How the travel industry is responding to COVID-19

This week (May 3-9) is National Travel and Tourism Week, and the travel industry needs it since we’ve been hit especially hard. The industry, which represents $2.6 trillion annually, is estimated to have lost eight million jobs through May 1st and the travel-related economic impact of coronavirus is projected to be nine times worse than 9/11.

After a collaboration between medical experts and a broad array of businesses and organizations, the U.S. travel industry submitted to the White House and governors a document containing detailed guidance for travel-related businesses to help keep their customers and employees safe as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entitled “Travel in the New Normal,” the document describes measures the travel industry will follow to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and help to communicate across each and every step of a traveler’s journey. The goal: to allow travel to safely resume as states and municipalities relax physical distancing guidelines. The “Travel in the New Normal” guidance is focused on six main areas (direct from the document):

  • Travel businesses should adapt operations, modify employee practices and/or redesign public spaces to help protect employees and customers.
  • Travel businesses should consider implementing touchless solutions, where practical, to limit the opportunity for virus transmission while also enabling a positive travel experience.
  • Travel businesses should adopt and implement enhanced sanitation procedures specifically designed to combat the transmission of COVID-19.
  • Travel businesses should promote health screening measures for employees and isolate workers with possible COVID-19 symptoms and provide health resources to customers.
  • Travel businesses should establish a set of procedures aligned with CDC guidance should an employee test positive for COVID-19.
  • Travel businesses should follow best practices in food and beverage service to promote health of employees and customers.

Specific examples are provided for each of the above. It’s mostly high-level stuff (so no company-specific details) but if you’re curious about how the travel industry is responding to COVID-19, the full PDF is worth reading over. Check it out here.

Responding to COVID-19: a video on the #SpiritOfTravel

U.S. Travel put together the below video for National Travel and Tourism week:

 


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4 Comments On "How the Travel Industry Is Responding to COVID-19"
  1. Dave Ashby|

    Johnny any idea as to when international travel will resume?

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Sadly, not until there is a vaccine or immunity. I’m hoping by next summer (2021)

  2. jerrylee|

    Wow!..what a deceiving video!..no masks..no distancing!..is that put out by the “Keep America Great” Fools?

  3. PJ|

    This is the report card I was talking about. Giddy-up.

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