2020 Summer will undoubtedly be remembered. Where – naively – we thought we’d have finished with Covid, here it is : sneakily coming back, upsetting the plans of holidaymakers, even those who had bet on a late departure… The result: frustration and disappointment for many, with the impression that they haven’t been able to really “enjoy” this traditional annual break.
What about the rebound effect? For Fanny Eyraud, the scenario is likely to be the following: once the epidemic is over, travel will resume – both privately and professionally – in greater numbers and from farther away. Hence the importance of preparing today the insurance products adapted to tomorrow’s world!
“According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of international tourists could fall by 60 to 80% by 2020. “In an exceptional crisis, the consequences would be extraordinary. But the rebound effect, on the other hand, could also be equal to the “sacrifices” that many felt they had to make this summer. While the resumption of travel will initially concern mainly private trips to visit friends and family, a return to normality is already being sketched out by experts. For example, “opinions regarding the resumption of international travel are positive in Africa and the Middle East, with the majority of experts predicting a resumption in 2020. In Europe and Asia, half of the experts predict a recovery in the course of this year,” the UNWTO report says.
And in Switzerland? According to figures from Switzerland Tourism, in normal times (i.e. excluding Covid) 43.6% of overnight stays in Switzerland are booked by locals. A figure that has certainly risen this summer, as the Swiss have been called upon since June to take advantage of the country’s charms. What next? Many are already considering postponing the trip originally planned for this summer to next year, or even “catching up” this summer by planning a longer, more distant trip in 2021.
For Fanny Eyraud, Director and founder of OPAL, the Covid will paradoxically reinforce this need for distant horizons even more:
“After 2 months of breakdown, the summer was expected like the messiah. However, many had to revise their plans, not without disappointment. For 2021, I think we’re going to face much greater displacements, provided the epidemic is under control. This is both on a private level with (re)planned trips further away as mentioned above, and on a professional level with expatriations perceived as a breath of fresh air. As experts in international health insurance, we are already anticipating this and are ready to respond with targeted, pragmatic and totally innovative products.”
