Holidaymakers are yearning for “normadic” travel
The pandemic has changed many notions of travel and turned luxurious dreams of small islands and far-flung exotic trips on their head. So far, there are three emerging trends in 2020, which will continue into 2021.
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Normadic travel
What used to be considered inconsequential trips—to the supermarket, to the office or to school—have taken on mammoth significance in the pandemic. And it’s created a trend for what Suitcase Magazine describes as “normadic travel”, a yearning for what used to be considered standard, uninspiring and dull and what nobody used to want to Instagram; cheap rosé wine, sticky carpets and recirculated air.
In that vein, two websites offer a taste of normadic travel; WindowSwap and TakeMeElsewhere, where you can gaze out of the window from homes all around the world, from apartment blocks in St Petersburg to houses in Swiss valleys.
Pet Power
During lockdown, there has been a surge in demand for rescue dogs and as The New York Times reported, dog sitters are unavailable in the pandemic and so, if people travel, the dog must come too.
Google has seen a huge upward trend in searches for ‘dog friendly hotels’ and ‘best dog vacations’ and many hotels are moving quickly to accommodate man’s best friend.
In the city of Reno in Nevada, for example, the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel has introduced a “Who Let The Dogs Out?” package including plush doggie beds, dog pizza, infused water, treats and a Bark Breakfast on deck overlooking the Truckee river and hundreds of dog-friendly trails.
Or for people heading to St Barts in the Caribbean, there’s Le Barthelemy Hotel & Spa, where dogs get their own reserved sun loungers, fresh fish and doggy paddle boards.
Dogs are the new “must have” travel companion
Private aviation company VistaJet reported a 68% increase in dog travel year-over-year from 2019 to 2020 and has introduced its VistaPet program offering animals who travel, care kits, sleep mats, balanced menus, and even providing ‘fear of flying courses’ to help animals feel at home in the air.
Subscription schemes for holidays
In uncertain economic times, many restaurants and cafés are turning to subscription models to encourage customer loyalty and offer discounts in return. Now some travel companies are starting subscription services, much in the same way as Netflix, where you can save for your holiday via monthly payments.
Global guided vacation company, Trafalgar, has partnered with Uplift to offer a Pay Monthly subscription which let’s you lock in to the price that you want, paying a downpayment of one twelfth of the price and then paying off the remainder in eleven further installments. There aren’t any penalties for early repayment.