Here we go tiptoeing into 2021, and hasn’t it gotten off to quite the start? I’m referring to the travel industry, of course. Yes, of course. Within the industry, it’s expected that 2021 will see the comeback, and ultimately be a banner year. I won’t bore you with the reports and stats (much), but as you can imagine, people have missed traveling, and the first folks out of the gate have been and will continue be the intrepid early-adopter type, myself included.
I went overseas in October, November and will go again in March. It’s possible to travel safely and smartly, being mindful of protecting oneself and others. Airlines have protocols in place, and in addition, one especially has to be aware of the requirements for entering and remaining in compliance at your destination.
Here are four things you might want to keep in mind when it comes to the re-birth of travel freedoms:
THEY WANT US TO RETURN! Yes, our favorite destinations miss us and long to see us again. If you have experienced the uber-popular tourist cities, say Venice, you can imagine how the empty café’s, museums and streets have affected the livelihoods of businesses that thrive on visitors. It’s like that at your own locale; so multiply that by millions (whether in income or people) and you get the picture. If you are a cruise-lover, although cruising has not yet fully resumed, the hard-hit cruise industry is hard at work preparing for that day with new standards that focus on smaller passenger complements, and protocols that are guided by public health officials and professionals from private industry and the public sector. I am on regular webinars with certain cruise lines, and their eagerness to return to high seas is palpable.
PLANNING AND BOOKING TRIPS IS ALIVE AND WELL! Hallelujah to that. Current travel restrictions aside, the year is young and clients are ready (remember my ants-in-the-pants analogy?), willing (hope springs eternal), and able (last year’s vacation money is still in the piggy bank) to not just plan itineraries, but to book them for later this year and into 2022.
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T WAIT It’s expected that by summer 2021, availability (of rooms, excursions, safaris, cabins, tours, etc.) will be at a premium, partly due to the reduction in occupancy allowances related to pandemic protocols. Families are eager to reunite and make an event of it; higher-end services that cater to exclusivity (private jets, butler service, for example) are finding greater appeal; reconnecting with and revisiting destinations, and re-living meaningful experiences of past vacations are already popular; honeymoons and destination weddings once postponed are being re-scheduled.
WORK WITH A TRAVEL PRO You’ve heard the horror stories of people who lost money, spent time on the phone with un-responsive computer booking engine operators, and who were disappointed beyond disappointment. Friends don’t let friends book travel blindly. Let your contacts know that it’s possible to work with a professional to help safeguard their vacation investment. Believe it or not, a lot of folks are unaware that travel advisors are a real thing. Don’t keep the secret to yourself. Click the share button below so your friends and family can be as travel-savvy as you are.
‘til next week.
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I create expertly designed, transformative vacations for people who crave immersive travel. If you’re too busy to take time to plan the details of your own well-deserved escape, don't know where to begin, or are longing to make unforgettable memories with those you love, then don’t wait another day. Let's talk.
Contact: GLOBAL EXOTIC ADVENTURES
-Juliet Weller, Founder