Financial situations worsening for consumers has been widely discussed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many consumers managed to bypass this financial squeeze and have incidentally become efficient savers. This trend should not be overlooked by tourism companies which need to realize that not all travelers will be wanting a budget-friendly option for their next holiday, according to data and analytics company GlobalData.
With saved cash that has accumulated during the pandemic, many travelers may be planning to spend more than usual on their next trip. According to GlobalData’s survey, when global respondents were asked if they were concerned about their personal financial situation, 13% stated that they were “not concerned.” Although this is still significantly less than the 34% that stated they are “extremely concerned,” it means that more than one in 10 of the global travel market could be financially unaffected by the pandemic and have even saved a considerable amount.
“Many of the travelers that make up this 13% are likely to be white-collar workers that can work effectively at home,” said Ralph Hollister, travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData. “Due to spending the vast majority of their time being confined to their homes in the past year, the urge to travel would have built up. This urge, combined with a significant increase in savings, could mean that many of these travelers will have developed a ‘treat yourself’ mentality, to combat the impact of the pandemic which has increased boredom and frustration for many. This mentality could be present as these consumers start planning their next holiday, which could result in them spending more on room upgrades, business class flights and higher quality rental vehicles.”
He continued, ”As well as saving money on commuting, eating out and on other recreational activities, many of these consumers who have been unaffected by the pandemic have also saved by not booking a holiday last year, or by having their cancelled trip refunded. This could mean that for their next trip, they will go bigger and better on more luxurious travel services and products. This trend could also be driven by a ‘now or never’ mentality, as when travelers have the opportunity to go on holiday, they will spend significantly more and stay for longer in case another situation like the COVID-19 pandemic reoccurs.”