Safety assurances, convenience and discounts are top of mind with travelers looking to book December holiday vacations this year.
"Most of my clients have been looking for an all-inclusive type of experience somewhere they feel safe," said Becky Lukovic of Bella Travel Planning, an affiliate of Travel Experts. "They want things to be easy and stress free. Some are hoping that COVID will bring competitive prices."
James Berglie of Be All Inclusive said his clients "are excited to take advantage of the lower-than-normal rates, especially for the week after Christmas and before New Year's, as that is typically one of the most expensive times to travel in the entire year"
For her part, Claire Schoeder of Elevations Travel, a Signature Travel Network affiliate, said she has sold "a few cruises" and a "couple private houses in the Caribbean, as well as some more exclusive resorts in the Caribbean where social distancing is a bit easier."
Generally speaking, she said her festive bookings "have been picking up a bit recently as clients get a bit more confidence in booking travel."
Although the Travelocity 2020 Holiday Outlook survey, which polled U.S. travelers in mid-September, found that 60 percent of respondents were forgoing holiday travel this year, it noted that "one in four respondents said they have a personal vacation planned later this year, and nearly half of family travelers (45 percent) with kids under the age of 18 are taking a leisure trip before the year's end."
Forty-three percent of respondents said during the holiday period "they plan to stay at a hotel or vacation rental this year, with hotels being the slightly more popular option," according to the survey.
Options to consider in a pandemic world include all-inclusive resort vacations in the Caribbean and Mexico; and domestic villa stays, where friends can gather together safely.
AMResorts' portfolio of all-inclusive brands throughout the Caribbean and Mexico provide options for travelers of all shapes and sizes.
Its brands include Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas, Now Resorts & Spas, Reflect Resorts & Spas, Alua Hotels & Resorts and Sunscape Resorts & Spas.
Travel Impressions, meanwhile, offers villa vacations, which are ideally suited for travelers concerned about social distancing issues. In the U.S., the company has villa options in a wide range of locations, including Rocky Mountain retreats in Montana, beach getaways in South Carolina and family-friendly vacations in Florida.
For budget-conscious travelers, Funjet Vacations offers such promotions as Steal of a Deal, which proffer up discounts of as much as 70 percent of all-inclusive stays at a select portfolio of properties in Mexico and the Caribbean.
One of the best parts of booking with Apple Leisure Group brands is having access to nonstop vacation flights. Available from several cities around the U.S., your clients will love the convenience these flights provide, especially during the busy holiday season.
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