People are regaining their appetite for travel, and there has been a surge in bookings since countries started reopening their doors again. As interest in flying away to far-flung destinations continues to pick up the pace, are holidayers making plans with “revenge travel” in mind?
What is revenge travel? 💪
Popular in the United States, the term “revenge travel” refers to the idea of there being a huge increase in travel once we’re given the green light. Many Brits had their holidays altered last year, and most of them haven’t been away since.
The idea of revenge travel is that it’s retribution against Covid for ruining so many holiday plans. There’s an itch that needs scratching, and once countries open up to each other, we can expect a boom in bookings.
Confidence is already returning to the travel industry, and an uptick in vaccinations is only adding more fuel to the fire as people get ready to holiday again. After more than a year of waiting patiently, it seems that many of us have revenge travel on our minds.
The holiday boom 🏖️
As vaccine uptake continues, Covid cases are likely to decline further. This could lead to a surge in bookings – perhaps even more than pre-Covid – as a way of making up for lost time and realising how quickly things can change.
Airline easyJet recently revealed that its flight bookings were up by more than 300 per cent, while holiday bookings surpassed 600 per cent week-on-week. The appetite for travel isn’t only strong; it seems that people are chomping at the bit to get away.
Now is their chance to catapult themselves back into normality, and travel plays a major part in that. Pent-up demand is ready to be unleashed as travellers are already booking their next trip with more confidence and revenge on Covid in mind.
Playing it safe ✋
While some people will take out their revenge travel on far-flung destinations, others might prefer to play it safe in their efforts to go on holiday. In the immediate aftermath of Covid, we can expect more trips to Europe when Brits search for some sun.
Holidaymakers will be desperate to rekindle their travel love affair with Spain, Greece, Portugal and France. These countries are likely to be the destinations people initially head to on their first trips away.
Getaways closer to home will allow holidaymakers to rekindle their wanderlust with travel while still playing it relatively safe. Then, once normality sinks in, more adventurous travel plans will pick up, and it could see people going away for longer.
A different holiday landscape post-Covid? ✈️
The desire for holidays may be strong, but how people vacation could look different post-Covid. We could see a scenario in the travel landscape where people holiday for longer as they seek out new adventures.
Part of the reason could be down to changing travel requirements in different countries. But more flexibility in people’s professional lives and the ability to work from home could see trips extend for six to eight weeks.
Missing out on travel over the last 12 months has created more intrigue to discover new cultures and adventures. So on top of longer trips, people might feel more inclined to tick off their bucket list ideas as they search for travel inspiration.
Luxury travel on the rise? ⛱️
All that repressed demand to go on holiday could unleash revenge travel that delves into luxurious escapes. After more than a year of restrictions, vengeful travellers could splurge out to make sure their first trip away is also a five-star one.
That’s why having flexible payment options like buy now, pay later could play an integral role in helping you travel in style. During Covid, the number of people using flexible finance increased as they looked for a way to spread payments.
Travel, in particular, is perfect for buy now, pay later options. It empowers you to book the holiday you really want while being able to spread the costs without the fear of accumulating unmanageable debt.
Getting sweet, sweet revenge
We are so close to getting back to a life of travelling and discovering new destinations. After more than 12 months of being stuck inside, the future looks more positive, and it’s time to get some serious travel revenge with a long break on a beach, a visit to a beautiful city, or anywhere else that lets you holiday in style.
