A recent survey by the Flight Center Travel Group shows how Covid-19 has changed the way South Africans travel.

Flight Center revealed that 7,978 respondents participated in its survey conducted in February 2021. The majority of respondents were between 35 and 54 years old and female. Thirty-three of those polled said they were frequent local travelers before Covid-19, with 42% traveling occasionally; 19% of respondents were frequent international travelers, 35% traveling abroad occasionally.

Most survey respondents said they still want to travel abroad in 2021, provided there is booking flexibility and health and safety protocols are in place.

The possibility of canceling or modifying a reservation is not negotiable, reveals the survey. About 31% of those polled said they would not book a trip unless they knew they can easily cancel or postpone it and get their money back, while 21% said they would like to travel but hesitate before all the complexities. Another 15% said they were not sure they were comfortable traveling just yet, while 13% said they were already traveling; it just takes more planning. Only 9% of those polled said they would not travel until they were vaccinated.

Price is no longer the most important consideration for rand-conscious South Africans. The ability to cancel or change their reservation without paying penalties, health and safety protocols and destination entry requirements are now the three most important factors South African travelers should consider before to travel abroad.

While most of those polled said they would like to take an international vacation next year, only 46% of those polled said they would book an international vacation in 2021 now. Other respondents cited Covid-19, uncertainty and risk, and finances as a deterrent to booking international travel at this time.

Only 14% of those surveyed saw price as the most important deciding factor for their vacation, 9% opted for the destination or the experience itself, and only 5% said the most important factor would be time. necessary to get there.

Andrew Stark, managing director of Flight Center Travel Group Middle East and Africa, said domestic travel, both for business and leisure, will remain in high demand over the next two years.

“Leisure travel will explode before business travel. There will undoubtedly be significant pent-up demand as the world gets vaccinated and when international flight schedules fully resume, and borders reopen unregulated. ‘entry such as forced quarantines, “he said.

Flight Center said 85% of customers now book, pay and travel in the same month, a figure 70% higher than before Covid-19.