The tide is turning for the travel industry

There’s still some way to go but things are looking up, writes Qin Xie

An upgrade of passenger screening was carried out at US airports earlier this year (Getty/iStock)

We are already more than halfway through the second lockdown in England. I write this with surprising optimism, given I’ve just been told to self-isolate for eight days.

I’m optimistic because I see the tide turning for the travel industry.

I recently experienced my 10th World Travel Market, one of the biggest events for the travel industry. For journalists, it’s a chance to find out what’s happening beyond our shores and forge stories for the coming year.

This year, all the meetings took place online. Between the stilted internet connection and coronavirus uncertainties, talk of 2021 was inevitably awkward. And yet when news of the vaccine filtered through halfway into the proceedings, there was a noticeable shift. No one can guess when borders might fully reopen, but the excitement about the possibilities of travel was palpable – even factoring in the video lag time.

A vaccine isn’t going to instantly transform the fortunes of the airlines, rail firms and the whole spectrum of holiday companies that continue to struggle through the current travel restrictions. But it’s a step towards the destination we all want to end up in – normality.

I’m also optimistic that the UK will move to a testing model instead of the blanket quarantine system currently in place. 

The travel industry has been calling for testing for months – and now, encouraged by the evidence from other countries, MPs are too.

Aside from helping the travel industry and the rest of the economy speed up their recovery, one study even suggests that testing air passengers is twice as effective as quarantine when human behaviour is factored into the equation. Again, this is something we all want – to have Covid-19 under control.

Here’s another thing I’m optimistic about: despite minimal help from the government, the travel industry has been incredibly resilient. And it’s building back to become a more responsible, and greener, industry. 

Sure, there have been plenty of cruises and flights to nowhere during this pandemic, but there are also new travel firms such as Natural Britain and Byway Travel that are helping us to travel more sustainably, with destinations right on our doorstep.

There are less than two weeks of lockdown left in England and, regardless of whether it’s extended, I’m already thinking ahead to all of the possibilities for 2021, bolstered by the now weekly additions of far-flung destinations to the travel corridors list. Because in so many respects, that’s what travel is all about – daring to dream.

Yours,

Qin Xie

Acting travel editor