COVID-19 TOURISM. Where should I go after this Pandemic Crisis will end?

COVID-19 TOURISM. Where should I go after this Pandemic Crisis will end?

On the background fact of world in chaos, where certainly all human activity industries have been impacted by virus, we are going to find out what is going to happen with Tourism?

Precisely within the next two years, (that’s how much time it might take, stated scientists forecasting) will be revaluation of tourist market and their preferences. Nobody wants to travel into the countries where risk of being infected or get any sickness are and will be high, as we know unfortunately many of them (with obvious reason) are not prepared enough for these circumstances. One of the points is that, countries where visitors stayed could not protect and secure them, simple example – situation with Russian tourists in Montenegro, where they unlikely became captured hostages by political interests of last. Eventually this will cause considerably bad perspectives for tourist industry for Montenegro in the future.

Of course, we monitored countries which made multiple attempts for bring people back home, especially when EU gates were closed. Some of them did well, some of them didn’t. Most successful results have shipping companies. For example, Estonian passenger shipping company «Tallinnk» which quickly organized evacuation of tourists from Germany back to Baltics for normal price. Outsiders are civil passenger aviation industry, not only they raised fares for flights, they even throwed responsibility on insurance firms, during hard times, when people don’t have money to get back home. There are a lot of examples you’ll find. They should slow down hunger and judge the situation reasonably, very sad that even in crisis times we still have others who want to make money on this.

TOURISM. What 2020 will bring us?

As I said earlier, preferences will be changing, that’s undisputed fact. We can tell, no one will be stay at home forever, no one will stop travelling. Where tourists will pay attention to? There are three phases of situation development. Right now, we can see that more people get interested in “House travel” (Travel within a country). When you can’t go to neighbour countries, you most likely will move towards the regions, which are famous for Wellness and SPA-centres, green climate, nature.

Mixed and special tours should be mentioned, when one tour will contain active rest and historical tropes of the land, also vacation + gastronomic tourism. Plenty of variants, depending on your opportunities and preferences! That is how first phase looks now.

Second phase will be launched when people would be able to race outside of the country, as soon as planes, coaches, rails resumes to work on regular level, first people are going to visit “neighbours”. It’s going to be Finland, Sweden and Scandinavia, Baltic states and North-West of Russian Federation.

Simply assume that, second phase will provide a chance to take a new look on a familiar place and to get better known of what you think you knew well before. Here we can point, that almost at the same time a will to drive somewhere far...which could be named as phase number three. From this point I strongly recommend looking on countries which act in a timely manner during virus epidemic period and enough contributed to make situation around stabilised, as well as suitable budget options.

What countries are safe to go to after pandemic?

Not a secret, that even now there are “clean” countries, for example Uzbekistan, where on 34m population, infected by COVID-19 only 23 men! (Date middle of March). Worth to mention that all countries of the Middle Asia have smallest infection index per person! You can say, that for your money, you’ll get enough, especially perfect climate! Unbelievable landscapes, rich by historical heritage and legacy and preferably food experience. Therefore, mark for yourself Middle Asia! More strictly want to have your attention on Caucasian lands: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan. Tours orientated on these countries will be highly demanded, because here as in the Middle Asia, linked many advantages: budget, history, climate, F&B, nature, landscapes. To summarise you’ll find many choices where go to, only thing is that you need to prepare in advance and decide what you want and where you want it.

If we talk about longer and more far trips, I can suggest, that tours on magnificent «Baikal» lake are fantastic proposal, which will be on demand for sure! What about to see Russia in one piece using «Trans-Siberia-magistral» then? Good to remember, that priority in travelling to see far lands and open spaces, not only huge cities with infrastructure, it builds a full frame of way of life for certain regions. These tours should be in favourite list of every modern traveller.

In every case, everybody wins at the same time, travellers and travel agencies, who would be able to propose you modified offers due to live changing markets together with trends. One thing I would guarantee with best of my belief – Tourism existed, exist and will be, there is nothing that can change humans interest to explore new states, culture, history with all heritage and legacies, tastes will change, yes, but will to travel will stay forever.

19.03.2020

Author: Dmitri Lebedev

Translation: Nikita Artjuhhov