Data from a study conducted by global market research company YouGov shows that people want change in the travel industry. According to Travel Pulse, the company surveyed travelers 11 different countries for its Future of Tourism Survey.

The results indicate that “travelers want to see positive changes to the travel industry following the pandemic.” Based upon the research, 33 percent of the individuals polled would like to see increased financial protection being made available for travelers.

Thirty-four percent want the travel industry to prioritize sustainability, with 29 percent wanting to see health and sustainability given precedence over financial gain. Forty-four percent of the study participants surveyed would like to see travel become more seamless by integrating technology with the implementation of health protocols.

There are also notable changes how people are traveling after the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed say they are mare more likely to take a domestic trip. Thirty-two percent of respondents, however, report being more willing to travel internationally than they were prior to the pandemic with 42 percent being likely to travel abroad for a holiday as opposed to 39 percent being unlikely.

“The pandemic has a profound impact on the global tourism sector,” said Saudi Arabia‘s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb.

“It has shown us all – travelers, tourists, businesses and governments, that we can do things differently. The Future of Tourism Survey shows that the public wants us to learn the lessons of the pandemic and to make changes that put health, sustainability, and the better use of technology, at the heart of future tourism.”

Earlier this week, June 7-8, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism hosted the 116th meeting of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the country’s port city of Jeddah.

“Saudi Arabia is a brand-new tourism destination. We opened our doors to international tourism just before the pandemic, and because of that we are willing and able to think and act in new and different ways,” Al Khateeb said.

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