Three Things We Learned This Year


Three Things We Learned This Year

Dec 17, 2021 | Aon


2021 was quite a year for travel, one that started with intense uncertainty and should end with travel volumes approaching pre-pandemic numbers. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about the industry and the people we served – two groups united by one thing, a love of travel.
 

Here are our three key takeaways:

  • The travel industry is resilient. In April 2020, U.S. air travel bottomed out at about 90,000 daily passengers compared to an average 2.5 million daily passengers in the months leading up to the global pandemic declaration. While much has been made of this summer’s travel boom and its role in the industry’s comeback, let’s take a moment to consider how resilient and agile travel organizations had to be simply to get to that moment. It took a lot of hard work and tough decision-making to weather the storm, bring back employees and welcome back guests.
  • Safe travel can happen amid a global pandemic. While experts predict that travel will not return to pre-COVID levels until 2024, millions of consumers got back on the road for business and leisure this summer. And with enhanced health and safety protocols in place – aided by technology that enables more touchless experiences – like mobile check-in and digital keys, that return to travel happened without mass outbreaks. From cruise lines to resorts and airlines, the industry has found ways to welcome consumers back safely.
  • Travel insurance is an important tool. Over the last year, consumers and destinations alike have become savvier about the benefits travel insurance offers. Consumers today are more likely to consider travel insurance, even for domestic vacations, because it offers an extra layer of protection for all phases of their trip during an uncertain time. And some nations now require visitors to provide proof of travel insurance to enter to help protect both its guests and the destination itself as COVID levels ebb and flow globally.

The Aon Travel Takeaway? “After a tough 2020, the travel industry saw so many exciting milestones. Memorial Day Weekend kicked off an air and road travel boom domestically. International borders started to reopen. Cruising resumed,” say Beth Godlin, president of the Aon Affinity Travel Practice. “People love to travel, and we’ve been proud to help provide the extra layer of protection that helps them feel more confident booking those journeys. We can’t wait to see what 2022 holds for the travel industry and its consumers.”
 
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