The UK & Ireland chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) has identified 11 key trends that it expects to shape travel in the region in 2021 and beyond.
Its first Pata Travel Patterns report follows a survey of its 36 members, destination management organisations, tour operators and hoteliers.
Multigenerational holidays are predicted to grow as families that have been forced to spend time apart seek to create memories together.
A rise in destination weddings and honeymoons is also predicted, due to cancellations in 2020. Chris Lee, head of marketing for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, a Pata member, said the country offered “amazing value for money for honeymoons”.
The report flagged health and safety as a key concern among holidaymakers in the Covid recovery, with a greater expectation of travel companies’ precautions. But it noted that the Asia Pacific region, has “acted very swiftly” to launch and implement Covid-19 protocols.
Sustainable holidays and local and community-based tourism were also highlighted as potential trends in the region, with Pata reporting increasing awareness among consumers of their impact on the environment and moves by its members to build eco-hotels and destinations’ commitments to move towards carbon neutrality.
The organisation also noted a trend of customers seeking unique and authentic experiences when they’re away and DMCs and hotels “working harder” to provide them.
With an eye on the sustainability angle, Pata predicted growth in demand for singe-centre holidays, with several of tour operator members saying the traditional multicentre approach, to the Far East in particular, is changing.
Matt Brazier, head of marketing at Experience Travel Group (ETG) said: “Travel itineraries are going to slow down – they’ll be single destination focussed trips. Clients are requesting to spend more time in each place they go and really want to have time for themselves, whilst getting under the skin of the destination, without having to rush around.”
Greg Young, UK sales director of Destination Asia, added: “Asia has always lent itself to multi-centre tailormade holidays with people wanting to sample as many experiences as possible on one journey.
“In previous years this often meant combining different countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia into the same journey, now with the impact of differing Covid-19 regulations there has been an increasing demand for multi-centres within the same country or even the same island such as in Bali, which mean travellers only have to fit into one set of regulations.”
David Kevan, director of Chic Locations, said: “The appeal of South East Asia in the past has been multi-country holidays. This will be a logistical nightmare currently with so many differing regulations, not just with governments but also airlines. However, there is still plenty of scope within individual countries to offer holidays of variety and contrast.”
Wellness holidays were also forecast to be a growing trend, as were nature-led trips – based on people spending more time at home as a result of lockdown restrictions over the last year.
Luxury travel in the region will be “in high demand”, according to the report, which noted higher budgets could be down to people missing out on trips in 2020.
But Pata also noted a surge in the value-led market because some families will have felt the squeeze if their working life has been affected by Covid-19’s hit on the economy.
The report also noted a rise in online learning for travel trade professional, noting a range of courses available for travel agents to brush up on their knowledge of the region.
Ian Dockreay, chief executive of Equator Learning said the number of travel trade learners on Travel Uni has increased by 27,852 since March 2020, with a 138% increase in the number of modules completed year on year.
“Online-learning has been supplemented by a dramatic increase in webinar activity,” he said. “ Innovative and entertaining presentation has been the key to success in this area. The increase is set to continue into 2021 and beyond.”
Chris Crampton, chairman of Pata’s UK & Ireland chapter, said: “Every year travel trends come and go, however, 2021 is set to be one of tourism’s most significant years to date.
“As the world slowly recovers from Covid-19 and borders gradually start to open, we expect travel to look a little different than it did pre-pandemic. 2021 will most likely be a rollercoaster for us all but what we do know is there are plenty of exciting developments in the region to look forward to.”