new world of travel

SINGAPORE, 28 September 2020: No Nobel Prizes for telling us tourism will never look the same, but Skyscanner’s new report “The New World of Travel” identifies the shift in trends and hands out a few interesting takeaways.

Claiming the study identifies meaningful travel and aviation trends impacting the sector right now, Skyscanner CEO, Moshe Rafiah, says in the preamble:  “Where they are able and willing, travellers are pioneering new ways to explore the world. Whether it’s shortening the timeframe in which they plan and take a trip, tackling complex risk assessments before deciding to travel, or expecting previously unseen levels of clarity to ensure confidence in their booking, the new shape of travel is emerging.”

Takeaways

One-way trips
Searches for one-way travel peaked in March but continue to trend upward, with domestic travel intent increasing globally against a backdrop of changing travel restrictions. And amid ongoing uncertainty, travellers are also looking to get away in much shorter timeframes than ever before.

Economics of travel
Search patterns for domestic, regional and international flights indicate that recovery will be multispeed, tied to the global economy and driven by low-cost carriers. These disruptive players will lead the category’s recovery, owing to their business models. At the same time, there are signs of a  decline in business travel revenue.

Weighing the risks
Those willing to travel must have an appetite for risk. Factors across five categories – health, financial, social, ethical and recreational are now top of mind. This is shaping a new demographic of travellers – male travellers are more likely to book than female (54%) and those with children are more likely to book than those without (55%) according to Skyscanner’s Covid-19 traveller sentiment data.

New norms 
Research reveals that sustainable travel is no longer top of mind for many travellers. But as destinations previously suffering from overtourism begin to re-open, there is an opportunity to redesign old travel patterns for the benefit of local communities, the environment and tourists alike.

Download a copy of the full report here.