“Huge surge” in pipeline for tourism – survey

21st April 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

The tourism sector is set to benefit from what has been described as a “huge surge in business post-Covid-19 lockdown”, according to a new consumer confidence survey.

Horizon Research found that 29% of its survey’s 1267 respondents would go on a domestic holiday in the six months after lockdown was lifted, which the consultancy said scaled up to just over 1 million adults.

Source: Horizon Research

A third of respondents, which Horizon said equated to around 1.18 million adults, would go on New Zealand road trips once Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

Flights would also be back on the agenda, according to the survey, which was conducted between April 8-14, with 19%, or around 697,000 adults, indicating they “would definitely take domestic flights”. Around 327,200 said they would take international flights – assuming they were available.

On accommodation, 8%, or around 276,800, would stay in hotels and 11%, or an estimated 388,300 people, would stay in motels.

“In the first six months, if allowed, there will be huge surges in custom for the retail, postal and courier and travel sectors,” Horizon said.

“The tourism and related businesses will enjoy a re-start, with more than a million adults intending to take domestic holidays and road trips.”

There would also be a resurgence in the numbers attending sports events, funerals, weddings and events clocking in at 17%, 23%, 16% and 23% respectively.

Horizon added: “For hard hit hospitality businesses, like cafes, there will be a strong resurgence – as soon as their use is allowed.”

Cafés ranked seventh for intended use out of 47 potential activities measured with 51% of adults polling that they will use a café, reflecting around 1.8 million adults.

While there would be a huge return to eating fast foods and going to restaurants and cafes, half a million would go back to the gym, around the same level of use measured in 2016 and 2018 by Horizon.

The research showed the number going to movies would rise to 31% of adults, or around 1.1 million people.

View the full research results here.