Survey shows optimism regarding future travel
A recent survey indicates that travel optimism is high, with 77 per cent of travellers expecting to make a trip by the end of October
Global Rescue, which provides medical, security, intelligence, and crisis response services, conducted a survey of its members and also found that many would be willing to take measures that they would not necessarily have been prepared to take previously, in order to restart travel.
Many travellers are planning to hit the road again this summer and they are willing to share personal medical history and travel plans to help keep themselves and those around them safe
For example, it found that many would-be travellers are prepared to divulge personal medical information in order to keep themselves safe, with 91 per cent willing to subject themselves to screening and testing, 73 per cent willing to disclose medical conditions related to a compromised immune system, and 93 per cent willing to share their past 14-day travel history. In addition, 58 per cent of members are willing to have their physical location tracked and traced with data temporarily retained
“Many travellers are planning to hit the road again this summer and they are willing to share personal medical history and travel plans to help keep themselves and those around them safe,” said Global Rescue CEO Dan Richards.
When it comes to expectations around travel, the company found that 77 per cent are expecting to make a trip by the end of October, while 41 per cent expect to make their next trip by July or earlier and 36 per cent are planning their initial trip sometime between August and October.
Less than nine per cent of members said they believe their earliest post-pandemic trip will be during the holiday months of November and December, while less than seven per cent expect to make their first trip sometime between January and March 2021 and seven per cent predict their next trip won’t be until sometime after April 2021.
This suggests that, on the whole, travellers are optimistic that they will be able to restart travel in the not too distant future. And when it comes to coveted trips, most travellers are planning to take domestic trips – and 75 per cent of trips are expected to be family vacations, leisure trips to visit friends or destination getaways.
When the travel cogs start turning again, it’s important that safety is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, both consumer and industry. Medical data sharing may certainly assist with this and it’s encouraging to learn that many travellers are willing to divulge this information. There is certain to be some level of wariness around travel, and a need to re-learn how to feel comfortable around large groups of people such as in airports and in airplanes, but there is no doubt that lessons have been learned and travel may become the safest it has ever been.