How the Pandemic is Changing the Future of Travel for Families
Are you ready to start traveling again? We have all been affected by the pandemic in big and small ways in this past year. One area where a lot of change has occurred is the way we travel. Moving forward, there are going to be some changes that are here for the short term and others that could be here to stay permanently. Today’s podcast episode welcomes travel expert, author, and journalist, Harriet Baskas, who shares her insights on how the travel industry has adapted to the pandemic and we talk about what we can expect as we start to plan vacations again. Join us to find out what you need to know and how you can start making plans for future travel.
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“Travel will come back and we’ll have fun again.”
How will we travel in the near future?
Daytrips
Roadtrips
Short weekend getaways
Stay in Airbnb or a better hotel
Focused on being outdoors
Going on virtual tours of museums and cities
What will entertainment look like going forward?
A lot of us will have amnesia meaning that as soon as we get the green light to return to museums, sports arenas, or amusement parks, we will go and not worry.
Limited capacity at many venues
New cleanliness guidelines
Will need to wears masks in the near future
Better ways to manage lines
Improved health guidelines (If you are sick, stay home.)
How will hotels adjust because of the pandemic?
Hotels had 1 billion rooms unsold in 2020. They will be motivated to get guests to return.
In the short term, you should be able to find some great deals on hotel room pricing.
They may need to adjust the amenities fee since some amenities may not be offered like gyms or pools.
Cancelation policies have been adjusted and those could stay around for a while.
How have airports charged due to the pandemic?
New cleaning practices, hand sanitizing stations throughout public spaces, and general awareness of health practices.
We will scan our own documents.
Plexiglass dividers for lines.
Food delivery to your seat at your gate. Check out At Your Gate to see if this service is offered at the airport you will be visiting.
New ways to scan bags will mean less time going through bags looking for suspicious items.
You will need to wear a mask for a long time. Eventually, this will change. Right now, there is a federal mandate stating that you need to wear a mask in the airport and you can be fined if you are not wearing it.
How have airlines adjusted to the pandemic?
The airlines let us know that the air is very clean and filtered in airplanes.
Laws requiring mask-wearing.
Cancelation policies are much more flexible.
Airplanes have removed flights from schedules so as travel picks up there may be some lag time in airlines having enough seats available.
For now, you should be able to find some good pricing on flights as airlines want to motivate people to fly.
What have you discovered about cruising moving forward?
Most cruises on still on hold for now.
Cruiselines are testing cruises without a destination to check cleanliness standards.
No more buffets.
No more mustering.
Since there are two at-risk audiences who love to cruise (older people and families with kids who want to touch everything) the cruise lines will need to be committed to new cleanliness standards.
How will the vaccine affect travel?
The vaccine is the key to getting us back out and traveling.
Once people have the 2nd vaccine, they will be much more open to traveling.
One cruise line is already requiring passengers to be vaccinated and more may follow.
Hotels are making it easier for guests to get a COVID test.
With so many adjustments, flexibility will be key to making travel a positive experience for your family. Keep washing your hands, staying healthy, and start making some tentative trip plans!
Connect with Harriet Baskas