TOP 10 TRAVEL TRENDS BROUGHT ABOUT BY COVID

During the pandemic, nature was a “balm” capable of alleviating the troubles with masks and distancing. In the United States, national parks have seen a marked increase in visits with numbers that continue to be extremely solid. The same goes for Italy and other countries: green is a must.

If previously closed destinations were chosen due to Covid and restrictions, now “almost zero kilometer” travel remains a solid trend because of expensive gasoline and chaotic flights. Two factors that induce many people, especially those with children, to organize very “easy trips”.

In the U.S. ranches, country farmhouses and shelters: are the ideal accommodations to combine with the aforementioned escapes into nature. The desire for sophisticated open-air activities like walking, horseback riding, outdoor yoga sessions and wine tastings with walks among the grapes’ rows is increasing.

In the pandemic, the journey by car, with a guaranteed distancing, has become extremely popular. Here the new era of “on the road” stays in motels and vintage lodges. Many people in USA prefer the “passing” design accommodation facilities. Some also recently opened with affordable prices like the Bluebird Sunapee in Newbury, New Hampshire, with beautiful rooms and a games room and an indoor saltwater pool.

If in pre-Covid era, it was a must to stay in the city center, now smart working has returned vibrancy to residential neighborhoods, which once emptied during working hours. In these, sometimes, peripheral places, it is possible to grasp the true meaning of a “local life”, discovering goodies like independent shops, art galleries and authentic gastronomy.

When museums closed due to Covid, art often developed on the streets or in places where it was possible to practice social distancing. An example, in the United States, is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center, where art is literally freed from the limits of a traditional museum’s four walls. Among the works of this creative garden is the work “Spoonbridge and Cherry” by Claes Oldenburg, a giant spoon with a cherry of abstract and extravagant proportions, which can be visited freely.

Lounges on the top floor of hotels arose everywhere during the pandemic, in response to the need for open spaces. Rome with its popular “terraces” has some sensational ones. In Paris the Brach Hotel’s “rooftop lounge” in the 16th arrondissement is extremely popular since it offers a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower accompanied by Scandinavian-style whirlpool. Here it is possible to sip cocktails seasoned with freshly picked aromatic herbs in the rooftop garden, by confirming the structure’s country-chic style.

When it was forbidden to have lunch indoors, many restaurateurs have equipped themselves to offer luxury snacks in the open air. So, the picnic is back in vogue, a real must. For example, at the Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island, where guests can dine on a lawn overlooking the ocean, on soft cushions.

The boom in smart working has pushed the demand for long-term vacation rentals. It is necessary that the accommodation is equipped with high-speed internet in order to offer digital nomads the opportunity to work. Platforms like Airbnb have adapted to demand by specifying the privacy offer, workspace and comfort in the ads.

Those who continued to travel in the pandemic, maybe for work, preferred the luxury of a seat in Premium Class for reasons of social distancing, getting used to services like the guaranteed on-board meal and the courtesy kit. Many people today continue to pay for an upgrade. Hence the affirmation of all business models like that of La Compagnie, a French carrier with only 76 seats on board that flies from the United States to Paris, Nice and Milan. Among the pluses for passengers: ample space, in-flight Wi-Fi, champagne and gourmet meals, with fares approximately 50% lower than the Business Classes of the main carriers.