The latest news from Cafestudy

Travel Plans on Hold

The latest news from Cafestudy

Posted by: Caféstudy

19th Mar 2020 02:30pm

*This research was conducted over the last two weeks. Updates to travel restrictions are changing on a daily and even hourly basis.

Covid-19 has had an immense impact on the travel industry, with significant declines in both international and domestic passengers travelling through Sydney Airport. According to the Australian Financial Review, February saw a decrease of 17% and 4.5% of international and domestic passengers respectively for Sydney Airport.

Declines in the travel industry are only going to snowball, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to introduce stricter international travelling restrictions for Australians, along with stricter social distancing restrictions. We asked you how your international travel plans are being impacted and what it means for the travel industry.

Understandably, the vast majority are very concerned about travelling during such uncertain times, with members cancelling their flights and accommodation planned for the immediate future. The immediate future looks dire for the travel industry. However, there are some positive signs for the travel industry going forward, with many indicating that they intend on travelling once they feel confident it is safer to do so.

We were booked to go on a cruise next month, that is now on hold.

I have a few trips booked and paid for this year interstate, Europe and Indonesia, I am monitoring the situation at the moment.

I have travel plans to China next month and I am currently trying to cancel them. It’s a tour around China and a cruise from Shanghai to Japan. I would prefer not to go over that way until later in the year.

We are very stressed about it. We have a trip to Greece booked in 4 weeks time. We are both 60ish so are seriously considering cancelling or rescheduling for next year. Will it have settled by then?

With so much uncertainty, and with the situation changing so quickly, businesses must continue to communicate with customers. Social media allows a direct connection between brands and their customers, and is a powerful tool to help ease customers’ concerns and confusion around safety and refunds/cancellations.

It is also important to keep looking forward. While travel plans are on hold for now, once the crisis eases, people are expecting to reschedule and reorganise their holidays. Providing confidence and flexibility now will pay dividends in the future.


Comments 9

Dakey
  • 20th Aug 2021 05:33pm

I had booked and paid for a trip to England .Scotland.Ireland costing $6000 January 2019 by Discovery Australia which was cancelled {before covid } happened and are still waiting to hear from them.Phone calls etc and emails all go unanswered.The trip was for around June 2020 so no airlines etc had been booked so should have been able to get a refund.

Younes31984415
  • 9th Apr 2020 12:05pm

Yes is very important to world

PGS
  • 25th Mar 2020 07:40pm

I'm just back from Asia, with a trip paid for in August. The August one could be a bother, as it is something that can't really be rescheduled.

normap
  • 23rd Mar 2020 06:49pm

We had a wonderful trip booked to Mauritius and the Kruger Park in South Africa. this has now been cancelled and I am trying to get some money back from travel insurance!! We also have a trip book for September to the UK, France and Spain. What are the chances of this going ahead. I am crossing my fingers.

Lilibet
  • 23rd Mar 2020 05:47pm

My holiday plans for an extended cruise have been cancelled and we await compensation payment from the company or our travel insurance. This is not a cruise which can easily be rescheduled. Other planned and paid for domestic travel is in limbo too. The uncertainty which surrounds travel and the need to self isolate or at the very least restrict movement outside the home, has added stress to everyone's life. My daughter and her family had planned a trip to Sri Lanka in June, but they have received notice from the airline that they can reschedule the trip till next year.

victory
  • 20th Mar 2020 09:19pm

I was planning on going on a cruise this year, I have been on two cruises and I was impressed with no cooking, no making beds fresh salt air, I have now decided to travel to different regional parts of Australia instead, I have seen some of our land, I will do more car DRIVING and sight seeing. I hope the Virus crisis is going to improve so people can stop stressing.

David31626448
  • 20th Mar 2020 06:26pm

As a sole trader/small business owner I'm most concerned about schools closing. I have two young daughters and if schools close I am unsure as to what I will do with the girls. I may have to bring them in to my workplace which isn't ideal, for them or me, however this may be the only option. And for how long?

I am in healthcare so if my business is closed, which relies on me being in very close contact with patients, then I will be without a source of income for an extended period of time. I only earn money if i work. I know the government is talking about providing income relief for certain business types however I believe that very small business owners and sole traders wont be supported by this relief. This is a concern and may need to be factored in to any decisions.

I'm also concerned with the longer term implication of this virus on the economy as a whole. The stock market is crashing as we speak worldwide however a positive is lower petrol prices and lower interest rates. 20,000 Qantas workers are being laid off, casual workers are being told to not come in for certain shifts and these ramifications will most likely be felt for a long time after the virus has been contained. I'm confident that Australia will bounce back as we usually do after a crisis.

The social distancing rules, hand washing protocols and general hygiene tips are all helpful to the general population however I must admit that most people don't seem to be taking the social distancing guidelines seriously. I still see many, many people gathering together in very close proximity which is a cause for concern.

If Australia tracks the same as other countries this virus will most likely get worse over the next few weeks and that I think is the most concerning thing. I think restrictions will get more severe over the next few weeks and I think compliance will be a major issue with many people either choosing to not acknowledge the seriousness of this crisis or knowing the dangers but ignoring it anyway.

When this blows over my family and I will be more than happy to travel again. In fact, I cant wait!

Thanks.

P.S. panic buying needs to stop. It's ridiculous. Calm down people!!

jjdrer
  • 20th Mar 2020 09:02pm
As a sole trader/small business owner I'm most concerned about schools closing. I have two young daughters and if schools close I am unsure as to what I will do with the girls. I may have to bring...

While travel is restricted in some instances people in country areas are definitely going to struggle. Because of city people in bus loads and bulk buying at them, the shops aren't getting new deliveries often enough to be able to buy / sell even just basic food for the the country people to buy their normal quantity of supplies. A lot of people living out on farms in country areas cook their meals,bread, cakes etc themselves. There is flour restrictions so they can't even do that. In Adelaide if we don't go to some of the supermarkets at the right time we can't even get bread

EileenW1
  • 20th Mar 2020 12:39pm

A friend in the UK is dying with now only days to live and his family around the world have had all their travel arrangements and flights cancelled. He does not understand why they haven't come to him and my daughter who visits him says he has given up fighting his cancer and refuses assistance with his pain. Weddings and holidays can be rescheduled but death and funerals cannot be postponed indefinitely. So his sons and grand children are devastated and this old man must die a lonely death with only strangers around him and my daughter and her partner to be at his funeral.