Considerations on the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Travel Motivations

Abstract

Travel demand is driven by various motives, which can be subject to changes. Trend study data show, that some motivations shift over time based on age, birth cohort or time-period. It is expected that the external shock of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affects travel motivations of an entire population across ages and cohorts. However, and interestingly, survey results show that there are hardly any period effects on travel motives during the pandemic. There are two possible explanations which require further investigation: Either motivations are much more stable than expected, or motivations are instantly adjusted according to the available options to avoid cognitive dissonance between increased desires and reduced opportunities as well as limited abilities to travel.