A new survey from travel technology company Amadeus found encouraging news for aviation, with 41 percent of travelers keen to book international travel within six weeks of restrictions lifting.
The survey of more than 9,000 travelers from the U.S., Europe and Asia done for Amadeus by research firm Censuswide, also found 91 percent would be comfortable using a digital health passport for future trips, though most did voice concern over how their health data for travel would be stored.
“There is no doubt that COVID-19 will continue to shape the way we travel for the months ahead, just as it influences so many other areas of our lives,” said Decius Valmorbida, president of travel for Amadeus. “Yet while there are still uncertainties, research like this reinforces my optimism that we will build back travel better than before.”
Just under three quarters of travelers surveyed would be willing to store their travel health data electronically if it enabled them to pass through the airport faster with fewer face-to-face interactions.
And more than 40 percent of travelers said a travel app that could be used across the whole journey would greatly improve their overall travel experience, with 62 percent more likely to use an app to store health data if a travel company partnered with a trusted healthcare company.
“This study highlights once more the key role that technology will play in rebuilding travel. We’ve seen a shift since our last survey, as travelers now place more focus on mobile and touchless technology, crucial areas that will clearly strengthen traveler confidence,” said Christophe Bousquet, Amadeus chief technology officer. “It’s also very relevant to see that travelers are open to digital health passports and sharing their data as they move through the journey, once the right safeguards are in place.”
