Written by Jeff Seifert, Global Rescue's director of global partnerships, who works with thousands of travel industry businesses and travelers.
The pandemic has caused major disruption on all fronts. But now businesses are starting to re-open. Airlines are increasing flight schedules. TSA screenings are up five-fold compared to early April. More than 150 potential vaccines and treatments are on deck, and some experts hope there will be good news by the end of the year, with some early indications expected as soon as the end of July.
Travel industry leaders and their customers are cautiously adjusting their operations, attitudes and expectations in the face of the new travel frontier. We talked to some of the most experienced travelers in the world as well as the tour operators and travel agents who make those adventures happen.
"Safe has a different meaning for each person. Some people want to wait until there is a vaccine. Others will travel as soon as the country they are going to opens up," said Kimberly Franke, a travel specialist with Kanna Travel Services.
"Short-term travelers will likely focus on travel domestically, so there might be a temporary shift in that direction," said Brandon Morris, owner/founder of FlashpackerConnect Adventure Travel.
"This will be a summer of wait and see and planning before folks start to travel in the fall and winter of 2020," said Pat Pendergast, director of international travel at The Fly Shop.
Many travelers looking to hit the roadways and airways within the next six months are learning to expect differences compared to any of their past experiences.
"Local economies all over the globe have changed, and conveniences that were once available are perhaps either shut down or limited," said Franke.
As the pandemic evolves, work-related travel will re-emerge, and with it will be significantly more attention paid to the duty of care preparations in place at companies and organizations.
"C-suite executives, senior management teams, HR professionals, union leaders, government agencies and employees will all be examining their current plans to protect employee travelers," said Jeffrey Ment, managing partner of The Ment Law Group, P.C.
Health concerns have expanded from jet lag and food poisoning to COVID-19 and quarantines.
"Health has always been a priority, but now it's even more of a priority," said Harding Bush, associate operations manager at Global Rescue.
Traveler destinations are shifting, too-partly due to international travel restrictions but also because people are looking for a much-needed dose of travel therapy.
"A mountain. A lake. A forest. It could be a city…but travelers shouldn't take any unnecessary risks, or impose unnecessary risks upon others," said Adam Aronson, co-founder of TravelHelix.
"There is and will be, a lot of pent-up demand from anglers to get back on the water and fly fish," Pendergast said. "At first, fly anglers will venture out to their local fisheries, just to test the waters so to speak, before venturing out of state and/or out of country."
The new travel frontier is taking shape. Precautions against viral spread will become the norm for the immediate future. Domestic travel is the first step, in the U.S., but borders are opening overseas. Traveler attitudes will adapt, rediscover and cherish the opportunities within their home country borders.
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