As COVID-19 continues to be top of mind, it feels like every hour brings a new breaking development. Chances are you have had to cancel, change or postpone a trip already on the books. Whether you used a travel advisor to cut through the maze of cancelation red tape; or get you home after you found yourself stuck in a country that had closed its doors, or tried to do it yourself; you probably have a newfound appreciation for what advisors do. Travel in the age of Coronavirus has been an education for everyone. Still, it is advisors who are on the front line, keeping up with the latest changes in travel advisories, ever-changing cancelation policies, and following up with suppliers about credits and refunds. There has never been a better time to find yourself a good travel advisor. Travel will look a bit different moving forward.
By now, we have all had a pretty good taste of the fallout from COVID-19. Whether that was through you or a loved one battling the virus or feeling it in your livelihood, it is safe to say that being a disruption is an understatement. Countries worldwide have restricted travel, including the US, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as our State Department, continue to issue new travel advisories and updates nearly every day.
If you still have a trip booked in the coming days, weeks, or months, undoubtedly, you are filled with confusion and disappointment, not knowing the best course of action. There is the fear of contracting the disease or even getting stuck in quarantine while traveling. What is the best course of action?
Despite the seamless trip planning and additional travel perks, a travel advisor is a traveler’s best resource. They provide you with the information needed to make confident decisions, handling the logistics, and staying on top of suppliers to protect your investment.
To go or not to go, that is the question.
We know that travel will be back in force once we have access to a vaccine, but in the meantime, whatever call you make regarding future travel plans is the right one for you. We understand the concerns older travelers and those with compromised immune systems may have as well as those who are concerned about the possibility of being quarantined abroad or not being able to return to work upon arriving home.
Your travel advisor can tell you if airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators have waived change and cancellation fees (many have). This is undoubtedly unchartered territory for travelers, travel advisors, and suppliers. We are here to help you negotiate the road ahead, whether that means facilitating a travel credit for future travel from a supplier, moving the trip to a future date, canceling the trip altogether if terms allow, or finding perhaps a different destination closer to home.
Some Good News…
Right now, even though we are in our sixth month of travel lockdown, we are starting to see an uptick of travel planning for 2021 and 2022. As you might suspect, most trips from 2020 were moved to 2021, so availability is a bit tight, but that is encouraging for all of us. We have something to look forward to, something to dream about. And I do not know about you, but I am ready! Many suppliers have deferred deposits or pushed final payments far beyond the norm in an effort to give travelers some peace of mind as they book.
In the areas where risk is low and properties and destinations are slowly opening up, suppliers are going to great lengths to incorporate new protocols, vigorous cleaning regimens, social distancing and private options to keep their guests safe. This may not be for you yet, but if you are feeling the urge and want a change of scenery, there are options.
Closer to Home may be the order of the day.
Many boutique properties in the US offer unique getaways such as a healthy stay at Canyon Ranch, Miraval, or another wellness retreat, mountain getaways like Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain, or even outdoor ranch experiences, such as Triple Creek Ranch in Montana or Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming. With fewer people and the opportunity to explore wide-open spaces, social distancing is built in.
How about a Schoolcation?
“Schoolcation,” the new buzzword in post-COVID family travel, creates a space for families to get out of the house and have a change of scenery during this period of virtual learning (school online). Many resorts in the US and Mexico offer families the much-needed break from the monotony of staying at home for months on end, with schoolcations and workcations. The Four Seasons at Disney World makes it possible for parents to enroll their kids in supervised schoolwork sessions held in a quiet, dedicated learning environment. And for recess, they have access to the Resort’s exclusive 5-acre Explorer Island playground, pools, slides, volleyball, basketball, table-tennis and a float down the lazy river. The Four Seasons Punta Mita in Mexico supports “learning remotely with the new world-schooling program that features a tech hotline, study buddy program, and art, culture, history, and after-school sports classes to encourage educational learning through travel. And the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, offers the Ritz Kids Study Buddy program allowing them to blend their digital learning schedule with mentorship and assistance with outdoor activities and crafts such as nature walks, harvesting in the Chef’s Garden or fishing in the lake, to name just a few.
Travel Insurance is ALWAYS a good idea.
Although many travel insurance policies booked before the pandemic did not qualify for reimbursement, “cancel for any reason” policies may cover trip adjustments, provided you purchased the policy shortly after making an initial trip deposit. Travel Insurance can be confusing; weighing different coverages and benefits against cost can be better navigated with the help of an advisor. For new bookings, I definitely recommend considering a “cancel for any reason” policy. But for those who already have the trip on the books and are outside of the policy’s initial window, it’s not too late to at least add some travel insurance: especially medical. Medical insurance rarely, if ever, covers you while traveling outside the country.
A silver lining…
I recently went on a Delta flight and was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the plane. It looked brand new! The flight attendant gave us disinfectant wipes upon boarding to wipe down our tray tables and immediate area, but to the naked eye, it was sparkling. Of course, we all wore the requisite masks, and Delta did not sell the middle seat, so we were not on top of each other. Overall, I felt safer from illness than I ever had in my previous years of plane travel. Planes have long been the real petri dish—but not usually something you think about a week later when you feel achy. These cleanliness protocols are a welcome change to air travel, and I hope, permanent.
