The recent Global pandemic imposed various national challenges affecting Particular’s tourism and hospitality industries. Most countries across the globe closed their boundaries, and critical operations came to a standstill. Flight, cruise ships, trains, and buses were grounded while hotels and restaurants were shut down. Social distancing and constantly washing hands became the new norm across the world while people adopted wearing masks. Covid-19 reshaped many industries and influenced their way of operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the tourism industry to adopt new travel standards and protocols to offer safe travel to all tourists. Statistics indicate that tourists have already adapted to some of these changes, and the tour and the tourism industry is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 losses. Some of the top changes in tourism include;
1. Domestic Holidays
Domestic holidays became prominent following the closing of borders and the prohibitions of international travel. The pandemic imposed serious insecurities linked to flights and airports, motivating many to explore local tourist sites. Reports reveal that all the hidden gems within Ghana receive a significant number of local tourists each season. National parks, mountains, reserves, canopy trails, and beaches are among Ghana’s most visited sites. The customization of some tourism products motivates many people to explore Ghana.
2. Exploring Neighboring Nation
Tourists started exploring neighbouring countries and other African nations. Since most of the neighbouring countries are easily accessible by road, visiting them is somehow cheaper compared to visiting other nations on other continents. Immigration rules and policies were altered, and nations were forced to adopt different quarantine periods depending on the impact of the disease. Visiting neighbouring countries is the new norm for many adventurous people.
3. Young People StTravel More
Young people between 18 to 35 years old are still healthy and in good condition to travel. The aged people were exposed to the COVID-19 virus, and most of them lost their lives to the pandemic. The fear of contracting diseases during their vacation de-motivates them from travelling much or exploring faraway places. Travelling is more interesting to the young generation since they can participate in various enjoyable activities during their vacation, unlike older people.
4. Short Vacations
Short vacations are gaining more fame in Ghana since tourists do not usually spend much time in these destinations. The hindrance of long-distance trips motivated many people to try short vacations to ensure that they stay safe. Tourists replaced long vacations with short ones and domestic holidays for safety purposes.
5. Road Trips
Tourists adopted road transport to avoid travelling by trains and aeroplanes. Road trips have gained so much fame over recent years since many people are more comfortable in their vehicles. Statistics indicate that many Families and young people prefer road trips, especially during long weekends and short holidays.
6. Experiential Traveling
Many tourists have opted for experiential travel, such as cycling vacations, eco-tourism, walking tours, and health farms. Due to prolonged days of lockdown, many people found passion in various other passions, including photography. Generally, photographers like touring places where they can shoot more. Many people have enough time to focus and learn the things they love most.
7. Nature Tourism
The urge to interact with nature grew among many people, so they focused on interacting with natural environments. The fear of being infected with COVID-19 forced many to explore open areas where social distancing is not a problem. Statistics indicate that people enjoy spending time in gardens, parks, mountains, waterfalls, and beaches.
The tourism industry has successfully adopted new changes and is benefiting from them. The Ghana Tourism Authority has recorded a higher percentage of Local tourists over the last two years.
