Will we return to saturated beaches?
Large companies in the travel industry have been optimistic the last few weeks after receiving the announcements of the effectiveness of some of the coronavirus vaccines , but they agree on the idea that to recover mass tourism we have to work on the confidence of travelers (and we will hardly reach 2019 levels very soon, for now we will have to wait). In this, much will have to do with the evolution of vaccines, vaccinations and the new interests of travelers.
Right now 155 experimental vaccines are being tested in laboratories and ten are in the final phase of clinical trials , something that is truly exceptional: the development of a vaccine can take about ten years and research deadlines have been accelerated, offering results in less than a year.
Once the formula capable of preventing infections has been achieved, the vaccines have to go through clinical trials testing their effectiveness in a certain number of patients, get the green light from national and international regulatory bodies, find a way of manufacturing and distributing . Among the most advanced vaccines to date, those of Pfizer and BioNTech, that of Moderna, and that of Oxford and Astrazeneca . The results of the trials have not yet been published in scientific journals, but these companies have released statements highlighting the level of effectiveness of their projects and are seeking an "emergency authorization" to start its distribution as soon as possible.
The other side of the world, Russian Gamaleya and Bektop vaccines are patented and will begin to be supplied soon among the population, while the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac they are beginning to be distributed among the health workers, the military and civil servants.
It is not clear when we will be able to get vaccinated, because everything will depend on the evolution of all this work . The The World Health Organization anticipates that in the summer of next year it will be possible to start vaccinating groups at risk and that in 2022 it will reach the majority of the population , although governments have been much more optimistic and have announced that the first doses could be supplied " at the end of this year”.
The Spanish government has announced that the vaccination campaign will start in January , when the first doses are expected to be received. It seeks to get the 70% of the population, about 30 million people, is vaccinated in June approximately.
After hearing this news, we travelers have encouraged ourselves by going back to look for places to go on vacation , since we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel of this exceptional year. Perhaps we will not go very far, because vaccination schedules will change from one place to another on the globe, in some places it will take longer to arrive, and 2021 will continue to be a complex year . But if everything goes its way, we will travel.
THE INCREASE IN SEARCHES AND BOOKINGS FOR TRAVEL IN 2021
As explained to Traveler Jo McClintock , Senior Director, Global Travel Search Engine Brand skyscanner , although it must be borne in mind that these are the first days and it is not known how the trend will continue, they have begun to register “ a 29% weekly increase in all travel searches from Spain”.
The popular destinations for short-haul flights are practically all domestic: Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and London. Long distance: Buenos Aires, New York, Cancún, Mexico City and Bogotá.
Mexico will always be on the list of favorite destinations for Spaniards
Vacation rental agency Rent , has registered an increase in the number of reservations and “basically in the short term”, a trend of 2020 that is expected to be the same in 2021, as explained by Pepe Pont, co-founder and co-CEO of the company.
reservations last minute will vary depending on the news and optimism that are given, but Pont considers that the forecasts for summer 2021 "are better than the ones we had just a month ago" , thanks to these ads, of course.
In the opinion of Marco Táboas, specialist in strategy and business transformation with experience in the sector, mass tourism will take longer to return, "because the memory of the fear of contagion, even if the vaccine arrives, it will cost to disappear and practically nobody is interested in being in crowded places right now”.
In the summer of 2020 we have seen how many people have preferred to return to the town, be in contact with nature, camping or farmhouses , instead of the classic places on the coast that are crowded every year, a trend that Táboas believes will continue in 2021.
In Spain, the destinations are working towards their campaign for next year so that the traveler feels safer during their vacations, so that 2021 is more organized and orderly than the previous one, now that we have more experience in this regard.
From the Andalusian Government , for example, are seeking to avoid falling into past mistakes that were stressing tourism sustainability , As the overtourism , the touristification or, derived from the above, the tourismphobia , presenting a sustainable tourism plan to grow in an orderly way. Marketing actions are also being redesigned towards the local tourism and the projection of the Community as a trusted destination.
Mallorca will bet on applications to measure the forum of the beaches
Tourism Tenerife is betting on outdoor sports activities that combine and complement the traditional offer of sun and beach , Meanwhile in Majorca they are working to reinforce the security of the ports and airports, so that the fact of taking a boat or plane to get to the island does not undermine the confidence in the safety of travellers.
As the Conseller of Tourism of the Consell de Mallorca explains to Traveler, Andrew Serra , summer 2021 will launch an application of safe beaches throughout the island that will provide information on the conditions of the beaches and capacity.
From December 20, just before the Christmas holidays , everyone who visits the Balearic and Canary Islands will have to undergo health checks at ports and airports, in the same way as travelers from abroad are already required . The proof will be free for residents of the islands and both governments have established agreements with laboratories on the Peninsula so that residents who travel for the Christmas holidays can have a PCR performed for free, although if they travel without that test, they can also choose to keep a ten-day quarantine or they would be given an antigen test upon arrival without penalty , as long as they are not traveling for tourism. In principle, the measure can last until May, the date on which the state of alarm ends.
Táboas considers that these measures must be accompanied by something else because security is not only achieved by imposing rules, but also by showing travelers that these rules are followed at the destination. Right now, " in some Spanish airports the PCRs are not being requested and many terraces of bars and restaurants are full ”, Some images that in his opinion throw back those who seek to follow the rules”. Trust will be the key.
Tenerife will bet on outdoor activities