After more than a year of staying inside, working from home and limiting contact with others, Lisa Daitch is preparing to pack her suitcases and travel.
“Now that we’re vaccinated, we’re ready,” said Daitch, whose travel plans in 2021 include trips to Las Vegas and Antigua, as well a cruise in December.
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With summer only a few weeks away, Daitch isn’t alone in wanting to travel.
Skift is a company which “deciphers and defines” travel trends, according to its website.
Skift released a report on April 16 that showed the travel industry was operating at its highest levels since March 2020; with the United States at about 71% of its pre-pandemic levels. Globally, the industry is at about half its pre-pandemic rates.
“The U.S. travel sector has laid off a large workforce in response to the sharp demand decline. Now it’s facing the opposite challenge: labor shortage. Delta has already had to cancel flights due to pilot shortages, Uber is seeing demand returning quicker than drivers, and hotels are predicting staff shortages as the summer is expected to see bumper crowds of American domestic travelers,” the report stated.
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Fueling this return to travel is the Centers for Disease Control’s April 2 updated guidance for fully-vaccinated people who are considered low-risk for contracting COVID-19, according to the CDC website.
“Fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States and do not need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine as long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling– wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing and washing hands frequently,” the website said.
While hotels and airlines have largely re-opened, one segment of the travel industry that has remained closed for more than a year is the cruise sector, much to the chagrin of avid cruisers such as Gail Erlitz, who has been on 27 cruises over multiple cruise lines.
Since the industry has been shut down, Erlitz has had to reschedule four cruises, including a transatlantic cruise that she was supposed to be leaving on on April 25.
“It was perfect,” said Erlitz, who called it a bucket list trip.
The price was just right; the cabin was in a great location and the itinerary included stops in the Azores and Nova Scotia, before ending in Southampton, England, she said.
She and her husband also had a two-week back-to-back cruise scheduled for December 2020 as well as a Hawaiian cruise.
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Erlitz and her husband, Dave St. Martin, are both fully vaccinated and she’s ready for the high seas.
On April 8, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis filed a lawsuit to allow the cruise industry to restart in Florida’s ports.
“Florida is suing the Biden Administration in federal district court to overturn the unlawful ‘Conditional Sailing Order’ enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This unprecedented year-long lockdown of an entire industry by the federal government has directly harmed the State of Florida, its citizens, and their families, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars in economic activity,” according to a news release from the state of Florida.
“Cruises are a vital part of Florida’s tourism industry- employing thousands and boosting our state’s economy. Every day the federal government unfairly keeps this economic giant docked, our economy suffers. The ripple effect of this misguided federal lockdown has far-reaching implications for the cruise industry, international tourism, businesses that would benefit from the influx of visitors, our state’s economy and the thousands of Floridians who work in the industry,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in the news release.
Erlitz, who is a retired nurse, said she believes the cruise industry could provide safe sailing experiences with precautions in place.
“They haven’t even allowed the cruise industry to prove they could sail safely,” she said.
She’s hopeful that cruising will be back soon, as she has cruises planned later this year.
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AAA Travel said that vacationing will look different this year.
“The entire travel experience has been transformed by COVID-19. If you’re considering travel sometime this year, it’s more important than ever to do your due diligence ahead of any trip to ensure it is safe and enjoyable,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel, in a news release. “As vaccines help boost consumer confidence to begin traveling again, we have to remember that wearing masks and social distancing are still a requirement.”
The agency advised people to check hotel and airline cancellation policies.
When traveling internationally, travelers returning to the U.S. must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days or proof of recovery from the disease within 90 days, according to the U.S. State Department’s website.
The State Department issued the order Jan. 26.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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