With many borders being closed again due to COVID at the beginning of 2021, and markets recovering and reopening at different rates, travel trends are currently more focused on what you can do where you are right now, than expanding your horizons. Local travel has many of us rediscovering our towns and cities. Out of sheer boredom, we start noticing more details as we rediscover our immediate surroundings, even in the streets where we live.
Most people are still not able to travel far away from home, with some countries even restricting the exact distance residents are able to venture away from their registered address. However, our semantic analysis data shows that the need to explore and discover is one that can also adapt to a more local approach, even if it is only that walk around the block – and the idea that the hotel around the corner might just be able to offer the perfect break from a normal routine. How many of us really know the history, or potential tourist attractions that may be right in front of our eyes? Is there anything interesting about the places where we live, that may be fascinating to a traveler from another country or culture? These are the new ways of approaching our journeys, to try to look at our daily surroundings with fresh, new eyes. Or perhaps simply a break from our own four walls is enough to lure us away.
During the mid-year holiday season in 2020, we saw many mentions of staycations when analysing our hotel review database. It also benefited some hotel groups to offer special staycation packages, openly promoting the new health and safety precautions and regulations that are upheld at the properties.
Now, our semantic analysis also shows that people are doing increasingly more local travel. It’s a similar trend, with the same result, but it refers to a slight shift in mindset. While staycation still essentially means ‘staying’, local travel has the connotation of ‘going’ to explore our immediate surroundings. It’s a more active concept that would be interesting to watch as it develops further over the next few months.
Here’s what hotel guests have been saying about local travel during January 2021:
“As locals, we have been talking for years about staying at the hotel and due to Covid19 restrictions on travel, thought we would take the opportunity to book. The positive impressions we had of the hotel over the years certainly were true. The rooms and decor were lovely and the pool is gorgeous. Mostly wanted to thank the staff; they are all very professional and experienced.”
“We (friends as well) took advantage of the local rates on the weekend, loved having the time in there, even though the rooms were not ready at 2:00pm, the lovely lady at reception gave us an extra drinks voucher which was wonderful so we enjoyed a drink before checking in. Rooms were beautiful, we enjoyed a swim and spa (the pool area needs a gurney – it’s looking a bit grubby at the moment).”
“Enjoyed a luxurious and relaxing babymoon at this resort. Rooms spacious and well equipped with comfortable furnishings. Reception and food and beverage; staff friendly and professional. A great local getaway.”