25 Ways the Tourism Industry Is Adjusting to Make Travel Safe

by Alex Temblador
Last updated:: 7:00 AM ET, Sun June 21, 2020

Family hiking in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (Photo via iStock/Getty Images Plus/MargaretW)

Este 2022, los mexicanos están más dispuestos a viajar a lugares con protocolos sanitarios. (Photo: via: Brycia James/iStock/Getty Images Plus).

Opened door of hotel room in morning. (photo via oatawa / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

PHOTO: Montage Palmetto Bluff May River Guesthouse. (photo courtesy of Montage Palmetto Bluff)

PHOTO: Carnegie Robotics is helping Pittsburgh International Airport bring UV germ-killing tech inside the terminal. (photo courtesy of Pittsburgh International Airport - Beth Hollerich)

Pure Discoveries tour bus. (photo via Leisure Time Group) (Down Under Answers)

Travelers go through TSA security line (photo by Eric Bowman)

Entrance to Universal Studios Florida theme park. (Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort)

PHOTO: COVID-19 health questionnaire. (Photo via Getty Images Plus / Stock / farosofa)

PHOTO: Palace Resorts offers incredible pools to swim in, like the one seen here at Moon Palace Cancun. (photo via Palace Resorts)

PHOTO: Delta Air Lines' custom plexiglass safety barriers. (photo via Delta Air Lines Media)

PHOTO: Plane cabins are sanitized using electrostatic disinfectant sprayers. (Photo courtesy of American Airlines Media) (American Airlines)

PHOTO: A Hertz car rental office. (photo via Pe3check/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)

PHOTO: Airbnb logo on a smart phone screen. (photo via Pixabay)

Temperature Checks at Disney Springs (Photo via Brooke Geiger McDonald)

PHOTO: Check-in counter at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek. (Photo via Brooke Geiger McDonald)

PHOTO: A couple enjoying breakfast in bed. (photo via LightFieldStudios/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

PHOTO: Precautionary signs will be carefully placed throughout the resorts. (photo via Palace Resorts)

Nissi beach, Cyprus island. (photo via Oleg_P / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

PHOTO: Carry-on luggage at an airport gate. (photo via monticelllo/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Hotel amenities may now include hand sanitizer, masks, and disinfectant wipes. (photo via iStock / Getty Images Plus / Maridav)

Four Seasons San Francisco Embarcadero. (Photo courtesy of Four Seasons (Four Seasons Hotels)

Interior of airplane with empty seats. (Photo via Bychykhin_Olexandr / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Inns of Aurora in Aurora, New York (Photo via Inns of Aurora)

Sunrise at Partition Arch in Utah Arches National Park (Photo via tonda / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Spectacular South Africa (Provided by Collette)

Safety is the Upmost Priority

1/26

In addition to hurting the travel industry, the pandemic tore down our sense of travel safety.

Now, as re-opening begins, travel companies are doing their best to enact policies, plans, and new measures to keep everyone safe.

Check out the ways in which travel has changed to ensure the safety of all.

Airlines are Requiring Everyone to Wear Masks

2/26

Many airlines, like United, American, and Delta, have instituted new rules such as requiring all flyers to wear masks. Though there were reports that some travelers were not following the rules, recently seven major U.S. carriers have agreed to inform travelers of the rule before they arrive at the airport and impose strict penalties for those who don't follow the rule, like removals and fly bans.

Hotel Room Ionization

3/26

Some hotels are implementing new technology to make guestrooms safe for visitors. In addition to full room sanitation every third day, the rooms at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve in Puerto Rico will undergo three hours of ionization following guest check out. Ionization uses electrically-charged air molecules to purify the room air of particulates, microbes, and odors. There is some research that shows ionization can stop the spread of viruses like COVID-19.

Hotels are Offering Health Care Memberships

4/26

Four Montage Hotels & Resorts properties and two Pendry Hotels & Resorts properties will be offering guests a new amenity: health care memberships with One Medical. The 24/7 virtual health care service is provided to guests for 30 days through a mobile app. Guests can take advantage of services like prescription renewals, remote health assessments, and doctor's appointments with a nearby One Medical office.

UV Sanitation

5/26

Ultraviolet light is being used by various sectors in the travel industry from subways and buses in New York City to ITC Hotels. Ultraviolet lamps are effective in killing COVID-19, as well as other viruses like SARS, influenza, and ebola. We may even see them used in airports soon. Pittsburgh International Airport has placed them on their floor-cleaning robots to scrub the airport of the coronavirus.

Tour Operators Implement New Hygiene Measures

6/26

Just recently, the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) joined several other groups to unveil new health and safety guidelines for their tour operator members.

And according to TourRadar, their local tour operators are implementing new hygiene measures to keep travelers safe. Some are installing hand sanitizing stations in their vehicle fleets, while others are training tour guides on physical distancing, mandatory health screenings, and touch-free temperature for guests and crews.

New TSA Rules

7/26

The TSA is implementing new rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at airports. For instance, travelers will no longer hand boarding passes to the TSA officer, but hold it up for inspection. Food should now be placed in clear plastic bags and into their own bins. There are rumors that TSA is considering thermal scanners which would verify a traveler's temperature. Since COVID-19 is known to cause fevers, there is hope that this could prevent the spread of the disease in airports and planes.

Digital Line Queues at Theme Parks

8/26

Theme parks have enacted new rules at their parks from social distancing to mask requirements. Universal Orlando has also made it so that lines for rides and attractions are done virtually. Guests "stand" in digital queues and are notified when to show up for their turn on the ride. Even the parking process at Universal Orlando is digital with staggered parking times to keep visitors apart.

Required COVID-19 Testing

9/26

Almost everyone in the travel industry will be doing temperature checks on their employees. Some are taking this further and requiring their staff to be regularly tested for COVID-19, like Maison Privee, a short term rental service in Dubai. Their employees and contractors will be regularly tested for COVID-19 with the COVID-19 IgM Rapid Testing Kit.

Alaska, similarly, is requiring all incoming passengers to take a COVID-19 test, and Emirates Airlines was the first airline to conduct coronavirus testing on passengers.

Reserve 6-Foot Distancing Seating at Resort Pools and Beaches

10/26

Looking for a pool or beach getaway? You may want to consider those resorts who are enacting new social distancing rules on their pools and beaches. Some resorts may soon be using the Solay app. Guests can go into the app and reserve seats placed 6 feet apart at the pools and beach.

Plexiglass barriers

11/26

Don't be surprised if you begin seeing plexiglass barriers at front desks of hotels or at the airport counter. Casinos are also utilizing plexiglass, erecting the barriers between slot machines and table games. At least that's the case at Live! Casino & Hotel.

Electrostatic Spraying

12/26

In addition to UV light cleaning and in-room ionization, some hotels and airlines are using other technology like electrostatic spraying. Marriott will use electrostatic sprayers through the hotel. The hospital-grade disinfectant is highly-recommended by the CDC and WHO to fight COVID-19.

Seals to Indicate It's Safe

13/26

Various travel companies will begin to use seals to indicate that a room has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized and no one has entered after the fact. This will be done at Hilton properties, as well as in Hertz rentals to give customers complete peace of mind.

Days Between Stays

14/26

Coronavirus naturally dies between hours or days, so some accommodation services are keeping this in mind with new policies. For instance, if Airbnb hosts can't comply with their new Cleaning Protocols, which includes a 24-hour wait period before entering the space, they can opt for a Booking Buffer. This new feature creates a vacancy period between guest stays, which is currently at 72 hours.

Temperature Checks

15/26

Temperature checks before boarding planes or cruises will surely be the new normal -- though you might see it in other areas of travel too, like theme parks and hotels. Frontier Airlines will screen passengers for COVID-19 with touchless thermometers. Those who have a 100.4 degree temperature or higher will not be allowed to board. Canadian Airports are now requiring temperature checks for incoming and outgoing travelers.

Digital Keys and Virtual Check-Ins

16/26

Expect to see less and less in-person check-ins and plastic hotel room keys. Instead, prepare yourself for the travel industry going more digital than before. Hotels are ramping up virtual check-ins by phone or digital kiosks, while others are only providing digital keys on cell phones. With less interaction between employees and guests, the idea is that digital services will keep everyone safer.

No More Breakfast Buffets and Valet

17/26

Say farewell to certain hotel and travel services. Breakfast buffets -- or buffets in general -- will disappear from hotels, cruises, and casino restaurants because they have a higher risk of cross-contamination. Alternatives like breakfast bags or in-room breakfast services will be utilized. Valet is also quickly disappearing at hotels, though some that are keeping the service are implementing vehicle disinfecting services between drivers.

Redesigning Hotels for More Distancing

18/26

Hotels are being redesigned to promote social distancing. For instance, at The Woodlands Resort, guests will now see social distancing markers on the ground, as well as hand sanitizing stations throughout. They're also implementing new physical layouts throughout the resort to aid in keeping guests distanced. This may include the removal of chairs, moving tables or furniture, and rearranging entrances and hallway furniture to allow for more spacing.

Will Cover COVID-19 Costs

19/26

Some destinations are doing all they can to entice travelers to visit -- including covering the medical costs of those who might contract COVID-19 while visiting their destination. Cyprus will pay for the visitor's lodging, food, drink, and medication, as well as put them in a hospital for foreign travelers. Their travel companions will be placed in a quarantined hotel during the time. The only cost to the traveler will be airport transfer and the adjustment of their flight home.

Luggage Will Be Sanitized

20/26

If you're worried about your luggage getting contaminated with the coronavirus when you fly or stay at a hotel, you'll be happy to know that some are taking measure to sanitize guests' luggage. 1Hotels will sanitize suitcases with UV technology. The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi doing the same for luggage and travelers' shoes too.

New Amenities in Rooms

21/26

Such things as minibars, robes, decorative pillows, and notepads are being removed from hotel rooms and other types of accomodations. They're being replaced with new amenities like disinfectant wipes, masks, and hand sanitizer. While it might not be the relaxing amenities you've come to expect, these new 'safety amenities' are necessary to limit the spread of the virus.

Hygiene Officers

22/26

Four Seasons is taking the pandemic seriously and placing Hygiene Officers at every property. The officers will be in charge of implementing the new safety and sanitation protocols, checking that the new policies are being followed, and will look for new ways to improve the safety experience of their guests.

Empty Seats on Planes

23/26

Just like theme parks are spacing guests apart on rides, so, too, are airlines. Some airlines are reportedly better than others at doing this, but Alaska Airlines seems to be good about this new policy. If the airline cannot distance flyers on the aircraft, they'll let flyers cancel or rebook their travel with flexibility.

Rent a Villa... or the Entire Hotel

24/26

Some hotels are offering guests the ability to book the entire hotel, with the idea that they'll feel comfortable if they're the only guests. The Inns of Aurora is allowing guests to privately rent three of their five inns. Others like JL Bar Ranch Resort & Spa has just launched the new Archer's Nest Villa, a private home with a pool and access to resort amenities.

More Private Tours and Experiences

25/26

Many large group tours are temporarily on hold. Moab Adventure Center's new private tours exemplify how more tour companies will offer private tours. Their new private tours include a Hummer safari for up to nine people, private stand-up paddleboarding, and private canyoneering adventures. These one-on-one or private family experiences will make for a fun and safe alternative.

Waiting to Reopen

26/26

Some travel companies, tour operators, hotels, destinations, and cruises are doing what they think is the best thing to keep travelers safe: waiting to reopen. Take Intrepid Travel, for instance: they've suspended all of their tours until September 30, 2020. They're not alone -- South Africa doesn't plan to reopen until 2021. Their goal is to keep both their citizens and travelers safe and sometimes that comes with time.

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