The coronavirus pandemic not only altered the aeronautical industry’s forecasts, for which traditional business flights and mass events would be reduced in the coming years, but also generated changes in passenger habits, which now look at other variables when planning their flights.
Before the outbreaks in Europe, a survey conducted by the 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 from these nations (26.9%) considered single trips when there is 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 vaccination), because this option has marked 15 percent in these two countries, while in Brazil the percentage was 29 percent; in Mexico, 30 percent; and Argentina and Chile, 25%.
Further, the percentage of people who would feel safe to travel again in the first half of 2021 reached 35% in Colombia and Peru, while 22 percent said they would do so in the second half of next year.
However, of the six countries analyzed, both Colombia and Peru had the highest percentage of travelers who would feel safe only when flying from 2022, by 11 percent.
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On the other hand, the survey showed that the biggest concern in choosing the next travel destination continues to be places with safety, health and hygiene policies, with 27.47 percent of responses, a percentage that in the case of Colombia and Peru it was 26%.
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 plans need to be changed, which came in second in June and had 19 percent in Colombia and Peru .
In turn, price continues to be an important equation in the process of choosing a destination (18.12 percent), unlike places that offer good hospital care, which came back in last place.
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But in the case of Colombia, flexibility in travel and taking them ahead of time had 21 percent of mentions, while the price marked 20% of the mentions of the passengers consulted.
“Due to the financial impact caused by the pandemic, these travelers will be more cautious, as the price of tourism products will be a third decisive factor, even over local competition or if they have hospital or emergency care,” said one of the survey’s findings. two countries.
Travel at the last minute, usually descending
Another relevant piece of information from the survey is related to the usual change generated by the pandemic when you plan your trip.
“A famous custom seems to have been hit hard by the pandemic: abandoning the myth of solving everything at the last moment, 27 percent of those interviewed say they intend to resolve the trip at least six months in advance, “he added.
In Argentina, the highest percentage (27 percent) of respondents intend to make travel plans 3 months in advance, which was generally the second most voted option (21 percent). In this option, Colombia and Peru had 22 percent; Mexico, 20%. And Brazil, 22%.
When it comes to travel management, individual and direct hotel planning, airlines continue to be the most popular option in the region (58%), up eight percentage points from the June survey.
In Colombia and Peru, this response was given by 51% of those surveyed, in Brazil the percentage was 71%, in Mexico it was 54%, while in Argentina and Chile it was the lowest percentage, with 33%.
Traditional travel agencies follow, well ahead of online travel agencies (OTAs). In the first, 46 percent would pay for the complete 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 in the country itself remain the first, although they went from 60 percent in June to 47 percent in October, according to the Interamerican Network.
In this regard, Europe remains second and has grown from 14% to 21% in Latin American travelers’ preferences, which for the company can demonstrate a certain acceptance by the public of this new way of traveling.
“The destinations that were deleted from the map by the pandemic, according to the answers, are mainly in Europe and the United States,” the survey document added.
But in Colombia and Peru the situation is different, because only 38% consider that they travel somewhere in their own country, while 16% expect to travel to Europe and 15% to the United States, as this country continues to be the main destination abroad for Colombian travelers.
When asked about the impact of the pandemic on travel, only Brazilians believe the changes will be few and not significantly, with 53.94 percent of responses.
But overall, most tourists in Latin America believe that there will be a before and after pandemic and that travel will be completely different (53.78 percent).
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ÓMAR G. RED SMOKING
Deputy Editor of Economics and Business at EL TIEMPO
On Twitter: @omarahu