Party package holidays may suffer in post-pandemic travel, says expert

Party package holidays may suffer in post-pandemic travel, says expert

Party package holidays may suffer in post-pandemic travel as young generations turn to adventure holidays, new data revealed. ‘Party package' holidays were already declining pre-pandemic in terms of both demand and supply, and with the spread of the coronavirus, its recovery will further delay amid fears of infection and the process of organising group travel, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. It is likely that demand will never fully return as both individuals and destinations are drifting away from this party concept. Johanna Bonhill-Smith, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Operators and destinations that typically cater to the ‘mass party concept' need to carefully reconsider their product and promotion in a post-Covid era amid changing consumer behaviours. Party holidays are now less desired by young generations and destinations in post-pandemic travel.” GlobalData's Q3 2019 consumer survey found that respondents aged between 16-24 and 25-34 covering Gen Z and millennials were the most likely to take an alternative holiday with a specialised focus on areas such as adventure/sport, wellness/medical, sustainability, gastronomy and culture than their older counterparts. Therefore, it was already clear that these generations desired more authentic and transformational travel experiences pre-pandemic. Bonhill-Smith continues: “This is far different to an alcohol-filled getaway