Slowly but inevitably, countries around the world have started to impose restrictions on local and international travel. Bans and border restrictions have been put in place to help prevent the spread of the disease. 

Some questioned the wisdom of the decisions, saying that restrictions will only hamper the global effort to fight the coronavirus but as the population of countries began to be affected, governments were left with little choice.

Effect on Airlines and Other Industries

The travel restrictions are seriously affecting airlines and other industries that are dependent on global travel. President Trump’s announcement that European citizens will be banned from entering the United States was the worst blow to the airlines. The big airlines on both sides of the Atlantic will be suffering the most from the ban with many of the flights between Europe and the United States had to be cancelled.

Early in the year, the airline industry took a hit when most countries had to restrict travel to and from China. Now that the rest of the world is feeling the impact of the pandemic, there are fears over the future of global travel.

The Future of Travel

So is the future of global travel in jeopardy because of the pandemic?

According to a new survey, the problem with the coronavirus is just temporary and that once it’s over, travel will be back on the rebound. According to the survey, 58% of respondents said that they have plans for travelling from May until September of this year. They will still take precautions since 25% said that they will avoid the large cities and will not ride public transportation. 

The survey indicates that the demand for travel will be there once everything is clear and there is no longer any danger from the virus but there will be definite changes with how people will travel. Here are some likely changes that the travel industry might see:

• International travel will be lessened as more people will opt to travel domestically.
• Even when travelling domestically, people will prefer to go to nearby locations.
• More people will avoid popular destinations which can be crowded.

So, even if travel will experience a comeback after the coronavirus, the industries dependent on travellers will experience a definite change. International flights might not see a return to the same levels before the pandemic for a long time. Popular tourist destinations may not see the same numbers of foreign tourists from a pre-coronavirus period even after travel restrictions have been lifted.

The Worst-Hit Industry

While airlines and hotels have a good chance of recovery once the pandemic has died down, there is one industry that may not be able to recover at all. That is the cruise industry which is facing its worst crisis ever.

After what had happened to Diamond Princess, to its passengers, and crewmembers, the industry’s image has taken a serious blow, one from which there could be no recovery. Some have likened the situation to what the airlines faced after 9/11.

Many are optimistic that the travel industry can recover right after the pandemic has stopped. Some industries are poised to recover right away but that would all depend on how governments act now to stop the disease. Measures will have to be taken to lessen its impact on the global economy.