By Roland Murphy | AZBEX
The second half of 2023 saw a slew of articles and market reports noting the post-pandemic travel boom was finally starting to slow. There’s no denying the COVID lockdowns generated a desire in the consumer populace to make up for lost time and missed opportunities. There was also a ratcheting up of the collective sense of mortality that pushed FOMO levels into the red.
Of course that initial burst had to die down. Whether it’s tulip bulbs or subdivisions, no bubble lasts forever. Everything normalizes over time. It’s interesting to note, however, how strong demand levels have remained even after the surge started to fade. People appear less inclined to put off travel and associated activities.
When a previously unknown and uncontemplated circumstance can come out of nowhere and disrupt your life for months (or worse), taking that trip to sunny Phoenix you’ve always planned can ratchet up from “someday” to “next Sunday” with understandable urgency. When leisure travelers start to get a taste of that whole work-life balance thing, it can remain a priority. Perhaps it’s one situation in which the “new normal” isn’t just a cliché but may actually reflect a legitimate change in markets and perception.
