Travel advisors are continuing to grapple with the devastating effects of the coronavirus – yet, they are looking ahead to the time when travel restrictions are lifted and their clients will – fingers crossed – again begin to travel internationally.“There has been no shortage of prognostications about what international travel will look like – everything from doom and gloom to cautious optimism,” said Tom Brussow of Sunsational Beach Vacations. “Over the years, U.S. consumers have shown themselves to be highly resilient. In the big scheme of things, the traveler experience will have a few new obstacles, and it might not feel exactly the same, but they can, and will still be able to, enjoy an amazing vacation to any number of international destinations.” But international travel will come at a price – in terms of both convenience and cost, particularly as it relates to air. Trending Now “Many of our clients have spent many years spoiled by direct, daily non-stop flights from so many cities, and we’re expecting a lot of these routes to be consolidated into hubs until demand begins picking up again,” said James Berglie of Be All Inclusive.In the view Richard Turen of Churchill & Turen, “Airlines will not be able to maintain profitability while eliminating approximately one-third of their seats from inventory. New cleanliness guidelines and the hiring of additional staff to thoroughly clean each aircraft at the end of every segment will require significant price increases.”Ben Gritzewsky of FROSCH noted that it is “irrefutable” that better hygiene protocols will be in place for a very long time – and that some travelers may find that untenable.“While it is nicer to fly in an unfilled plane or visit the most popular places without crowds, to forgo breathing freely or embracing a destination with all the senses is unpalatable,” he said. “I don’t expect getting there to become more fun any time soon, but hopefully regular human contact will promptly resume, and the importance of travel and cultural interchange will be more appreciated.”Katie Kapel of Mode Travel Agency is of a similar mind.“Overall, I believe a lot of the precautions implemented because of COVID-19 will stay in place long after the virus, or even permanently, to include contactless flight check-in, hotel check-in, and more,” she said.For her part, Sarah Kline of Time For Travel believes enhanced technology will play a major role in safety and cleanliness protocols.“I envision as I go through the process of check-in, and as part of the security checkpoint, I will also take a rapid COVID-19 test. If you prefer not to endure this process at the airport, you could have a test at your local pharmacy or doctor’s office within a week prior to [travel] to confirm you are negative,” she said. “The result – whether at the airport or done locally – would be provided via text or an app that you must present along with your boarding pass to fly. If you are negative, then there is no need for masks and social distancing on planes or in a destination.”She noted that travelers might very well be more adaptable to new security regulations than one might expect. “We’ve already adapted to taking off our shoes, standing in machines to be scanned and patted down, what’s one more step?”International hotels, meanwhile, “will need to dramatically increase the percentage of in-house bookings, at the expense of OTAs,” Turen said. “They will do this by eliminating some services, such as the check-in desk or sit-down restaurants while making frequent guest amenities exclusive to those who book direct.” PHOTO: A plane flying over Cancun. (photo by Codie Liermann) On the destination front, Brussow predicted that better known, easy-to-reach destinations – think Mexico’s Cancun – “will have pent-up demand and a higher level of immediate, new or retained bookings.”He added, “I am encouraged by the level of detail and professionalism that the resorts are displaying with their traveler safety programs. I also think that the fear of the unknown will subside a bit and traveler confidence will increase once people start traveling and report back to their family, friends and social media followers.”Meanwhile, how flexible cancellation and rebooking policies will be on the international hotel front is not easy to predict.“I’m not sure which way things will go, as we will really need to wait on hoteliers to begin implementing changes – if any,” Berglie said. “One argument can be made that hotels will have to be more flexible with cancellation policies, while another point can be made for tougher policies that are mitigated by the purchase of cancel-for-any-reason insurance policies, which will remain in very high demand for travelers.”On the cruise front, “the world’s top 10 cruise lines will begin to discuss onboard health standards, a once-taboo advertising topic, in creative ways to fight the “petri dish” stereotype,” said Turen, a luxury specialist. “Newly constructed ships will be defined by the possibilities they present for private-time onboard luxury.”In terms of the European vacation experience itself, Schoeder, also a luxury specialist, said that, according to client feedback, there will be less “demand for larger escorted tours and more demand for “private tours to places less traveled.”At the end of the day, travel advisors are pinning their hopes on the idea that consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of the valuable services they provide travelers – a fact that has been demonstrated time and again throughout the COVID-19 crisis.“I do hope that it [the pandemic] makes travelers finally value trusted travel advisors [to] lean on us to assist in travel planning instead of believing everything they read online,” said Kline. “I think most people have a short memory, and the desire to get away will overcome the fears.” Let's block ads! 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