Have the skies opened up completely in the post-pandemic period? Will travel be the same as it was before Covid? Although Covid-19 variants continue to circulate the world, people have lost their fear of the virus and are eager to hit the road and fly to their favorite vacation spots. Many countries have begun to ease travel restrictions and reopen their borders cautiously. Some countries that rely heavily on foreign exchange are going to great lengths to ensure that tourists have a pleasant experience when they visit. Through their TravShield program, travel companies in India such as Thomas Cook India and SOTC maintain strict safety protocols to restore customer confidence in travel.
According to a report by the travel and hospitality technology platform OYO, sustained momentum in business travel is now visible, with a jump-start in business activities across all industries since January 2022. Within the business travel category, the three largest constituents are corporate employees (29%), small business owners (17.7%), and government employees (12.3%).
According to some online research, many potential travelers are already looking for the best deals to travel to their preferred destination. With increased air connectivity from many cities to more international destinations, some first-time visitors are planning vacations to places like Bangkok, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Because these are not far away, most young couples plan a quick trip to these locations.
According to Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head, Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services, & Innovation – Thomas Cook (India) & SOTC, with the easing of restrictions combined with strong pent-up travel desire, we saw a 30-40% increase in demand compared to pre-pandemic levels. Travel sentiment is at an all-time high among families, young professionals/millennials, and couples/DINKS, with corporate MICE groups also showing signs of life.
According to Manoj Agarwal, Head of Asset Management at InterGlobe Hotels, the year 2022 began on a low note due to the third Omicron wave, but the industry saw a sharp recovery from March onwards. There was pent-up demand from all business segments except inbound, which led to green shoots for the industry.
Himank Tripathi, President-External Affairs at EaseMyTrip, believes that positive sentiment toward travel will continue and that EaseMyTrip expects significant travel growth in addition to significant pent-up demand. We have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and the number of bookings continues to rise month after month.
The industry is still recovering from the pandemic, and the increased ATF is causing concern. On the other hand, travel sentiment is high, and they are proceeding with their plans. We at EaseMyTrip do not believe in extravagant marketing spending and prefer to be transparent to pass on the benefits to our customers and provide honest pricing.
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