Philadelphia, PA - As travel opportunities reopen with increasing COVID-19 vaccinations and a decline in cases, eager travelers are booking post-pandemic trips to connect with friends and family, celebrate a special occasion, or get out of the house.
Travel Advisors Guide To Pandemic Getaways
However, after years of making their own travel arrangements online, many potential travelers are rediscovering the value of a professional travel advisor to identify and navigate the variety and shifting safety protocols of post-pandemic travel.
" We are dealing with a fragmented travel landscape with moving public health protocols and entry restrictions that are constantly changing," says Brianna Glenn, owner and travel designer at milk and honey travels.
This boutique travel service designs custom vacations."Travelers don't need the added stress of trying to navigate this new maze on their own; a good travel advisor can smooth the way and get their trip off to a great start," she adds."For example, I just had a honeymoon trip that had their outbound flight delayed due to weather. They missed their connecting flight to Frankfurt on their way to Croatia.
We stepped in and worked with United to rebook their flights, secure a hotel inside the Frankfurt airport since they were not able to leave the transit area, and adjust their hotel booking and airport transfers in Dubrovnik without them having to worry about a thing."The travel industry website Skift survey showed that almost half of Americans planning post-pandemic travel plans use travel advisors.
Some key benefits of engaging a professional travel advisor to plan your post-pandemic trip include:- Preparation upfront. An old wedding planning adage says, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Especially in the post-pandemic landscape, a good plan is essential. A professional advisor can make sure that everything is set up in advance like a good wedding planner.
Planning includes knowing what to expect at your destination regarding safety protocols such as masking requirements and testing or quarantine requirements.- Backup if you need it. Upscale travelers seek the peace of mind and expertise as they plan the often complex and exotic trips they have dreamed about during more than a year of staying at home.
The more the trip, the more critical it is to have a knowledgeable advocate in your corner if something goes wrong or if safety regulations should suddenly change. Professional travel advisors can help with purchasing travel insurance to recoup costs in case of cancellation due to COVID and negotiating refunds if reservations, flights, cruises, or other travel-related activities are canceled.
"There is a big difference between people who love to travel and people who love to plan travel," Ms. Glenn says."Ultimately, we save you hours of time and energy so you can focus on the things that matter most to you," she emphasizes.
