The new age of travel: How seeing the world will change in 2021

The global coronavirus pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives and travel is one of them. Gone are the days of hopping on a plane for a quick weekend getaway.

Several new trends are emerging that will allow us to adapt to the “new normal” and change the way we travel in the future.

1. Flexi-Travel

Even with COVID-19 sweeping the globe, some people still need to travel for business purposes. However, no-one is eager to book and pay for flights, hotels, transfers and other travel necessities in such uncertain times.

Travel will become far more flexible to allow people to make reservations with peace of mind.  Tourists will pay more attention to the small print such as cancellation fees, booking changes and refund policies, and hopefully airlines and hotels will also be more flexible in their booking changes and cancellation policies.

Travel is going to have to get a lot more flexible. Image: Torsten Dettlaff/Pexels

2. Reunion Travel

With most countries’ borders opening and reclosing at the drop of a hat, gone are the days of planning a holiday according solely to satisfy personal dreams and desires, or to experience iconic landmarks, history and culture.

Future travel will see more trips planned to reunite with family, friends and loved ones who haven’t seen each other for weeks or months at a time due to the pandemic.  

Travelling to visit family and friends will become a priority over destination travel. Image: Dan/Kelli Oakley/Pixabay

3. Road Tripping

Despite strict health and safety protocols implemented across hotels, guesthouses and AirBnbs around the country, travellers may not be confident enough to share spaces with other people yet and prefer to stay in their own space. Enter the caravan or RV.

Many travellers may opt to invest in a caravan or recreational vehicle to get out and about, and explore the country. Road tripping allows you to experience places you may never normally see, and gives you the flexibility and freedom to stay where you want and for however long you like.

4. Camping  

South Africans have always loved camping and there is no better time than now to head out into the beautiful landscapes of our country. Camping allows you to be out in the fresh air, away from crowds of people,  and enjoy nature at its best.

South Africa is home to a wealth of fantastic camping grounds and remote campsites where you can completely escape from the world.

5. Work-ations

The pandemic has seen a distinctive shift from being office-bound to working remotely. Many office workers have moved to the wonderful world of remote working, which allows more flexibility and freedom to log in from any location.

The future of travel will see more “work-ations” as people take their laptops with them on holiday, and combine business and leisure as digital nomads.  

Work and holiday at the same time. Image: AdrienBe/Pixabay

6. Fam-cations

Families and friends who live together may want to travel together to stay in their safe “bubble” and so minimise the spread of COVID-19. This will enable travellers to spend time with people they know and trust while keeping safe.

Family holidays will become more prevalent. Image: Pexels/Pixabay

7. Virtual Travel

The past year has seen an increase in virtual travel as people take to the Internet to get their fix of favourite places. From virtual museum and art gallery tours to visiting exotic places around the world, the wonderful World Wide Web brings the world right into your own home.

All you need to do is kick back on the couch and let your eyes do the travelling.