“Fundamental changes” expected in travel industry due to pandemic.
Germany's second largest travel group DER Touristik is counting on a rapidly increasing demand for travel in the second half of the year. “I hope that we still get a very strong second half of 2021,” said company boss Sören Hartmann on Tuesday at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB). Due to the corona pandemic, the travel fair is taking place online this year and exclusively for trade visitors.
The head of the second largest European travel group expects “fundamental changes” in the market structure as a result of the pandemic. Customers booked significantly more trips that they could reach with their own car. That will not change in the coming year and a half. Bookings would become much shorter, customers would like more flexibility and easier cancellation options.
Financing chain questioned
In addition, there is the debate about prepayments for booked trips that are used to pay for service providers such as airlines and hotels. Many trips had to be canceled during the pandemic. The customers had noticed that it was sometimes not easy to get the money back, said Hartmann. The entire financing chain of the tourism industry must change. Consumer advocates have long been calling for an end to prepayment when traveling.
