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The world is currently going through a lot – the Russia/Ukraine war, the rising cost of living, the next wave of infections, and so much more. Things are rapidly changing as a result and it can be difficult to keep up with the lighter things when there’s so much doom and gloom springing up in our feeds. So, we’ve compiled a list of travel and hospitality things that are happening right now that South Africans should be aware of. Perhaps it sparks some joy and inspires you to travel or to get out and about to take your mind off things for a bit.
Travel specials are coming in hot
With destinations around the world wanting to boost tourism, there are many attractive travel deals to be had. Start with looking at your local travel agents and what they have on offer. Airlines, accommodation establishments and tour operators are scrambling to get customers at the best deals possible, so shop around and you are bound to find a good deal.
The upcoming summer season in the Northern Hemisphere is often an expensive time for South Africans to travel but, with countries across the world trying to bounce back from the knock of the pandemic, you are more likely to find a more pocket-friendly trip this year.
Airbnb changes things up
Airbnb recently announced that the platform will be undergoing multiple changes and upgrades. This includes changes to Airbnb Categories that will provide a new way to search in an effort to make it easy to discover millions of homes you never knew existed, including Design (27,000 homes), Countryside (200,000 homes), Amazing views (27,000 homes) and Historical homes (4,000 homes).
The company has also noted that there will now be Split Stays. This innovative feature provides more options for longer stays by splitting your trip between two homes. Airbnb split stays allow users to book a trip longer than a week and stay in two different listings, just in case neither of those listings are available for all the days that a user requests. This means that homes that would not have previously come up for the selected dates due to unavailability, will now show up under a split stay.
Another change to note is the addition of AirCover for guests that will provide protection in travel for guests. This is included for free with every stay.
New Zealand will soon open to the world
It’s no secret that New Zealand implemented some of the toughest travel restrictions when the pandemic started. As a result, almost no one other than New Zealand residents has been able to travel to the Australasian region since the first quarter of 2020.
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, however, has recently announced that the country will open for international visitors from 31 July – two months earlier than expected. Just a few weeks ago, country leaders lifted restrictions on Australia, Europe, the United States, Canada, Britain and Japan.
We know that this will come as a relief to many South Africans who have family and friends in the region.
A new way of experiencing food is on the horizon
The pandemic changed many business models, including that of restaurants and eateries, which relied heavily on deliveries and curbside collections during the heavier lockdown periods. With fewer patrons, some restaurants reimagined their spaces as dark kitchens that provided production lines to larger chains. Now, the hospitality industry, and more specifically Radisson Hotel Group, is looking to diversify their food and beverage offering with the introduction of their own cloud – or dark – kitchens, as well as specialty cuisine concepts, at some of their leading hotels across the globe.
According to Radisson’s new Area Director of Restaurants and Bars, Joseph Chalfoun, cloud kitchens open up space for experimentation, lower rentals and allow hotels and restaurants to adapt more quickly to consumer food trends, providing hotel guests and even public patrons with a more efficient and diverse menu.
As the travel landscape starts to change, it’s good to keep abreast of what’s happening in tourism and hospitality right now. For consumers, this means more knowledge at hand for when they want to travel. And for businesses, it means the ability to pivot as the needs of your customers change.