Yajnesh Talapady 
Covid has left long-lasting impressions on travel. But what actually are those changes and how can we cope with them?
Content
When the Coronavirus first made itself known, the world didn’t take it very seriously. Unlike the great tragedies of the past, Covid didn’t culminate in one big catastrophic event and die off afterward.
Rather, it slowly snaked its way into every home, hotel, and office until it took over the world. Consequently creating a global health crisis that affected everything humans did, travel being one of them.
The travel industry took a nosedive as it was one of those industries that operated on the concept of people leaving their homes. From mask-wearing flight crews to hand sanitizing stations in hotel lobbies, COVID-19 has changed travel and is still doing so.
But even though the damage inflicted by the virus was deep, the travel industry is gradually getting back on its feet.
According to a survey conducted in December 2021, 58% of Americans feel comfortable going on a vacation. Travel is becoming safer even with Covid around as more people get vaccinated, get used to safety protocols, and the effect of the virus mitigates.
As the world gets accustomed to traveling again, there are some long-lasting changes the travel industry is going through. FareFirst, as a robust and comprehensive travel partner, is doing all it can to keep up with those changes and help the world at large to engage in safe and accessible travel.
Indus App Bazaar is helping travel apps like FareFirst to reach the right customers and helping customers with finding affordable and safe travel.
So, in this article, we will talk about five different ways COVID-19has changed travel and what FareFirstis doing to help.
Travel Partners: The Most Reliable Way To Travel
One big change in the world of travel that COVID-19 has brought is an increased reliance on travel partners. It is easy for people to look for hotels and flights independently. But, with so many countries, airlines, and hotels having different Covid protocols regarding vaccines and testing, it has become increasingly confusing for people to do it all on their own.
Therefore, many people now find it easier to book with travel partners like FareFirst after the pandemic.
More importantly, FareFirst has partnered with multiple airlines and travel agents to always stay in the loop. This has allowed more and more people to travel because keeping up with local restrictions, guidelines, and protocols — all the while staying safe — has now become easy.
Need for a More Flexible and Insured Journey
Covid, and everything related to it, is fast changing. In a matter of days, a country allowing international flights might close its airspace and restrict travel. One day cases seem to be dying down, and the next day there’s a new variant.
This is the condition of travel right now.
After compromising for so long on not traveling anywhere, people are now more concerned about spending their hard-earned money for booking flights and hotels, only to learn later that they have been canceled and the fees are non-refundable.
FareFirst understands that very well, and to make travel more accessible, easy, and confident, it has partnered with various airlines to provide a full refund in case of unforeseen cancellations or Covid-related modifications.
Ethical Tourism is Here to Stay
Travelers and tourists have long affected their host countries’ local environment, culture, and society. But now, post-covid travel is making people more aware of this fact.
As countries that rely heavily on tourism are getting back on their feet, people are extra careful to avoid the spread of Covid and jeopardize the host country’s efforts.
This has given rise to ethical tourism, which can be seen as a positive side effect of COVID-19. At FareFirst, with robust systems in place to keep the travelers up to speed with the latest Covid-related restrictions and protocols, we are playing our part in making ethical tourism more and more common.
A More Private Kind of Travel
As per a U.S Travel Association survey conducted in May 2020, travelers prefer to stay in vacation rentals, apartments, and guest houses. Globally, there has been a rise in people who avoid staying in big hotels and visiting crowded areas to avoid the possibility of getting infected.
At FareFirst, we list various lodging options whenever our users search for places to stay. From apart-hotels to guest houses, there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from that are comparatively more private.
As part of our bigger strategy for making safe travel easily accessible, we are doing all it takes to adapt to changes post-Covid travel has in store for us.
Safety Protocols Will Reign Supreme
Masks on airplanes and in hotels, permanent sanitizing stations, proof of vaccinations, and all the other necessary Covid safety protocols are the most obvious post-Covid changes, and they are not going anywhere anytime soon.
Eventually, it will become the new normal, even if some factions of society are currently adamant about these changes. People are getting more cautious as these changes become ingrained into the everyday lives of domestic and international travelers.
FareFirst will ensure that any flight or hotel reservation will meet the necessary Covid safety protocols. They also inform people of all the latest protocols at a particular establishment so that they are always aware of how safe they will be while checking off their travel bucket list.
Final Word
The changes to travel that Covid has brought can seem annoying and confusing, but in some ways, Covid has also affected travel positively. As the world is opening itself to travel, there is a greater need to follow best practices, adapt to the changes, and make travel easier and more accessible.
That is FareFirst’s biggest concern. Always striving to be more than just a hotel and flight booking service, FareFirst is making sure that each step in a customer’s travel journey in 2022 is filled with pleasant memories and unforgettable experiences, even with Covid around.
So to add to your travel delight, Indus App Bazaar and FareFirst are teaming up to provide an exclusive discount of 5%* on any flight or hotel booking. Download the app to avail the discount.
Happy Travels!
[Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash]
FareFirst is awarded as Best App in the Huawei AppsUp competition.