TRAVEL AFTER COVID in India
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is currently working on new health protocols in an aim to form the travel experience and also provide people with strong reassurances when travelling in the post-coronavirus period we are told.
The WTTC expects to announce the new protocols in the next two weeks and share them with governments globally, so there is a coordinated approach to travelling within the Covid-19 world.
The new protocols are part of the WTTC’s plan called “Travelling in the New Normal”, which includes critical steps, coordinated actions and new standards that see to offer a safe and responsible road to recovery for the global Travel & Tourism sector as consumers start planning trips again.
As countries begin to end their Covid-19 lockdowns and ease travel restrictions, WTTC expects the sector to face a gradual return to travel over the coming months as a “new normal” emerges before a vaccine becomes available on a mass scale, large enough to inoculate billions of people.
However, according to WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara, a quick and effective restart of travel will only happen if governments around the world agree to a common set of health protocols developed by the private sector.
“These must provide the reassurance travellers and authorities need, using new technology, to offer hassle-free, pre-vaccine ‘new normal’ travel in the short term,” Guevara said.
The new health protocols
The new protocols and standards are being defined following feedback and multiple conversations with WTTC Members, as well collaboration from associations who represent the different travel sectors.
To offer world-class cleanliness, improved hygiene standards and ensure guest safety, hotels are developing protocols based on learnings from offering free rooms to frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
There will be new protocols for check-in involving digital technology; hand sanitiser stations at frequent points including where luggage is stored; contactless payment instead of cash; using stairs more often than lifts where the 2 meter rule can be harder to maintain; and fitness equipment being moved for greater separation among other examples.
Cruise operators will take further measures to ensure ships are always free of Covid-19 including staff wearing gloves which are then frequently changed, and more frequent room cleaning.
Travellers at airports will find themselves tested before they fly and upon arrival at their destination airport. They can expect to see social distancing measures at the airport and during boarding, as well as wearing masks while onboard.
Aircraft will also be subject to intensive cleansing regimes. These measures will be combined with contact-tracing, via mobile app, that will allow flights to leave airports coronavirus-free.
According to WTTC, the new protocols have been developed using experience from China’s initial recovery and from new successful standards used by retailers.
To speed up the global recovery WTTC said it will continue to work closely with the G20, EU, international organisations and governments around the world to help translate the new protocols into easily adopted public policies by each country while adhering to common global standards.
Collaborators to the new protocols include the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Airport Council International (ACI), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), United States Travel Association (USTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health experts have also contributed by providing their experience from various global medical crises.
IN INDIA it is thought the domestic market will recover first – hopefully by the second half of this year with increased hygiene protocol from all travel partners, physical distancing norms in place, and so on. It is doubtful international travel will revive till the vaccine is freely available. Assuredly, guests will gravitate to brands that are implementing enhanced sanitation/hygiene protocols. Indian Government policy on visas, etc. will also play a role in encouraging international travel – further easing and a reduction in fees, will instigate or encourage demand, it is felt.
The pandemic has meant there is going to be some profound changes in the travelling world and the hotel business. From the Indian perspective it could be:
1. Prove you are healthy. Right now, it seems that testing and determining who has had the virus, who has the antibodies, who has a fever, etc., is the path forward to re-opening our world. Will we need to be tested before we travel? Will we need to prove we have had the vaccine or antibodies before we get on a plane in the future? How will hotels receive guests? Will we all need proof we are healthy before we can interact with one another? I can see that this would be a possibility. What will that mean for hotels, restaurants and bars?
2. Cleanliness scores. In the past two decades, we have seen the social media phenonium of service scores and customer ranking of our hotel world that has had a major impact on how we are perceived by the public. I think going forward that the same applies to our cleanliness. The brand and hotels that have the highest cleanliness scores will be in higher demand by the public. I see a boom in the way this information is collected and used.
3. Cleaning methods. How we clean our rooms and facilities now is probably not what will work going forward. The public and our governments will demand higher and more transparent cleaning standards. Our industry must do better, and perceptions need to change. The brand and hotels with cleaner facilities win.
4. Room certifications. Our guests will be demanding clean rooms. We need to come up with a way to guarantee that our rooms are germ-free. I recently saw a video where a hospital room was being sanitized by a UV robot. Will our rooms need the same level of sanitation and evidence of the same? Will customers expect this and will our facilities with such abilities be able to charge a premium?
5. Healthy employees. We are already hearing that employers will need to ensure their employees are healthy before they are allowed back at work. Does this mean each day before we allow our staff to come inside our buildings that we need to screen them? How will we do this efficiently and what will it cost? The biggest liability going forward might be what is currently hold as the biggest asset. The Teams of people all go to their respective homes each day - to their unique environments and then they come back to the guests. How to ensure they are germ-free?
6. Touchless everything, like check-ins and guest room doors. Anything that can be done do to remove the need to touch surfaces like elevators, tv remotes, thermostats, car handles etc. will be welcome enhancements that are going to redefine the hospitality owners/groups/chains when it comes to clients choosing where to stay.
7. Surviving pandemic - Few people or segments of the global economy have been unscathed by the coronavirus outbreak, and that is particularly true of the travel industry. Tourism declined after the September 11 terrorist attacks and during the 2008 Great Recession. But then travel regained footing, first in local or regional journeys and eventually in international trips. Travellers first tend to venture out closer to home—if past trend lines are consistent—and visit their local eateries, stay regionally for a weekend getaway, or travel domestically before a robust demand for international travel returns.
8. Sustainable travel has been on the rise for years now. Not only is a global pandemic unlikely to change that—it could even make travelling sustainably seem more important than ever. We expect travellers to seek out vacations that connect them to others. People are going to want to network [with] local tours, trips with extended family. Sustainable travel movement will gather pace. While mass tourism is linked to climate change, over tourism, and conventional travel experiences, sustainable tourism offers a healthier alternative for communities and for the planet.
The hope for the industry is that, when the pandemic subsides, we will be able to explore the world with a renewed sense of mindfulness, curiosity, and appreciation.
The Tourism and Hospitality industry was first to be hit and will be last to recover so all in this business will have to be very patient.
It is felt Inbound business will start not before early next year and Outbound from Indian travellers from November 2020.
The first business we are hopeful of starting is the domestic business by mid July 2020.
And a starter would be – weekend getaways (Indians driving in the safety of their own cars to close by destinations around their cities for e.g. a Delhi person driving to a Jaipur or Corbett or Nainital resort for a weekend stay). Here again safety will be number one concern. Choice of hotel may be resorts outside cities with small room inventory preferable individual cottages.
This may be followed by Family Reunions as people would like to meet their close family and friends after almost 2 months of complete lock down.
Ministry of Tourism Government of India and State Government Tourism Departments should publish campaigns for promotion of safe destinations for domestic tourists.
The leadership of corporates may decide to hold small conferences to form strategy on their future business.
Travel agents are aware may have to redesign their packages and products, ensuring complete sanitization of vehicles, choose hotels carefully etc.
This will be slow process and learning for all in the huge Travel and Hospitality industry of India, how to change ways of doing business within the changing situation.
My own feeling is having explored and researched the Indian hospitality and tourism market over the last 20 years, that now travellers and discerning tourists from abroad will seek Wellness, Simplicity with Healthy Options, a certain type of Spirituality (not religious but a sense of purity). Of course, relaxation and adventure and enjoyment of different cuisines, swimming and adventure activities but, without the ‘hedonism’ of supreme luxury. Wildlife and Birdlife and enjoyment of Flora with, and appreciation of decent living and livelihoods for those who serve and work in the hospitality industry. Ayurveda and Meditation will have their parts to play. Heritage, exotica, shopping might be also rans currently.
This is the wake-up call and things are going to change BIG TIME.
Aline Dobbie
May 2020