Health and safety are top-of-mind for consumers when selecting a destination, although the Asia Pacific region generates a higher than average positive sentiments but tempered by a demand for cleanliness and a low impact on the environment. These are some of the results from the recently launched report, The Impact of Health and Hygiene on post-Covid-19 Destination Competitiveness in the Asia Pacific, published by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
The study includes contributions from the co-founders of the Global Health Security (GHS) Index, a project of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security (JHU); TCI Research, Tripadvisor and the World Economic Forum.
“Despite much remaining unknown about the future of travel post-Covid-19, this report highlights emerging trends about health and hygiene in travel and tourism concerning booking behaviour and resident sentiment,” said PATA chief of staff Trevor Weltman. “Such insights can assist destination managers, and marketers get ahead of the curve to rethink, rebuild, and reposition their destination’s focus on health and hygiene beginning now.”
This report recommends that destination managers and other tourism stakeholders across the Asia Pacific region begin creating close partnerships with public health officials, tourism supply chain businesses, and local communities to commence a coordinated renewal of traveller confidence in the health and safety of their destination. Destinations that meet these expectations through investing in hygiene and safety measures and clearly communicate these changes to travellers and residents alike will be well-positioned to win in the post-Covid-19 travel era.
