People are itching to travel & tech will show the way: Experts

Pent-up demand for travel will lead to healthy comeback next year
The nationwide lockdown has created a strong pent-up demand for travel and given that Indians have missed out on their holiday plans this year, I am optimistic of a healthy comeback in 2021. We are already witnessing an encouraging demand in bookings for Q4 of 2020 right through to summer 2021. The corporate travel business too, having handled repatriation and charter flights, is looking at an encouraging pipeline.

We have undertaken measures adapting to the new normal by re-imagining businesses with a focus on ensuring health and safety. Our Assured Safe Travel Program in partnership with Apollo Clinics, Covid-negative certification services and safe holiday helpline have been successful in reinforcing customer confidence to travel again. Our virtual outlets and virtual agency network enable contactless services by equipping our teams with technology – to interact with consumers, as well as access our critical internal systems for seamless delivery.

- Madhavan Menon, CMD, Thomas Cook









Travellers will pull out their bucket lists with even more zeal

By every yardstick, the travel and tourism industry hasn’t faced a crisis as cataclysmic as Covid-19. From grounded flights, shut hotels, stationary trains and buses – Covid-19 brought the world to a standstill and travel businesses saw their revenues fall off the cliff.

As skies and borders reopen, more and more people are slowly dipping their toes back in – be it for short getaways, staycations or drivable holidays. The recovery is gradual and uneven but the indications of growth are clear. After the stillness of lockdown and taken-for-granted liberties curtailed – the pent-up desire to travel is only building stronger. The forced time indoors has only whet people’s appetite to travel even more.

Revenge travel – people getting back to travel with a vengeance – is going to be a reality much bigger than revenge shopping. Travellers will attack their bucket list with even more zeal than ever before. More and more people are likely to be conscious of environmental impact and will prefer to travel responsibly.


- Deep Kalra, Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip









Technology advancement will define the way we travel

The world is going through a rapid change that is reflecting across all aspects of our lives, including the way we travel.

There is already an increased focus on safety and hygiene which will continue to be among top considerations for customers. The industry was already on its digital transformation journey which has gained impetus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Going forward, technology interventions and advancement, e.g. IoT, robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning etc. will play an important role in facilitating a seamless experience among travellers.

Vistara, since its inception has embraced technology innovations and will continue to invest in this direction.

- Leslie Thng, CEO, Vistara