On season 2021: pandemic panic continues

After the start of lockdowns around the globe last spring everyone in hotel business has put a bet on summer season next year, because summer season 2020 did not happen. Not only was it a bad year for hotels, but resorts in general looked like ghost towns in the mid-summer time. And despite we already had second and even third wave, everyone has been patiently holding their fingers crossed for this season of 2021. Mankind has this very interesting side of its human nature: ray of hope persists despite all the negative environmental warning signs.

But miracle did not happen this year. Not only we still have to struggle with some countries closing, another ones opening (in this case I really pity those hotels who only focus on single target market), but we also had a largest demand-supply negative difference over the past decades. This is astonishing how stubborn hotels kept opening in June despite the low occupancy, because they simply did not want to stay closed another season.

And tourists are still not here. Airports are safe, flights are safe, rooms are being disinfected, restaurants follow distancing rules, and finally many people are vaccinated. But they still don't come, the people. As we see now being a small hotel with less rooms, less inventory to hold, less costs is the best way to survive these coming years. After 2022, of course, many will start patiently looking at their calendar of 2023. But we see tourism as very slowly recovering by 2025. Time will pass before people forget all the pandemic panic.

But before people travel again, hoteliers will still be opening every year looking as better figures and improving revenue, and thinking that this exact year it is all like before. And it won't happen for quite some time, unfortunately. And when people finally feel safe to travel again, when they will demand all establishments to be open, how do you think resorts will look like?

I start imagining new ways of destination marketing, new means of ensuring the safety of travel and accommodation. Something definitely will change, so will the attitude of hoteliers and resorts to their so long awaited guests. I think the level of service will improve for those properties where management and owners work front line and communicate with guests. I hope this will push some other changes in the quality of services provided, and we´ll see new tourism.

Who knows?

Anyhow, I'll be happy if you also share your thoughts in comments to this post.

Keep safe and pray,

and pandemic goes away...

Palau Reial de l'Almudaina, Palma de Malloca