How the Covid crisis changed the face of tourism

Since 2020, Covid has been part of our daily lives. While it has had an impact on the healthcare sector, it has also caused major upheaval in the world of tourism! New travel habits, offers adapted to the health crisis, difficulty finding staff… Here is a quick look at this crisis that hit French tourism head-on!

WE TRAVEL CLOSER TO HOME

Because of the many travel restrictions and the threat of potential lockdowns, a large number of French people chose to vacation close to home starting in the summer of 2020.

We have mentioned it many times on our blog. City breaks were not very popular, as the French preferred to get some fresh air in the countryside or by the sea, far from the cities.

We have thus seen that local tourism allowed people to rediscover their region or get a change of scenery just 2 hours’ drive away. It must be said that France is a country with a great deal to discover, whether in terms of culture, gastronomy or sports!

Even though borders have been gradually reopening and restrictions easing for a few months now, the French continue to favour local tourism. Sometimes for budget reasons, but also for environmental ones.

HOTELIERS ARE OFFERING NEW, MORE FLEXIBLE PACKAGES

You may have noticed it in recent months when booking a hotel. It is easier to cancel your booking, notably thanks to free cancellations or the option to pay on site. These measures were put in place when the Covid crisis was at its height, to make life easier for travellers.

To fill their properties, many hotels also offer packages aimed at remote workers. For example, you can rent rooms by the day, or take advantage of half-day remote working offers.

As a hotelier, it is important to communicate about these new offers to your guests and on social media. It is a way to attract a new clientele.

DIGITAL NOMADS ARE ON THE RISE

This is a trend we have seen since remote work was introduced in 2020, at the start of the Covid crisis. Many people who can work remotely prefer to travel and work somewhere other than at home. They are known as digital nomads.

Again this summer, many tourists worked from their vacation spot. An opportunity to discover a region or a city while working. Depending on their profile, some digital nomads favour long stays. Work and pleasure go hand in hand, to the great delight of tourism professionals!

THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SECTORS ARE NO LONGER AS ATTRACTIVE

The Covid crisis has had a real impact on the tourism sector, especially in hotels and restaurants. After the various lockdowns and closures of establishments, many employees did not want to go back to their jobs.

These are indeed professional sectors where working hours are different and the pace is demanding. The question of pay, which is sometimes too low, is a real problem in this sector.

Despite efforts on the employers’ side, an estimated 9,000 workers are missing on the Côte d’Azur this summer in the hotel and restaurant sector (source). And the same is true almost everywhere in France.

The sector must therefore find solutions very quickly to become attractive to job seekers again.

THE AIRLINE SECTOR HAS BEEN HIT HEAD-ON

Another tourism sector still suffering the consequences of the Covid crisis: the airline sector!

It too has experienced many restrictions and shutdowns over the past two years. While tourism and travel are returning to normal this summer, the sector is short of manpower.

The result: many cancelled flights, lost luggage and other inconveniences for airlines and travellers alike.

According to this OECD report, the health crisis has also changed tourists’ habits. Many travellers no longer want to fly for environmental reasons, or because entry restrictions in other countries are too strict. We are therefore seeing a drop in demand, which is affecting some airlines.

Julie
Communication Manager
In partnership with Amélie Manceau