Excerpt from STR
Change in travel accommodation preferences continues
A new standard of preferences has been set since the beginning of COVID-19, and accommodation in the current situation continues to be less desirable than in pre-pandemic times.
Travelers continue to prefer short-term rentals and smaller size hotels (properties with less than 50 rooms) due to lingering concerns about the virus. In November 2021, traveler interest in short-term rentals was 12% above the pre-pandemic level of interest. In the context in which consumers continue to seek space and wish to minimize their contact with others, it is perhaps not surprising that self-catering and smaller sized accommodation continue to standout.
On the flipside, due to the room share factor and communal facilities, hostels are significantly less attractive compared with pre-pandemic times (-61% net interest in November 2021). At the same time, there’s a sense that economy and budget operators are less well perceived in the current situation as well.
Reflecting these accommodation preferences, travelers continue to seek out more rural experiences to escape the crowds and engage more with the outdoors. More than 30% of respondents agreed that they preferred these types of trips in the current situation compared with before the pandemic.
Many have been forced to holiday at home in the last year or so and there is a sense now that domestic tourism is more appealing (as well as being more common) than international tourism (domestic trip +11% net interest versus international trip -12% net interest). This is perhaps due to a combination of recent positive staycation experiences and concerns around the potential hassle and inconveniences of international travel, such as testing protocols, potential quarantine, and infection risk.
Another type of trip which is less appealing in the current environment is event-specific trips (-48% net interest). This is likely linked to heightened concerns of infection by attending a mass event.
Click here to read complete article at STR.