The environmental impacts of travel before Covid 19 was all about cheap, short stays and mass travelling. In the last 18months overnight travel has come to a halt. Choosing a weekend getaway for one-night rentals was thanks to Airbnb or Booking.com. People would buy to let, real estate that made extra cash for second homeowners. Cities stay will more appealing because one could bring groups for a weekend hens night in Prague.
People bought properties to rent out on a supply and demand basis. Catering for mass tourism at any cost to earn a living. Looking back it really got out of control on every level.
The future of travelling is all about what I have been experiencing for the last 19months, staying in rentals for a month. Exploring, real estate at a very high level with an extremely rare low price. The demand vanished and the supply of rentals was plenty.
Hotels did not like it as Airbnb, took millions of earnings from luxury hotel stays. But this mass travelling meant anyone could travel.
What Is Airbnb?
Airbnb is all about people’s flats and homes being able to target cheap travel. I used Airbnb globally as it was perfect for my family of four. I had more space for less cash. During last year the crash was so big I was staying at luxury Airbnb places in Venice, Florence and Rome at 70% less in high seasons.
It occurred to me very early on that cheap travel was over. So did Airbnb, which changed its business model to long term rentals. Many second homeowners had to sell or shut up shop after 20mths of no America’s or Chinese meant the demand was dead in the water. Crossing European borders is costly. Flying out of the United Kingdom to Spain and Portugal was illegal back in July.
StayCation
The new world order for travelling in 2021, is called staycation. That hashtag was as infectious as Covid 19 itself. Everyone who could afford it dashed around their own countries for Countryside or Estate living.
One of my friend’s views from her Villa in Tuscany. The estate is now up for sale due to a lack of luxury travellers flying in.
The Future Of Travel Stays
The restrictions of travelling and visa requirements alongside expensive PCR testing is why travel for sellers has become a problem. Cheap travel and short stays are over. Lockdown restrictions are here once again. Countries like Italy and France have lost billions in income from mass tourism, they depend on tourism. Lockdown restrictions from Australia, America and China who are big spenders when it comes to travelling to Europe are not coming too. No travel has been allowed from Australia since Jan 2020.
The Impact Of Expensive Travelling
Heathrow Airport in London has doubled its airport tax. When it comes to aviation it can’t cover global markets regarding airport tax. They are basically in financial need to cover a lost making airport. To fly out of Heathrow on tax alone will set you back 200pounds before take off.
Travelling now is expensive and the way families and travellers see it. It’s just not worth the hassle flying on short-haul stays. The long term effects and lack of easier access to European destinations are why. Real estate, Tuscan Villas and Countryside vacations are the winners regarding gold making opportunities.
More land, the bigger the property the more in demand for long term holiday stays. People are staying home or if they can afford the time, hassle and tickets they book for one month in one spot.
This is called, Villa Mansi situated in Tuscany Lucca. It is for sale for 19million. It has been on the market for years. Could this Tuscan Villa be sold due to the long term market evolution of owning that Villa in Tuscany
Tuscany is in high demand no matter what pandemic is thrown at it. It has suffered. I have visited many properties for sale and the locals are not desperate to sell. So if you have the cash buy big land as lockdown restrictions are here for a very long time.
Villa Buying
Buying a villa in Tuscany right now has never been so easy. More and more each week due to fuel poverty, food inflation, tax rises and unemployment mean people need to sell. A massive unsellable palazzo is in need to sell. Last year I visited many properties for sale with large land. I will return to see what has sold?
Will anyone buy Villa Mansi when there are smaller properties for sale. The anxiety of foreigners not been able to travel means they will not fly for a week to any destination. The fear of dying from Covid is also why short travel stays are no longer appealing to short holiday destinations. it’s a mental health issue to even leave your own house for some.
Long Term Travel Accommodation
I know travel has changed. The way I travelled last year is the future of travelling. The apartments and buyers need to adapt to marketing their property for sale or rent long term. I booked a city stay for one month in Venice, I got it at 70% less than the marketing price in high season.
I moved to Florence for another month and worked online. It was the best travelling year I had in Italy last year, 2020. Why no one was flying in and the masses were gone.
The digital nomad way of living is how I see rental markets need to adapt.
Targeting Digital Nomads
I laugh when Italian officials market a property for one euro. In the hope to allure the youth and digital nomad market. I am one of those markets. The least appealing option is to stay in a fallen down, crumbling village. What are we looking for when we rent from place to place?
We want restaurants, fast internet. We want facilities for our kids to have access to. We want atmosphere and good modern warm properties to live in for a short stay. We are not your long term residents who are out to buy property. We are ceasing a crash in the market where expensive city rental was unaffordable for most digital nomads. Now for the first time in years, Airbnb rentals are empty. My choice is endless. With no new flights returning anytime soon internationally. This winter is going to be brutal regarding income for second homeowners.
I had an absolute blast. I did not choose well during my second Airbnb stay in Venice. it did not matter as I could leave. Plenty of other rentals to choose by for digital nomads in Italy. But because I stayed in Venice for six more weeks. I really lived like a Venetian. It is certainly not for me. Too loud, too noisy and no views in confined spaces.
I wanted to revisit a very quiet Venice with no mass tourists in sight. What was rare and a blessing was all the hotels I stayed in with no one was in them bar me! This is what I call La Dolce Vita. The Sweet Life.
Italy And Fast Internet
I stayed in Rome and on a Tuscan estate. But the owners never understood the booking impact of not having fast internet. The future of estate travelling is we need fast internet. Facilities within the place that make us comfortable not frustrated. The surroundings of olive trees and flowers are why I stayed for eight months. Tuscany was in and out of lockdowns. I had a wonderful place but it was the wrong facilities that lead me to be very cold and unable to work efficiently.
So choose wisely when booking long term stays.
Permanent Residents Versus Travel
Due to working from home. many families and digital nomads are relocating for the short term. Try before you buy mentality. The negative impact of covid 19 means people will travel less but opt for longer stays. Opt for destinations that were once popular.
Recreational Opportunities
When people are travelling they want space, a garden, tennis courts, swimming pools. I had these facilities. Research contact owners directly and negotiate a current market rate. Those that need cash will accept your offer. Where I stayed I had access to cities like Lucca, Pisa and Florence. I flew nowhere for 8mths, due to public health and tough departure rules thanks to this pandemic.
When people travel now it will be for one month or a few months. The properties that will get snapped up other the ones with comfortable facilities.
Airbnb Long Term Rentals
It’s why Airbnb changed its booking rules to long term rentals. No one could fly in for a weekend stay in Venice. No one could fly into Holland for a hotel stay. Mass heap travel is over and cities like Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Venice are on a mission not to have mass tourism back. I am all for it. Venice is not a city built for mass tourism.
Me in Holland it was so quiet regarding reviewing Hotels in August.
Mass Tourism Won’t Be Missed
Covid has destroyed the livelihood of the locals and ruined cities due to too much foot traffic and rubbish left behind from travellers. Amsterdam does not want mass tourism back nor does the locals. Hence joining forces with Airbnb, to attract long term renters and digital nomads.
Greta Thunberg prayers were answered regarding air travel and air pollution.
Property Hikes
The cost of property per square meter for estate living or countryside homes went up on most occasions tenfold. Anyone owning lots of lands are the winner. Places like Cornwell, Cotswolds priced out many locals when renewing their rentals. The fee for home countries and green spaces are what developers with cash are hunting for now. Sustainable development targeting people who want to live on an estate is booming.
Even though salaries are less, unemployment is high. Green building and city living is the new staycation holiday.
By staying in cities longer I visited many museums, met new people and discovered a culture more indepth.
Luxury travel now is finding a place that you can afford for less money but for the longer term. To stay in cities off-peak without the mass lines of visiting a famous church is what I experienced.
Living in a palazzo is a brilliant way to find out if you really want to live in Tuscany.
Buy Land To Grow Food
Shortages of food in the UK due to lack of fruit pickers. Shortage of food and water at Tescos, Marks And Spencer, Aldi, Asda is why. If you can buy land you can grow your own food. September around the globe has shown us, shipping restrictions, shipping costs and lack of natural resources. This is why we are heading into a food famine. A petrol panic.
Did you know it has not rained in parts of Italy for months? This has destroyed future crops.
America is also struggling with environmental impact hence lots of damns are empty with no water.
Long term travelling means you can understand more about what you desire in life.
Travel Restrictions Are Here To Stay
With the financial impact of travel, airlines not making money. The cost of fuel, PCR testing. Or no vaccine means no travel. Many of us will be forced to stay within our own countries. So creating wellness, holiday stays means opting for estate living, big spaces to walk in like the Lake District. Mass travel is over, cheap travelling is over and can Easy Jet and Ryan Air survive the brutal change of fast travel. Adapting making the changes for real estate. This is why hotel’s need to turn themselves into long term attractive stays.
Follow your gut and buy where you can afford it and not depend on government handouts. I keep moving to avoid strict lockdown rules. I do this to watch and take care of my mental health.
Travelling is very stressful now. So if you want to, make sure you travel to a destination for at least one month.
You must be logged in to post a comment.