tales of travel

In the midst of a year that has obliterated every norm and expectation, there’s a common underlying sentiment among our circle of colleagues, friends and family. It’s a theme that likely resonates in your world as well, especially if you love traveling as much as we do.

This cabin fever is getting to me!
I feel like my wings have been clipped!
I MISS exploring!

No matter how we describe it, we sympathize and know all too well the restlessness that 2020 has wrought upon us. We’ve all had carefully crafted journeys cancelled and future plans dashed on the account of COVID-19.

As we edge closer to the end of 2020, there is some good news and renewed enthusiasm in the air. Industries around the globe have evolved with new processes that are hyper-vigilant about sanitation, safety and social distancing. Approaches to everything from dining and shopping, to dental cleaning visits, violin lessons and sporting events have changed. The evolution in the travel industry is no different.

Confidence in 2021 Travel Increases

The past few months have demonstrated a resurgence of interest in wanderlust. Travelers have reignited their passion by cautiously exploring domestic getaways and nearby attractions. Hotel and local attraction bookings have inched upwards and these operations have steadily increasing demand with new processes that stress cleanliness and safety. Domestic “drive-to” travel in Colorado alone saw a 432% increase according to Duetto, an organization that monitors hotel booking metrics.

These early indicators, paired with traveler sentiment and clues from other nations, paints a picture of travel resurgence in 2021. A recent confidence survey of US travelers, conducted by AirportParkingReservations.com, found that 83% of those surveyed were either very confident or somewhat confident about travel in the year 2021.

Source: AirportParkingReservations.com Travel Surgey; https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-79SBN83B7/

Examining indicators from other countries that are in various phases of pandemic recovery have also provided a sign of things to come. According to ForwardKeys, a worldwide travel analytics company, China’s flight bookings have nearly returned to normal by the end of August 2020.

What does all of this mean for travel in 2021? The travel industry is rapidly adapting new measures and safety protocols to address the concerns the resurgent travel.

Plan Your Travel Confidently

While having an appetite for travel in 2021 is great, having confidence in your plan is the bedrock of smart and safe travel. As other industries have evolved to address COVID-19 concerns, so has the travel industry. Tour operations, hotels, airlines, restaurants and attraction operators not only intrinsically understand these concerns, the industry has devised rigorous safety and cleanliness standards to ensure the comfort and confidence of their clients.

Regardless of the industry’s commitment to improved safety standards, it’s still up to you – the traveler – to understand how new measures impact you, your safety and your travel experience. Spend some time to learn more about new travel procedures that have been enacted at your departure and arrival points. Examine measures that may be in place at your destination to understand how they are designed to protect you (and others.)

Traveling while armed with this knowledge will greatly enhance your understanding of what you’ll experience, increase your confidence in all parts of your travel plan and will help keep you safe. Planning a journey with a partner like ATJ can take the guess work out of the planning process as we’ll clearly outline all details of your journey, including procedure changes and measures that have been enacted to keep you, your family and friends safe.

What to Do and Where to Go?

A confident travel plan ultimately revolves around the destination, or destinations, you’ve chosen and your comfort level with various activity types. While a trip to Cambodia would be remiss without a visit to the extraordinary and sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex, infusing your itinerary with more private, exclusive and “hands-free” experiences will help minimize unnecessary exposure to crowds. ATJ has prioritized these private experiences for our own travelers.

Safety and social distancing aside, we have discovered that the ambiance of a historic private villa, as opposed to a bustling 5-star hotel, or a personal dining experience, rather than a communal one, lends itself to a more enriching and immersive travel experience. In the end, accommodating safety concerns doesn’t have to dampen your trip, it can actually improve the nature of your journey.

Now comes the fun part. Need inspiration for your next destination? Check out our Take Me Away planner to line up your next passport stamp in 2021!

ATJ understands the challenges that current stay-at-home orders pose on those who share our wanderlust. As life begins to return to normal, we encourage you to keep your travel dreams alive. We look forward to exploring the world’s wonders soon with you. Start planning today with ATJ to learn why we provide a Journey Beyond the Ordinary™.