What Destinations and Types of Travel Are Clients Asking For?

As a growing number of countries are opening their borders to leisure travel, the industry finally feels like it has gained momentum toward a full restart.

Also aiding in the resumption of travel is the growing number of countries are accepting proof of a COVID vaccine in lieu of testing, relieving the stress and added expense of obtaining COVID-19 tests immediately before departure.

Currently, European countries accepting proof of a COVID vaccine on arrival with no testing required include Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Galapagos Islands, Iceland, Poland, and Turkey.

In the Caribbean, islands including Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, and the British Virgin Islands are welcoming vaccinated Americans, although some still require a negative COVID test along with vaccination proof.

As advisors have told TMR, these ever-changing protocols are one of the main issues they are facing as business picks back up.

“Clients are traveling and they are starting to venture beyond our borders. However, they’re still remaining close,” Sofia Calvin, a luxury travel advisor for Storied Travel, told Travel Market Report.

“We have been booking quite a few trips to Costa Rica. Right now for us, it seems to be the most popular destination. In Costa Rica, we are using a DMC as our clients going there are looking for a more tailored experience whereas clients are seeking to have everything included when they opt for Caribbean nations.”

In addition to Costa Rica, Calvin said overall Caribbean bookings are picking up, with places like Aruba, Jamaica, and St Lucia are topping the list.

“While Europe is opening we are not seeing too much movement there yet,” she said. “I think clients have concerns of the variants and while they want to get away they want to keep things closer to home. As time goes on, I’m confident we will see an uptick here too.”

Linda de Sosa, leisure travel consultant for Bucketlist Travel Consulting, Independent Affiliate of Travel Experts, a Virtuoso member, meanwhile, said most of her clients are traveling, but avoiding foreign travel because of the restrictions.

Instead, she’s booking “tons of Alaska, which I know well so I have been designing land packages, and a lot of Hawaii, which I also know well.” She said a few “intrepid souls” are doing Iceland cruising as well as some Caribbean islands because the resorts arrange the return test onsite. De Sosa has also several foreign cruises on the books for next year “because people assuming it will be better.”

“I myself am taking a guided tour with Insight Vacations of Puglia in September. I like them for me and for my clients for a first introduction to an area where you are moving around quite a bit and a cruise isn’t possible. You don’t have to think.”

For other clients, she said escorted with specialty tour groups, like adventure or walking, is popular. “I have 4 sets of people doing that in Alaska this summer with tour operators like Natural Habitat Adventures or Austin adventures or Lindblad.”