Covid-19's impact on travel, what's next?

Over the last two years, I’ve had/have people ask me on a daily basis “how’s your business with all the Covid news?”. For those of you who don’t know, my company CustomTravelSolutions.com provides a white-labeled platform that power travel clubs for other organizations. So I’m thick in the travel space from many different angles. But when I’m asked the question, I typically turn my head away and say it’s been the best two years of our business. I turn my head in part because of shame…you see my brothers and sisters in the travel space have suffered irreparable harm over the last 24 months, and I’m sensitive. Apart from friends and families who have fallen ill or passed as a result of the virus 🦠 , businesses have been decimated, fortunes have been lost. It’s been hard to see my travel extended family suffer, while our company has flourished.

As vaccination rates, as well as antibody rates, rise the world is starting to open up. While I’m no scientist or expert in immunology, I do understand consumer trends, especially as they relate to travel bookings. I think we are on the cusp of a travel- consumption-tsunami. Several factors point to this; pent-up demand and saved cash from not having the ability to freely spend for a couple of years.

As Omicron ripped through the UK with vengeance residents suffered very high infection rates. I happened to be in London over Christmas, and the local press reported 1 in 20 Londoners being infected. Luckily we celebrated and departed unaffected. Omicron continued wreaking havoc through mid-Jan, then things began to change. Government began discussing relaxing over ambitious Covid testing requirements; we began to see a systemic shift in booking behaviors. UK-based suppliers are having a hard time keeping up with demand, the travel world had begun its healing. Today agents and suppliers are suggesting booking levels above pre-Covid levels.

The US has been slower to recover; our infection rates peaked later, our vaccination rates are lower which has caused a delay in the US’s inevitable blast off. It’s coming folks as we are starting to see some pre-curser results. It’s been a long road, but we should see a very strong pickup throughout the month of February and be in full swing by March.

Safe Travels!