Mexico Avis-Budget to capitalize on road trip trend due to pandemic

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Post-Covid tourism trends suggest that travelers will prefer driving or road trips, a circumstance that the Avis – Budget group seeks to capitalize on in the face of the car rental boom.

Alex Pace, CEO of GMS Group, representative of these brands in Mexico, explained to a group of travel agents the advantages they see in the short term in the national and international market, under the new health standards demanded by tourists.

The manager explained that experiences that involve less exposure to crowds such as outdoor activities, nature tourism, ecotourism, adventure, and rural, will be part of this trend.

This will also bring a greater demand for individual transportation or for small groups who will venture to travel the highways to reach destinations far from highly populated places.

Pace revealed that this trend is already being seen more in the United States, so travel agents must provide all the useful information to the Mexican traveler traveling there, in addition to representing a strong business opportunity.

For example, he mentioned the trips that can be made in California by entering the Cross Border Xpress and taking his vehicle there. In San Antonio, there is also an attractive program of routes.

At a domestic level, Avis – Budget is also an option that travel agents can offer for tourists to visit the different attractions that Mexico has. In the presentation, they talked about the routes through Tamaulipas, which in addition to being a beach has a diverse variety of natural sites that can be easily visited by road.

The main advantage that stands out in the rental of a car for travel is the guarantee of health and hygiene, which in itself was already prior to the pandemic but has reinforced its protocols not only in the fleet but also in the Avis service modules – Budget.

They have also implemented technological functions to facilitate the rental process and thus avoid maximum contact.

In order for travel agents to know all the benefits they can offer to their clients, the company will launch an online certification program and has several communication channels available to be in contact with its business partners and address any concerns

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  • According to Airbnb in 2021 the trend will be to travel not necessarily for tourism, but to live, work and connect safely outside the home.
  • Zimatlán de Álvarez, Oaxaca, Zacatlán, Puebla, Punta Maroma, Quintana Roo and Boca de Tomatlán, Jalisco among the local destinations that are a trend among Mexicans.

Tourism has undoubtedly been one of the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the year progresses and we get used to a “new normal”, changes in habits are observed that will last.

In this context, long-distance travel and international flights will continue to be affected, although finally, after spending much of the year in isolation, what people most want is to reconnect with their friends and family in a safe and controlled way. According to Airbnb, in 2021 the trend will be to travel not necessarily for tourism, but to live, work and connect safely away from home.

According to a survey carried out by the accommodation company and the analysis of searches and reservations for the next year, the platform revealed three major trends that will define travel in 2021:

For many working from home is already the norm, but in 2021 working from home could become working from any home. According to the survey conducted by Airbnb:

  • 83% of respondents favor relocation as part of remote work.
  • A quarter believe they will be able to “live where they want and work remotely.”
  • One in five respondents has temporarily or permanently relocated their living situation during the pandemic.
  • If schools continue to operate remote classes, 60% of parents are likely to consider working remotely.
  • Gen Z youth and millennials are the most likely to believe that they will be able to move to a new location to work or study remotely.

“From July to September of this year, compared to the same period last year, there was a 128% increase in searches using the terms” relocation, “” remote work, “and” trying new neighborhood, “Airbnb says in a statement .

Image: Photo: averie woodard via Unsplash

Redefining “Staycation”, or vacation at home

While the uncertainty continues, local travel will continue to be a trend in 2021, and this is demonstrated by 62% of the people surveyed who expressed that they want to take trips close to their homes. By 2021, as expected, local destinations will become the most popular. Some of the most sought after destinations by Mexicans for local stays are:

  • Zimatlán de Álvarez, Oaxaca.
  • Zacatlán, Puebla.
  • Punta Maroma, Quintana Roo.
  • Boca de Tomatlán, Jalisco.
  • Cardonal, Hidalgo.
  • San Miguel de Cozumel, Quintana Roo.
  • Cuetzalan, Puebla.
  • Mezcales, Nayarit.
  • Santiago, Nuevo Leon.
  • San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.

The rise of group travel

The desire to connect with other people has become a fundamental part of everyday life. 85% of those surveyed are in favor of permanent or temporary relocation with the main objective of being close to family.

Among those who voluntarily relocated this year, 37% commented that they did so to be close to family or friends. This trend has become popular among the younger generations, with 61% of those under 50 interested in moving permanently and 47% interested in temporarily moving to be close to their loved ones.

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Planning the future

When respondents were asked how they felt about planning a future trip, their response was “optimistic.” Although there are restrictions in many countries, 36% of travelers dream of traveling every day and this percentage rises to 47% among people who work from home. Although there are still restrictions, travelers dream of the next adventure and Mexicans are not strangers to this trend, as they also seek destinations outside of Mexico.

Source: nitu.mx, entrepreneur.com

Mexico Daily Post