Covid VS travel, who will win?

The Covid-19 health crisis has had a major impact on our lifestyles. Many sectors are suffering greatly from this crisis and in particular the tourism market has been the most affected by the health restrictions. So who will have the last word, Covid or travel?

 

Barriers to travel

 
Indeed, it has been more than a year since the tourism sector was hit by the Covid-19 crisis worldwide.

• Containment: countries have experienced several periods of containment that prohibit travel outside the home or with kilometre limits around the home. Some countries also require a period of confinement, quarantine, for anyone arriving on their territory, which makes it pointless to travel for a short period of time.
• Closed borders: many countries have closed their borders to prevent the spread of the virus, which has led to a drop in international travel.
• Testing: some countries and airlines now require a negative PCR test from 72 or 48 hours ago. Taking the risk of booking flights and travel when a negative test can cancel everything is a major deterrent to travel.

• The health situation: not all countries are affected by the virus in the same way and do not all have the same health infrastructures.

The return of travel

Of course, the management of the sanitary crisis has begun and the better knowledge of the virus allows us to hope for a better future.

• Adaptation: for more than a year, shops, restaurants, hotels and transport have established sanitary protection measures in order to limit contamination as much as possible (distancing, compulsory mask, hydroalcoholic gel...) and to allow them to open while limiting the risks.
• Testing: numerous tests for Covid; antigenic, PCR, salivary... are increasingly available, which helps to reassure the population and to avoid an increase in the spread of the virus through prevention.

• Vaccine: science is giving us a better understanding of this virus. Several laboratories are developing vaccines to protect the population. When the majority of people are vaccinated, the spread will decrease and so will the risks. We will then be able to live with this virus, which will not be as threatening as it was during the crisis. In addition, hospitals will be able to manage patients.
• Herd immunity: For more than a year now, many people have already caught Covid-19, which strengthens their immune defences against this virus.
• Necessity: Tourism is a necessity for many countries that live partly from this sector. It cannot remain blocked indefinitely.

Rest assured, travel is not over! The Covid-19 crisis is only temporary and when it ends, travel will be in the spotlight!