Private jets leading ‘revenge travel’ tourism rebound – expert

A travel industry expert is reporting a big jump in private jet travel to Caribbean islands as the phenomenon termed “revenge travel” triggers a rebound of tourism industries left struggling by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wayne Rizzi, president of Private Jetaway, a firm that offers luxury travel packages, said that statistics currently show a 50 per cent increase on private jet travel coming down to the region, as lockdowns are lifted and millions receive the COVID-19 vaccination in tourism source markets.

Rizzi explained that while private travel is a high net worth niche business, he is also aware that Caribbean countries have also been engaging in discussions with commercial carriers such as JetBlue about what can be done to also increase commercial travellers to the tourism dependent region.

Rizzi said: “The demographics and specific clients of ours who would typically not take a private jet though they could afford to do so, today flying in first class is not as comforting as the cocoon of their jet.

“Their crew has been tested so they know they are in that safe haven. Their families have all been tested, obviously with the prerequisites of entering into the Caribbean, and that has been a challenge because all your [islands] have different prerequisites and their quarantine times, even if you are vaccinated.”

Rizzo, who was speaking during Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) forum on Revenge Travel And What it Means for the Caribbean, further explained that those passengers travelling to the Caribbean on private jets are choosing to stay at villas where they have been assured that the staff have been tested for COVID-19.

Rizzi added: “It is not only villas, look at that beautiful sea you have all around you. So, the yacht charter has gone up just as much as securing villa and what I would call a fully vaccinated or a safe staffing. So, the influx is great. And it is not a short stay either.

“We are starting to see seven, 10, 14 days, three weeks. Nobody is embracing the pandemic, but what the Caribbean can embrace are those that are finding such, such as these jetaways. When you have a family of about six or ten staying on a yacht or staying in a villa, in your region, you can see how the economics come from a whole supply chain.”

According to Forbes magazine, revenge travel means that people are more eager to travel and less willing to cancel their vacation plans this year after the COVID-19 shutdowns. Thousands have grown tired of staying at home, and are fully vaccinated and have been saving money and travel miles for their post-pandemic trip.

Also making a contribution to the discussion which was hosted by CTO Communication Specialist Johnson Johnrose was Dr Alan Fyall of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. Dr Fyall explained that revenge travel is an all-embracing term for the return to a sense of normality in the travel and tourism industry.

Dr Fyall said that a surprising number of students at Rosen College have been getting opportunities to intern at luxury properties and yachts in central Florida. He attributed the success in the luxury travel industry to it becoming more readily accessible to travellers who may not have been able to afford it prior to the pandemic.

Dr Fyall said: “I think this is something that will shape all tourism travel into the future because you are introducing new markets, new products and experiences that they actually haven’t had access to before.”

Another participant, Dorth Raphaely, Chief Marketing Officer of the travel entertainment platform, Tripscout, said his company has been busy helping people understand where they can travel to at this time and what are the requirements for particular destinations.

Raphaely also confirmed that travellers are booking longer trips, particularly those who are able to work remotely and their children can be homeschooled.

“We are seeing different cohorts,” he said. “Some of them are solo travellers that don’t have families and it is a lot easier for them to pick up. Now that schools are back, we are seeing less families, but a lot of working people. We are seeing a tremendous uptake in couple travels.” (AH)