15 ways covid will change the future of tours
Between March and April this year we asked our a network of 20 certified and art nouveau specialist guides in Europe, and our thousands of followers in in Instagram and Twitter worldwide, how they expected the post-covid tours to be transformed.
1 – Going private
As travelers emerge from self-isolation, many will want to travel within small groups of families or friends rather than with strangers and large groups. Therefore, they will be more likely to seek out private tours than they did in the past.
2 – Smaller groups
Small groups of less than 7 people will be better than large groups.
3 – Customization
Customization will also gain strength, with the design of tailor-made trips. Niche-firms should be better-positioned for the recovery.
4 – Greater itinerary flexibility
Museums and attractions around the world are changing hours of operation and policies as never before. As scientific findings about the virus continue to emerge (and change), regulatory agencies are modifying and updating health advisories, and slowly easing travel restrictions. So, tours that can vary their itinerary according to these changes will be more attractive.
5 – Low-density destinations
Less densely-populated destinations, usually 0ff-the-beaten-track, will become more demanded.
At least for the next year, tours taking place in the fresh air, walking tours in general, will become more popular.
Travelers will be inclined towards destinations with fewer crowds, in rural environments and areas of nature and mountains, where they can enjoy outdoor experiences, seeking greater health safety, hygiene, privacy and tranquility, key in this era of coronavirus.
6 – Focus on social distancing
Even within cities, visiting less-visited houses may be more interesting than visiting over-crowded houses. so, overcrowded buildings like Casa Batlló in Barcelona may be less popular than more isolated houses that you can find in the city of Barcelona- Avoiding areas that may concentrate agglomerations. Avoid small spaces: small chapels, museums with very limited capacity, etc.
7 – Minimising contact with other travelers
With the intention of having the minimum contact with other travelers, they will prefer to move in their own car to their destination without distance being a problem, while they will prefer to stay in rural houses, small hotels with few rooms or rented houses.
8 – Less trips a year
9 – Young and middle-aged will be the first to travel
Young people will be the first to resume travel as they are the lowest health risk group.
10 – City versus Rural residents
11 – Emphasis on health and safety
Health and safety have taken on a new level of importance.
The new guidelines will include such measures as sanitizing vehicles in-between tours, providing hand sanitizer, leaving the front seat empty to maintain social distance between guides and clients, and requiring masks and reduce the time spent indoors.
12 – Cancellation options
13 – Pay by electronic means, no cash
14 – Online booking
15 – Human touch?
New technologies and robots may be introduced to some tours, but audio-guides have not proved very successful so far and we believe that human touch will require a tour guide. A guide knows the terrain, can bring alive the history of an attraction or destination, and can personalize experiences to address individual needs and interests.
Adapting to the new needs of this post-COVID traveler will be key to surviving the crisis that the tourism sector, among many others, is going through. Nor should we forget that some of these new needs and changes in traveler habits may be here to stay, so the transformation of the sector must be solid.
Artmouveau.club private tours
From our inception, we have worked exclusively with private groups establishing an exclusive network of private tour guides, artisans, art nouveau specialists and premises (hotels, workshops, private buildings, restaurants and cafés).
There will be a time when people will be eager to travel again and experience first-hand all the riches of different places, people and cultures touched by Art Nouveau magic. And whether they are walking through a market in Barcelona, visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, or exploring small hillside towns in Italy, doing so with a knowledgeable tour guide enriches the experience.
Tourist season runs from April to November and we hope that we can run tours again soon. A guide knows the terrain, can bring alive the history of an attraction or destination, and can personalize experiences to address individual needs and interests.
We don’t know what we will be allowed to do and not to do. Yet, we feel positive about our niche market and the encouragement messages of our ex-clients and future ones. Our business is limited to private tours, usually with families, couples or small groups of friends or business associates, so we don’t mix people who don’t already know and trust each other. We hope that our clients will consider this a way of social distancing and a relatively safe way to travel.
Luckily, our tour offerings and approach tends to attract a high-end niche market, and usually those people are able to weather economic downturns like this, so we hope they will continue booking our exclusive private tours.
If you can not wait until your next trip and are looking for Art Nouveau inspiration check the art nouveau museums offering virtual tours (CLICK HERE). We all like Netflix but it’s time to broaden our horizons and imagine ourselves in front great Antoni Gaudí buildings, and to enter inside them, now without long queues or paying a ticket. Enjoy a 360º virtual journey through high resolution photos and be inspired by Art Nouveau.
Time to travel again is sooner than yesterday, so it may be a good time to prepare for your next trip. At Art Nouveau club we organize private tours and customized experiences, and these were the best-selling Art Nouveau cities in 2019 (2020 was a “lost year”):
Art Nouveau was a style which flourished briefly in the late 19th century and spread throughout Europe and its heritage is visited a lot by tourists wordwide. If you plan to visit any of these cities, choose our specialist team to be your hosts and show you the famous and also the hidden treasures in your city of choice-. Make your trip unforgettable by booking with us.
Our licensed local guides have an in-depth knowledge of their city’s Art Nouveau heritage and communicate it with passion.