Post-Pandemic Travel for Seniors

In Israel, where I live, among seniors, over 90% have been fully vaccinated. Yesterday, the mask requirement was lifted indoors. We are close to getting back to normal. A friend posted on Facebook yesterday about going to a movie! I cannot wait!

Some of my friends have even started to travel. Their trips are primarily to see family, those they haven’t visited for over 1 ½ years. I’m contemplating making reservations to fly to see my family in the US. I know that there the general progress toward a Covid-free environment is not as far along as we are here, but armed with the vaccinations, I feel safe-ish! And I miss my family!

In an article, “Post-pandemic travel: the trends we’ll see when the world opens up again,” posted online here, the author states that travelers, “will have much higher expectations of hospitality service providers and be much more demanding. In order to keep up, the industry should prioritise offering services, facilities and experiences that cater to wellness, health, and overall wellbeing. They will need to focus on high hygiene standards, which tourists are expected to covet.”

The author also notes that, “According to tourism academic Fabio Carbone, post-COVID tourism is also expected to focus more on people than destinations. Those eager to get away from measures like social distancing will likely use travel to embrace existing relationships with loved ones living abroad or seek new encounters. Carbone suggests that because of this, post-Covid tourism will pivot towards prioritising human development, dialogue, and peace.

Popular types of tourism are therefore likely to include: travel for visiting friends and relatives, volunteer tourism (see the article, “Voluntourism – Combine Travel with Volunteering”), and peace tourism (Peace tourism typically involves visiting peace memorials or conflict zones with the aim of learning from the mistakes of past wars and helping to resolve or prevent existing conflict.)”

In an article on the National Geographic site, it is suggested that travelers will have different priorities:

  • Sustainability: people are more and more interested in prioritizing a healthy planet.
  • Inclusivity: “Now plus-size travelers wanting to surf and scuba but can’t because the lack of wetsuits in their size are being acknowledged. Now blind travelers who still want to experience tours and extreme sports while on holiday are thought of.”
  • Smaller Destinations: it’s a way to enrich struggling economies where our dollars can make a significant difference.
  • Quality over Quantity: “Privilege comes in many forms, and the act of recognizing our travel-related ones have called us to think about traveling more intentionally and less often—if ever the world begins to look similar to its pre-pandemic days.”

There is plenty of information online about the safety of travel to various locations. Andrew Soloman says in an article in the New York Times online, “As the virus comes under control, we will set forth with renewed vigor. The world is all before us. We may start with wandering steps and slow, cautiously and uncertainly. But think of it. A year ago, many of us feared to venture farther than the grocery store; now we are given back a whole planet to explore, however gingerly.”

Are you a senior ready to travel again?

Looking for another brave soul to venture out there with you? Become a member of Senior Travel Buddies and check out the matching feature to help you find the perfect travel buddy with whom to explore the world.


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