What Would a Timeline for Travel's Reopening Look Like?

I am a sucker for good charts, that much you all know by now. Today I came across this good timeline-of-reopening visualization by our good friends at Twenty31,  the tourism consultancy, in a report they did for Tourism Industry Association of Canada titled "State of Tourism in Canada during COVID-19". (PDF link)

Based on Twenty31's research from monitoring and speaking to various multiple global and Canadian media sources, associations, think tanks, and expert opinion from the tourism industry and government, it has come up with this timeline chart below, for a potential fall reopening of the travel sector in the Western world.

According to its report:

• Global: The return to tourism (starting with domestic travel) is expected to return close to the end of June / beginning of July timeframe for some destinations around the world. Some destinations (Spain, Australia) are hinting that tourism may not return this year.
• Canada: Leading indicators continue to point to an easing of travel restrictions occurring gradually starting with inter- and intra-provincial travel (around mid / end of June / beginning of July), followed by regional travel (mid-July), and eventually international short-haul (mid- to late-August) and long-haul travel (into the fall).

Of course, the caveat in all this: yes, all of us in travel sector want to reopen but will —and can — travelers return, and at what level? A lot of reopening talk is politicians wishful thinking so they come out looking better in what has generally been a terrible political leadership response to the pandemic across most of the western world.

But, as the report says: "Travellers are beginning to show interest in travel again although at low levels. When travel does restart, outdoor and small group activities appear to be more promising when compared to higher density activities." Local travel will likely lead this reopening timeline.

Discover more reopening milestones on our Travel Reopening Timeline.