Just after the New Year, my husband and I planned two family trips with our kids for this summer: one abroad, and another domestic — a road trip in an RV, to be specific.
Then along came COVID-19.
No surprise for anyone: Our trip abroad is now on pause. Indeed, at the moment we would not be able to get there if we tried, as the island’s borders are closed through May 31. Yet our planned exploration of the American West is still a go.
The summer travel season ahead will be like none before, as states and localities reopen across the country and Americans venturing out from the lockdown dare to stretch their wings.
As one who makes my living in travel and wants to see the industry rolling again, I applaud their moxie. The desire to travel is ingrained in our national character. When everything is clicking the industry is an economic juggernaut: According to the U.S. Travel Association, domestic travelers spent $972 billion in the U.S. in 2019, directly supporting nearly 7.9 million American jobs.
Yet, as one who also contracted and thankfully recovered from COVID-19, I also want to see Americans travel safely. The keys to that are research, planning and taking necessary steps to ensure good health.
While restrictions to flatten the coronavirus curve are being eased, policies vary. In New Hampshire, for instance, a state task force has recommended children should be allowed to attend summer camps and athletic programs, albeit under strict measures. In Maine, lodging providers can accept reservations for stays from June 1 on for local residents, but out-of-state visitors can only check-in if they complete the state’s 14-day quarantine requirement. In Florida, which was on the vanguard of reopening, most beaches are welcoming the public, but major theme parks and other attractions remain closed.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control continues to remind all Americans that travel heightens chances of getting infected and spreading COVID-19 and “staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick.”
With so much still in flux, now is not a bad time for to consider tapping the expertise and services of professional travel advisors, who have the resources to stay on top of the latest local developments, knowledge of reservation and cancellation policies and have connections to arrange everything from private boats on lakes to private guides for museum visits.
Americans will likely stick close to home this summer, preferring to get where they are headed via highway and seeking wide-open spaces like outdoor parks for easy social distancing. Such settings have their own air of wellness about them, which was a popular motivation for travel before the pandemic and will likely remain so for quite a while.
Wherever they are headed, travelers would be well advised to bring their own sanitation supplies — masks, disinfectant wipes, gloves, etc. — to ensure cleanliness and safety along the way.
Anything beyond a day trip will require a place to stay, of course. I would advise making reservations in advance as hotels are not necessarily opening every guest room and sticking with name-brand properties that have official cleanliness protocols in place. Travelers will find that the industry leading brands have announced how they are looking after their guests’ health and safety and many of them have partnered with respected brands and institutions to lend credibility to their efforts.
Hotels and resorts across the country are making cleanliness standards a priority for their re-openings, including the training of staff — whose health is just as important. Hotels will be openly sharing the steps being taken for safety with travelers.
On that same note, professional companies that rent villas and private homes are a good bet for higher-end travelers concerned about safety. Look for companies that manage properties with long-term leases, as opposed to overnight stays arranged through popular home-sharing apps.
While travel will be on a lot of agendas this summer, I think it is going to be slow going for a while. There is still so much anxiety about COVID-19, it will be difficult for many people to feel at ease away from the confines of home. With new cleaning protocols in place, economies re-opening, travel advisors, media and PR pros working every angle to promote safe travel, the industry is feeling hopeful and starting to encourage tourism again.
The alternative, after all, is another three months at home with the kids.
Jennifer Hawkins is the founder and president of Hawkins International, a bi-coastal hospitality and lifestyle communications firm promoting some of the finest brands in the world. Over the last 18 years, Jennifer’s talents for trend spotting, embrace of digital and social media, and solid leadership have fostered loyalty among top editors and hospitality brands.