The travel industry is in a long, slow recovery from the pandemic, and travel providers of every size are certainly feeling the pinch. Businesses around the globe are very cautiously sending their employees abroad to face-to-face meetings, but families and individuals are beginning to make the first forays into vacation travel. Even so, the general public is being careful, and the low numbers reflect a travelling landscape that has changed drastically since this time last year.
As virtual meetings become more of the norm, business travellers are comfortable with staying in quarantine. Not only is their safety being preserved, their companies’ bottom lines are as well.
The pandemic has had a major impact on the world economy, forcing companies and travellers to reevaluate their travel expenses and consider whether or not travelling is an option anytime soon. In spite of the continuing impact of the pandemic, there are plenty of travel options that are available, with safety and finances kept in mind.
CAR RENTAL COMPANIES ARE WAIVING FEES AND INCREASING CLEANLINESS
Rental car companies are reshaping their fees and changing their rates. For instance, Enterprise Rent-a-Carhas extended their cancellation fee policyto pre-paid renters who booked directly with them. They have alsoupdated their cleaning standards. Hertz has alsochanged their cancellation policyandcleaning standardsas well.
Even if you didn’t feel like flying to a destination, a car trip might not be out of the question, especially given the lower rental costs. You can rent a car for a weeklong trip and save the wear and tear on your own automobile.
HOTELS INCREASE SANITIZATION MEASURES
The hotel industry has suffered especially where the cleanliness of rooms of their rooms is concerned. Guests have increased concerns and are avoiding hotels in favour of Airbnbs or even friends’ and families’ houses. Hotel chains have taken note and are taking their housekeeping cleanliness to new levels.
Hilton has implemented CleanStay, a new standard of cleanliness that uses products from Lysol, Dettol and others to clean everything from remotes to the TV. Similarly, Marriott has established theMarriott Cleanliness Council, which aims to use necessary cleaning measures right now while hoping to bring ease to the public who want to travel.
(Don’t miss our blog article on whetherAirbnb or hotel chains are your safer option.)
PLANES, TRAINS, AND LOW PRICES
Airlines and railroads have tried to do their part in keeping travellers safe. Both airlines and Amtrak are requiring travelers to wear face masks during their transit. Amtrak is also limiting booking on trains to encourage social distancing, and they have installed air filtration systems on the trains to improve air quality.
September and October are generally the best times to buy plane tickets anyway. With airlines wanting to fill seats, tickets are relatively cheap, and many of them are doing away with middle-seat bookings.
With the holidays around the corner, travellers should start planning trips and take a good look at ticket prices these days. Airlines are being ultra-competitive, which means travelers are likely to find a good deal pretty quickly.
Finally, if you’re going to take a new trip, be sure to check out our new leisure line, theTravelpro® x Travel + Leisure® Collection, based on our partnership with Travel + Leisure magazine. We have both hard and soft bags available, as well as a travel concierge service, plus a special offer: Buy any of the two-piece sets, and receive a free softside companion bag.
Are you planning to travel during the holidays? Have you been out on the road yet? What have you decided or discovered? Share your thoughts and experiences with uson our Facebook page, oron our Twitter stream. You can also find us on ourInstagram page at @TravelproIntl.
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