The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced - through its latest report - that the demand for international travel has increased in July 2021, compared to the previous month. However, travel demand remained well below pre-pandemic levels.
According to a press release issued by IATA on September 1, total demand for air travel in July 2021 - which is measured in revenue per kilometer per passenger (RPK) - fell by 51.3% compared to July 2019. However, this figure indicates a significant increase compared to the figures recorded in June, when demand was 60% compared to the levels recorded in June 2019.
"The results in July reflect people's desire to travel during the summer. Domestic traffic returned to 85% of pre-crisis levels, but international demand recovered just over a quarter of 2019 volumes. The problem is travel restrictions. Government decisions are not determined by data, especially on the effectiveness of vaccines. ", said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
Regarding domestic demand, IATA revealed that the figures decreased by 15.6% compared to the same period in 2019, indicating an increase compared to the decrease of 22.1% recorded in June 2021, compared to June 2019. Vaccinated people should not they still face restrictions when traveling, which means that less stringent restrictions would help reconnect the world as well as revive the tourism and aviation sectors.
International demand in July was 73.6% below the figures recorded in July 2019, but better than the 80.9% decline recorded in June 2020.
With regard to international passenger markets, it was revealed that carriers in European countries recorded a 64.2% decrease in international traffic in July compared to the same month in 2019. However, the figures proved to be slightly better. compared to the decrease of 77% in June 2021 compared to June 2019.
Similarly, airlines in the Asia-Pacific region saw a 94.2% decrease in international traffic in July compared to July 2019, slightly better than the 94.7% decrease in June 2021 compared to June 2019.
As for Middle Eastern Airlines, they saw a decrease in demand of 74.5% in July compared to the pre-pandemic period, while North American carriers recorded a decrease in demand of 62.1%.
IATA has called on countries around the world to adopt the EU COVID-19 Digital Certificate scheme as a standard for vaccination certificates, in order to facilitate safe travel. IATA also criticized the EU's decision to remove the US from the list of epidemiologically safe countries, saying that at least US travelers who are vaccinated should be allowed to enter the EU without being restricted.