Page 4 - AAA Now! – AAA Central Penn – July/August 2020

AAA
Traveling
Post COVID-19
Christina Bucher, CTC, DS Vice President, Travel AAA Central Penn
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted lives and business. One industry that has been impacted
globally is the travel industry. Travel worldwide basically stopped. Airlines cancelled flights, hotels closed, cruise ships sit empty pier side, and many countries closed their borders. Yet amid this chaos, those with a passion to travel, an itch to explore, or a fancy to get up and go, only felt the strengthening of their wanderlust amid the instruction to stay home.
As restrictions are lifted travel opportunities are available once again. However, travel will be quite different post COVID-19. Airlines, cruise lines, tour companies, hotels, rental car and ground transport companies have worked to improve safety measures and provide travelers options that comply with CDC, World Health, and government regulations. These new measures, while designed to keep passengers safe, will change the travel experience, making the familiar look unfamiliar. Travel will be radically and almost unrecognizably different after the COVID-19 pandemic; even the most experienced traveler will face new, uncharted territory. That is why, if you are planning a trip after the pandemic, experts advise consulting a professional.
TRAVEL AGENCY
TM
A competent travel agent can help you navigate
The Time to TravelI is Coming
the strange new world of travel. Trained to handle emergencies during travel, be it a missed flight or a hotel that closes unexpectedly, good travel agents, like those at AAA Central Penn, have the knowledge, experience and worldwide connections to get your travel back on track. Remember, an online travel site is not the same as a competent travel agent.
An online travel site is filled with data and information, but it doesn’t offer the wisdom and ingenuity of industry veterans who can troubleshoot for you. Try dealing with an online travel site when you’ve just been alerted that the country you are in is closing its border, flights are being canceled faster than you can make
a reservation, and you don’t know how you’re going
to get back to the U.S. It’s unfortunately a discovery many travelers made at the start of the pandemic. All the while, travelers working with AAA agents were speaking with someone who used their experience and network of resources to get them home safely.
can hardly believe that just a few months ago I
was touring France by land (Luxury Gold) and river (Uniworld) – and loving every glorious moment. Never did I imagine that shortly afterwards our
world – and especially the world of travel – would turn upside down due to a pandemic.
As we move forward and while I write this article, I truly believe once Covid-19 is resolved and the travel & tourism temporary standstill lifts, the American public will want – and need – to travel again.
After hosting "Let's Talk Travel with AAA" for almost 28 years, I have two thoughts to share. The first is to have a AAA travel agent working with you, and for you in every aspect of travel. Your AAA travel agent will always have your back, and you will have the confidence of knowing
need a AAA Travel agent for your post-pandemic trip? They can help you prepare for traveling in this new environment. Travel companies are so eager right now for you to book another trip that they will promise you the world. From squeaky-clean cabins to “touchless” check-ins, travel companies are touting their wares.
As an advocate for you, the AAA Travel agent looks beyond making a sale, and instead aims to assist
you in fulfilling your travel dreams. They will help
you cut through the promotion and PR hyperbole to understand realistically what to expect post COVID-19.
The AAA Central Penn Travel Agency was founded on the same principles as our famous roadside assistance; we value your safety above all else, and it is still our first priority today when we assist you with your travel arrangements.
Our travel agents are now accepting new clients and are still available for those who have used our services previously. Destinations are open, so now is the perfect time to plan your next getaway. When you are ready, we’ll be here.
you are in the hands of a professional.
The second is how excited and ready I am to get
back on a plane or ship, or take a motor coach land tour and get back to exploring our beautiful United States and the whole wide world! I am so ready to go that just the thought of traveling and cruising again has me bursting with joy and anticipation.
Of course, with that said, we must feel secure and comfortable with any mode of travel or vacation choice we make. I know the industry is putting new health and safety protocols in place to give us the peace of mind we need, and of course all of us must follow and practice excellent health and hygiene requirements from now on.
Whether my next trip happens later this year or the beginning of 2021, my bags will be packed, and my love of travel will continue.
Plan now ... travel later ... save big and stay healthy!
Thankfully, most travelers don’t encounter these kinds of problems while traveling. Then why do you
By Sandy Fenton
"Let’s Talk Travel with AAA," hosted by Sandy Fenton, is broadcast Saturdays 11:00AM to 12:00PM on iHeartMedia’s WHP580. For more information, go to whp580.com and click on the link to "Let’s Talk Travel."
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JULY/AUGUST 2020
Now!