COVID-19 led to global travel restrictions that impacted the way we spent our holidays. Researchers have now explored what these travel behaviors can teach us to support the transition to more climate-smart holiday options in a new scientific paper.
Between March and June 2022, online surveys and interviews were conducted with UK residents to investigate their holiday habits. A country with already high carbon emissions from passenger aviation. The researchers examined how they differed before and during the pandemic, as well as how the respondents viewed their future travel.
The results show that they traveled less and over shorter distances during the pandemic compared to before March 2020. Private car travel had a major upswing and accounted for a larger share of total trips, followed by a smaller increase in train travel.
Majority satisfied with flight-free travel
The majority of respondents stated that they were as satisfied with a flightless holiday domestically as with flying abroad. Despite this, there is a tendency to return to pre-pandemic vacation patterns.
The researchers identified three main types of travelers. One group traveling to experience something completely different, where a holiday in the UK was not considered a ‘proper’ holiday. The global travel restrictions only reinforced their desire for long-haul destinations by air. The second group got inspired to holiday at home and may continue to do so, although they also plan to continue flying to sunny locations or to visit family. The third group was very positive about vacationing domestically and wants to continue flying less.
Opportunities for local tourism
– What you thought you needed on your vacation, it’s not the actual place that necessarily creates it, says Sara Skarp from Lund University who is one of the researchers behind the study. She says that the pandemic has opened up for reflection on what is really needed to experience a meaningful vacation. Some insights were, for example, that it is possible to get beautiful views and good weather even at home in the UK.
Although car travel produces lower carbon emissions than air travel, the researchers highlight the importance of improved public transport to further reduce climate impact. There is an opportunity here to make nearby destinations even more attractive and accessible through policy support and marketing.
ARTICLE
Exploring pandemic holiday practices: Meaning, experience and aspiration – ScienceDirect
CONTACT
Sara Skarp
Postdoc, Department of Sociology at Lund University
sara.skarp@soc.lu.se