Travel in the "New Normal"

As we adjust to new norms in almost every aspect of our lives, travel will be no exception. With so much uncertainty surrounding the how of travel, one thing is certain: we want to get back out there at some point and explore! And whether you are thinking about travelling again in the near future, or planning to stay put until later this year (or even ‘til 2021), there are two questions on most minds:
 
“Will it be safe to travel?” 
“What will traveling look like?” 
 
At Travel Greene we believe that arming ourselves with good intel and planning is the way to squash fear and create the best possible experience. To help ease your travel anxieties, we’ve put together some helpful tips for traveling in 2020.
 
Let’s start by addressing the first question: Will it be safe to travel? 
 
We believe it will be safe to travel soon. The US travel industry organizations, in collaboration with the White House and medical experts, have compiled a list of guidelines that the tourism industry will need to follow in order to reopen.  This plan was developed to ensure employee and customer safety as the country begins to open. We believe they are taking travelers’ safety very seriously. Check out the entire list of rules and regulations here.
 
So yes, you will be safe to travel. But what will traveling even look like?
 
This question is much harder to answer. Just as with anything else right now, the situation is fluid and constantly shifting. We expect many phased approaches to re-opening businesses and services around the world, and we have no idea how long this process will take. Each country, island and resort may have specific rules & regulations about what their particular location will be doing. Some Caribbean islands, like St. Lucia, Jamaica, Antigua and others will begin opening their borders in June, and hope to welcome tourists to their islands soon. Other countries may open their borders, but will implement a 14-day quarantine for any travelers. As we’ve come to expect in our COVID-19 reality, this is a fluid situation and things continue to change. Without our crystal ball handy, we can’t tell you EXACTLY what your future travel will look like, but one thing we know for sure is things WILL be different. Below is a glimpse of what you can expect.

1. You will need to be ok wearing a mask or other PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). Currently all US based airlines are requiring travelers to wear a mask from check-in until you arrive at your destination. TSA is also altering their processes to account for masks being worn, and may only briefly ask you to remove it to verify identity.  As businesses reopen, each will have their own requirements, and you may find that some resorts or hotels will be asking guests to wear masks while on property. Disney and Universal have already made this a requirement as they begin to reopen. If this makes you uncomfortable, it may be better for you to delay your travel til 2021. 

 

1. Touchless or low touch processes will be the new thing. You can pretty much forget checking in at the desk, or having room service bring your food in and put it on your desk. Human interaction while traveling will be at a minimum for awhile. In order to reopen safely, companies have to ensure they are not putting their employees or guests at risk, and this will mean automating check-ins, payment and ticketing in order to limit interactions between guests and employees. Hilton is expanding its digital key capabilities to include common doors and other access points, and they are looking to move completely to using the app and digital keys for check in. "Social distancing" is now a new term in our culture and we can expect hotels and resorts will also implement these requirements in restaurants and bars. For some facilities, this may mean redesigning public spaces entirely in order to keep guests not travelling together 6 feet apart. 

 

1. Expect increased hygiene protocol. Most travelers seek a high level of cleanliness in the places we choose to rest our head at night, but sanitizing procedures will take on a whole new level. Companies and their patrons are now analyzing cleanliness practices and a new standard is being created. Marriott is testing ultraviolet lights for sanitizing keys for guests and devices shared by associates, and using electrostatic sprayers with hospital-grade disinfectant to sanity surfaces in guest rooms, lobbies, gyms and other public areas. Turning over rooms between a 12pm check-out and a 4pm check-in might be too much of a stretch as hotels and resorts will need to allow ample time for more stringent cleaning policies. They may also have to alter cleaning crew shifts in order to limit interactions. This means hotels won’t be able to sell all their rooms to ensure their staff has enough time to prep between guests. Assume late check outs and early check ins may be hard to come by, or not available at all. Also hotels might have less availability since they cannot utilize all rooms every night. 

 

1. Health screenings will become routine. While almost all organizations will be requiring health screenings for their employees, some may also require them from guests. Disney has been the first big organization to make health screenings for guests standard, as they are requiring temperature checks at all entrances of Disney Springs. Find out more details on Disney’s re-opening here. While this sparked a bit of outrage amongst some, we don’t think Disney will be the last company to require screenings. Wynn Resort in Las Vegas has proposed using thermal scanners at the entrance and testing guests who register a body temperature over 100 degrees in a private room. If you find these types of requirements and screenings troublesome, then plan to lay low and postpone travel until these restrictions have been lifted. 

 

1. Extra planning will be a necessity. Are you used to driving until you are tired, and then finding a place to stay? Unfortunately last minute travel may be a thing of the past… at least for a while. Even though states are reopening now, some are imposing a 14 day quarantine for those coming/going from their state. So before you plan even a road trip in the US, make sure that you check out any requirements on all the places you are going and passing through. Domestic hotel reservations and travel tickets will have decreased availability, and most establishments will have a list of requirements for their patrons that will require prior planning and reservations. International travel already requires a bit of preparation, but now it will demand even more. 

 
Now more than ever, using a travel advisor to do your pre-planning and arrange logistics will save you a lot of time and hassle. When the time comes that you are ready to get back out on the open road, skies or seas, Travel Greene will arm you with the planning and details you’ll need to enjoy your “new normal” experience.

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