COVID-19 has certainly not been contained. Progress has been made but there is still no vaccine and the virus is still a mystery. Since the beginning of coronavirus, few industries have fallen as far and as fast as the tourism industry. Airports around the world have experienced substantial drops in demand, as hundreds of countries implemented travel bans to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Many countries around the world depend economically on overseas tourists. Unfortunately, as airports and hotels remain vacant many countries will face severe economic devastation. The recovery process for the travel industry will be complicated, slow, and lengthy. 

Whether or not we decide to travel is a personal decision. However, I believe in acting out of caution rather than fear. Caution, to me, implies responding to rational concerns. Fear implies responding to emotions. If you or someone close to you is vulnerable to COVID-19, you are going to be especially cautious. If you’ve been staying home out of a sense of responsibility, then you may be ready to travel as soon as restrictions have been lifted. 

When we do decide to travel, we will undoubtedly meet travelers along the way. We may decide on a domestic trip or a long weekend to a more isolated destination. Along the way we may encounter people who we think are being cavalier and others who are more cautious than we are. We must learn to be sensitive to everyone’s concerns. We may find ourselves in uncomfortable situations, but this may become part of the norm as we start to travel again.  

Once you get comfortable with traveling again, you will need to tell your travel advisor what you are comfortable with and uncomfortable with. Your travel advisor can research and provide information on the destination. They can also contact the hotel for information to help reduce unpleasant surprises and situations.

During your travel you should expect to see more touchless interactions, more plexiglass, masks, more and better cleaning, and so on. We also need to ask our hosts (hotels, restaurants, etc.) what their expectations are of us as their guests. Of course, not everything can be worked out in advance, and we must be respectful of each other as we face new challenges. But when a good host welcomes a good guest, our travel experiences can be as rich, fulfilling and rewarding.

When we begin to travel again, we are going to have to go at our own pace. We are going to have to pay careful attention to what local officials are saying about the rules for visiting a destination and we must adhere to the rules. But if destinations are open to respectful visitors, then we can be open to visiting.

So when you are ready to travel and the time is right, contact Colesville Travel at 301-989-1654 or email us at cindy@colesvilletravel.com