Without travel, life and work would be way less exciting, but the pandemic, which began in March 2020, has dramatically changed not only the travel industry, but also people's attitudes. Even a new term, "revenge tourism", has emerged, stemming from revenge against an unfavourable situation, with a greater than usual spontaneity in decision making.
In Vilnius University's (VU) podcast "Science without Sermons", travel expert and lecturer at VU Business School Vilija Malinauskaitė talks about how the pandemic has changed our travelling habits, about travelling opportunities offered by remote work and how the war in Ukraine will affect the tourism sector in the Baltic region.
"Revenge tourism" – a new term for travellers' behaviour
"The pandemic has changed the way we think. Whereas in the past people used to procrastinate a lot, nowadays many travellers have realised that trips can be restricted quite easily and for a long time. This is why the so-called "revenge tourism" emerges, when we no longer postpone trips to places we have always wanted to go," she says.
Explaining the concept further, V. Malinauskaitė provides examples from her personal experience.
"I have two countries that in my mind are linked to the end of the pandemic. One of them is Israel, where I used to go quite often and which suddenly closed. Subconsciously, I think that when I can go there again, the pandemic will be over," she says.
The travel expert points out that the pandemic has changed the nature of her work considerably: before the pandemic, she used to work more in the travel tourism business, but it was severely restricted. She believes that going to Israel will mean a return to the life she had before.
"The other country is the United States of America. Not because I want to go there so much, but as a matter of fact, it is a country that I associate with freedom, and suddenly I can't go there. Perhaps this "revenge tourism" has been triggered by very similar associations for many people. Going somewhere just to prove to yourself that you can do it", she reflects.
Digitalisation is also changing the travel habits
V. Malinauskaitė says that digitalisation has also changed people's travel habits.
"Tourism was the most digitalised industry before the pandemic. One thing everyone was talking about was how much we will digitalise the delivery of services. Are the service sector and digitalisation compatible at all?", she asks.
According to her, in the US there is a very clear segmentation of the luxury and standard sectors. "If we're talking about a standard service, say a simple lunch in an average restaurant in a big city, it's likely we won't even see the waiter much. We scan the barcode, read the menu, order our food on the app, leave a tip, and someone will bring us our food just walking by."
The lecturer explains that this is a standard level of service, as human labour is inevitably more expensive. A new Generation Z is entering the labour market, completely unwilling to work in the service sector, so the services to which we have been accustomed, such as porterage, and smiling staff are becoming a luxury. In many countries, she says, contact with a worker, recommendations or personal help are already considered a luxury.
"In the travel sector, we see very clearly that virtual guides and even audio guides are no substitute for human narration. We still have drivers, who in some countries also act as tour guides. Even in a hotel, we cannot digitalise everything, because we are talking about the hospitality sector here. It is unlikely that AI could show hospitality. It is, after all, an intrinsic human quality," she believes.
Travelling and remote work – how to combine?
"Social changes in society mean that more and more people will be able to work remotely," she says. One of the main requirements of the new generation for an employer, she says, is the flexibility of work.
"Working from different places, from different countries is only going to get more popular and I don't see a way to stop it. This is all the more true now that employers have stopped being afraid, because there is a clear trend: if you work, you work. And if you don't, you don't, even sitting in the office. So travel is not a factor that compromises the quality of work," she says.
Talking about how to combine work and travel, the travel expert offers several options.
"One option is to leave for a few months. There will be weekends and half-days off over the next few months, and you'll definitely have the chance to get to know the city and country you're visiting. And the work quality will remain the same. Some people travel to places they have been to before, maybe more than once. They want to enjoy the weather, good food, and maybe they want to make the most of the evenings outdoors or in nature, which is not always easy to do in Lithuania in all seasons. It is true to say that the first time we combine work and holidays, we will have to find a way that works for us, and it won't necessarily work at the first try. But with routines and priorities in place, we will soon be able to enjoy both work and life in another country," says V. Malinauskaitė.
The impact of the war in Ukraine on the travel sector
Russia's aggression against Ukraine will isolate the country not only in terms of goods and services, but also in tourism.
"I've been to Russia many times and I certainly don't want to go there anytime soon. Russia will definitely be less visited in the future. I wouldn't venture a guess about people from other countries, but I'm talking about Baltic nationals and the Polish."
V. Malinauskaitė reminds that countries with a high prevalence of terrorism, a complicated military situation and civil wars are on the list of countries not recommended for travel. However, while Lithuania and the neighbouring Baltic States are safe, their tourism sectors will also be affected by the war in Ukraine.
"The usual organised groups have suspended all trips to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland until the summer. I suppose it is understandable, as our region is in the focus these days, but on the other hand, I would certainly like to encourage the Lithuanian government to talk more about the fact that we are safe. It looks like the military conflict will not be short-lived, but we still need to live. So I would like to see more tourists coming to our city."
However, the Business School lecturer believes that after the end of the military conflict, tourism in Ukraine will recover soon enough.
"As long as there is a war going on, it is difficult to talk about travelling, especially since it is impossible to get to the country. When the war is over, I am confident that our enthusiasm will continue. For the first time in my practice, I saw enthusiasm not only from our close region, but also from people in Western Europe and the USA. It seems to me that tourism will recover, and it will happen soon enough. Especially as the infrastructure that exists in Kyiv, at least so far, has not been destroyed. I believe that Ukraine will be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the near future, especially as it is a big and beautiful country with a rich history, spectacular nature and magnificent cities."
Expressing support for the state and people of Ukraine and responding to recent events, Vilnius University (VU) offers free education and financial assistance to Ukrainian students if their higher education aspirations are disrupted. Support action for the Ukrainian academic community has also begun; everyone can participate.