The Return of Travel in 2021
A lot of folks are wondering about… or fantasizing about! … travel in 2021.
What has changed? What has not? What is better, and what is worse?
Here are our thoughts, and some thinking on what is fleeting, and what is timeless:
In looking over the articles by various experts, in the US, it looks like there will be steady acceleration in vaccine availability, although there are also more transmissible versions of the virus spreading. The balance between the two suggests maybe one more surge in the March/April timeframe, followed by steady improvement from May/June forward.
So, those who have been vaccinated will be able to travel this summer. Those who have not been vaccinated will be able to travel also, at a lower risk, as more and more people are vaccinated. So, the spring may not be much fun, but summer travel looks like it really will be possible. The risks will steadily reduce in airplanes, as masks are now required, more people will be vaccinated, and air purification systems have been improved. The greater risk will probably still be in airports themselves, where the air circulation systems have not been changed as much, and the discipline of mask wearing may not be as comprehensive.
Load factors are likely to increase, but still be lower than before the pandemic. There will be exceptions, as airlines are likely to bring back routes slowly to try to avoid overcapacity.
There will be a tremendous pent-up demand for travel. As soon as people feel safe, they will want to go. This urge will be stronger for adventure or vacation travel than for business travel, where some travel will be permanently replaced by Zoom meetings and similar technology. However, there will still be a business travel “catch-up” as conventions, trade shows, and markets re-open, and as the drive to get deals done returns as the economy picks up.
Overall, people will want to travel in a way that is as stress-reduced as possible… but they will want to travel!
We founded Onli Travel to make the joys of one-bag travel easier for everyone to access. We want to make it easy for travelers to travel light, but still have everything they need. We design innovative products that increase your flexibility while traveling so you can handle what the journey throws at you, and we make products that make travel easier and more convenient, whether the setting is a business trip or a personal journey.
The sense of freedom that comes from never having to check a bag, not worrying about the crowds at baggage claim, and being able to work, play, and explore efficiently while on the road, knowing that your luggage supports you instead of burdening you… these are still our goals.
They seem as relevant now as when we launched our company.
We will keep working to develop new ideas about travel, and world-class, innovative equipment that supports the soul-nourishing experiences that great travel brings. Look for more from us as 2021 progresses.
Happy Traveling! Travel Returns in 2021. We’ll all be ready!
Dave, and the Onli Travel Team