M1nd-set has announced that Europe’s Nordic and Baltic regional association Nordic Travel Retail Group (NTRG) is the latest to benefit from the Swiss research agency’s Business 1ntelligence Service (B1S) Covid recovery monitor.

NTRG becomes the latest in a string of associations to subscribe to the recovery monitor, joining ASUTIL, ETRC, IAADFS and MEADFA.

Members of NTRG will enjoy quarterly traffic and shopper insights data, provided on a complimentary basis to the associations as they navigate the turbulent landscape.

The first report covering the Nordic and Baltic region, shows that international traffic will not reach 2019 levels until post 2023 after a 75% drop in departures last year (from 61.3 million to 15.1 million).

SWEDES TOP OF TRAVELLING NATIONALITIES LIST

This represents one of the highest declines among global regions and the return to growth is expected to be staggered over the coming years, explains m1nd-set.

Traffic is set to increase to 75% in 2021; 68% in 2022; and 36% in 2023 to reach a little more than 60 million international departures.

Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Helsinki and Frankfurt were among the top five destinations for travellers from the region pre-Covid.

London Heathrow, Oslo, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Munich and London Gatwick made up the remaining top ten destinations.

This year, m1nd-set views the top 10 airports for international departures from the region to be: Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, Riga, Reykjavik, Gothenburg, Vilnius, Billund and Nyköping.

The top five travelling nationalities from the Nordic and Baltic region in 2021 will be from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the UK.

COMPETITION FOR REDUCED SHARE OF SPENDING

A little over half (54%) of travellers from the Nordic and Baltic region indicated they would travel again within the first six months following the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions, according to m1nd-set.

When travel resumes, 46% said they intend to reduce their travel frequency for business and leisure.

Anna Marchesini, Head of Business Development and Project Management, m1nd-set said: “Over 60% of travellers from the Nordic and Baltic region said they have cut expenditure compared to pre-Covid.

“This means when international travel resumes, travel retail will be competing for a reduced share of wallet. On the other hand, we are seeing an equally high percentage of shoppers spending more time on social media and watching video tutorials on the internet.

“The industry needs to be present where the travelling consumer has diverted his/her attention in order to continue to be relevant. The deeper we go into these insights by market, segment, origin and/or destination, for example, the more relevant and actionable insights we are able to provide our partners.”

NTRG Chairperson Eva Rehnström added: “This m1nd-set analysis shows that a great number of passengers will want to travel soon after the pandemic relinquishes its hold of the world.

“This is positive news which strengthens our hope for a recovering travel retail industry as vaccine programmes continue to be implemented and passengers return to airports, flights, ferries and cruises throughout the Nordics and the world.”

For more information, contact: [email protected].