A month or two ago, when all this crazy coronavirus stuff hit the fan, I suggested that 2020 may be The Summer of Canada given our reluctance (and, for now, inability) to travel anywhere else over the next few months, and given the low Canadian dollar and the damage COVID-19 has done to our collective pocketbooks. I’m taking another look at the issue today given a Conference Board of Canada study I spotted the other day (and one I referenced on the weekend during my live interview on CTV News). Today’s Future of Travel Blog also looks at a new sale from Marriott, a report from the New York Times on the dismal state of the airline industry around the world, an item about how Carnival Cruises is looking to Australia, a look at how Canadian airports fared in the latest world rankings, a bit about flights to Mexico and a report about a rental car cleanliness and safety program from the folks at Enterprise, National and Alamo rental cars.
a report from the Conference Board of Canada on what kind of trips Canadians are thinking of for the summer (assuming it actually arrives).
The board has been asking Canadians for the better part of a decade if they plan summer trips that will see them drive at least 80 km’s and stay overnight at least one night.
In past spring surveys, 75% to 80% of Canadians have said “yes.” This year? Only 45% said they were planning such a trip, according to a story in the Financial Post the other day.
More than 60% said they would stay in Canada, and more people said the reason for the trip was to visit friends and family, rather than just for leisure.
If they do travel it’s less likely by air. Of those surveyed, 80% said they would travel by auto or RV, 20% by air, rail or bus.
As for getting back to anything like normal, the conference board doesn’t expect that to happen for domestic travel until next April. International travel will likely remain below normal until next December, it said.
The UN’s World Tourism Organization expects leisure travel will recover faster than business travel. Africa and the Middle are expected to see the quickest recovery in international travel, with most experts seeing a return in demand in 2020. The experts are the least optimistic about the Americas, with most not seeing a recovery until 2021.
I personally think that’s far too optimistic, although I guess it depends on what one means by “recovery.” A partial one, sure. A meaningful one, maybe. A full recovery? Maybe 2024 if we’re lucky (see comments below from the head of Air Canada).
Here’s the full Financial Post story: https://business.financialpost.com/executive/posthaste-summer-vacation-is-cancelled-how-tourism-is-facing-by-its-worst-crisis-since-records-began-in-1950
AmaWaterways Cites Demand; Opens Bookings for 2022
An AmaWaterways ship in Europe.
AmaWaterways today announced the majority of its 2022 deployment is now open for group and individual bookings – a full six months ahead of previous season openings. All itineraries in France, Portugal, Holland and those traveling the Rhine and Moselle rivers are open for reservations, with added rewards for guests who book early. By May 20, the remaining 2022 river cruise voyages with pre- and post-cruise land extensions will also be available. While the company would typically open 2022 bookings much later in the year, increased demand for 2022 sailings led to early release of the deployment.
“We are excited to open our 2022 bookings six months earlier than originally anticipated, given the heightened demand from individuals and special interest groups for sailings in 2021 and beyond,” said Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “We’ve seen a strong showing for our new offerings, especially with new ships AmaSiena and AmaLucia joining the fleet, and AmaDahlia launching on the Nile in Egypt in September 2021. As pent up demand has already started to surface, I anticipate 2022 will emerge as a very strong travel season and look forward to welcoming our guests onboard.”
For all 2021 Europe, Asia and Egypt cruises, guests booking by June 30, 2020, will receive five per cent cruise savings on balcony staterooms and suites, up to CA$1,800 savings per stateroom on select departures and complimentary pre-paid gratuities. Additionally, guests will have until September 20, 2020 to receive 5 per cent Early Booking Reward for all 2022 departures*.
Hurtigruten Looks For Cruising in Mid-June
As a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Hurtigruten – the world’s largest expedition cruise line – will extend the temporary suspension of worldwide sailings to Mid-June. The company aims to gradually restart operations from June 16.
As the company extends the suspension of their pole-to-pole operations of their fleet of small, custom built ships until June 15, CEO Daniel Skjeldam says Hurtigruten hopes to gradually restart their cruises from Mid-June.
“There is still a lot of uncertainty in what the next weeks and months will bring. However, we do see international restrictions gradually being lifted. Step by step, the pandemic is being brought under control. Businesses are re-opening and everyday life is slowly getting back to a degree of normality,” Skjeldam says.
In Norway – where Hurtigruten is headquartered and which is one of the most popular destination for Arctic cruises – schools, kindergartens, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers are already open and travel restrictions are being gradually lifted.
Marriott Sale: Big Savings at Fab Hotels
The super-cool lobby at The Douglas Hotel, a Marriott property in Vancouver.
Today, Marriott is launching a series of compelling travel offers understanding consumers also want flexibility when booking and confidence that the highest cleaning standards and safety are being met.
The offers:
- Beginning today for seven days, consumers will be able to purchase Marriott Bonvoy Gift Cards at a 20% discount in USD for use globally good for future travel globally this summer and beyond at gifts.marriott.com. (Note: only available for purchase online not on-property. Brands that do not participate in gift card are Bulgari and Design Hotels as well as The Ritz-Carlton Residences and Homes and Villas by Marriott International).
- On May 18 and 19 only, Homes and Villas by Marriott International (HVMI), the company’s premium home rental will offer 10% off stays.
- Starting on May 18 through June 30, Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to gift or purchase points toward free nights and receive a very rich 60% bonus.
Flexibility:
- Marriott’s lenient cancelation policy allows guests to cancel reservations they make before June 30 up to 24 hours prior to arrival including pre-paid stays.
- For reservations booked between May 4 — August 31, 2020, HVMI guests may cancel up to 10 days before arrival to receive a full refundminus a $75 credit card processing fee.
Cleanliness:
- Launching the Global Cleanliness Council, made up of internal and external experts focused on developing the next level of global hospitality cleanliness standards, norms and behaviors that are designed to minimize risk and enhance safety.
- Deploying new technologieslike electrostatic sprayers using the highest classification of disinfectants recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) to treat known pathogens.
- Changing the layout in public spaces to enable social distancing such as removing or re-arranging furniture and evaluating adding partitions at front desks to provide an extra level of precaution.
- Elevating the company’s already rigorous cleaning protocolsthroughout hotels, such as requiring that surfaces are thoroughly treated with hospital-grade disinfectants and that this cleaning is done with increased frequency and placing disinfecting wipes in guest rooms.
Travelers’ aspirations to book stays at Marriott properties, including The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis brands and high-end home rentals in the destinations they’ve longed to visit is possible as never before with great rates and offers.
NY Times: Airline Outlook is Dismal
Even as Delta and the other major airlines in the United States dramatically slash schedules, they are averaging an anemic 23 passengers on each domestic flight and losing $350 million to $400 million a day, the New York Times reports.
Passenger traffic is down about 94 per cent and half of the industry’s 6,215 planes are parked at major airports and desert airstrips, according to Airlines for America, a trade group.
Yet, devastating as the downturn has been, the future is even more bleak. With much of the world closed for business, and no widely available vaccine in sight, it may be months, if not years, before airlines operate as many flights as they did before the crisis. Even when people start flying again, the industry could be transformed, much as it was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. And airline executives need only look in the not-distant past to see how lesser crises sank carriers that were household names like Pan Am and Trans World Airlines.
“The current crisis could push some airlines, especially smaller ones, into bankruptcy or make them takeover targets. Consumer fears about catching the virus on crowded planes could lead to reconfigured seating. Carriers may initially entice wary travelers with discounts, but if they can’t fill up flights, they may resort to raising ticket prices,” The Times reported. Not to blow my own horn, but I was saying that weeks ago. https://jimbyerstravel.com/2020/04/22/will-end-of-covid-19-give-us-great-air-fare-deals-expert-says-no/
Just as I was reading this story I saw the news that Avianca Airlines, based in Colombia and one of the largest airlines in Latin Amercia, has declared bankruptcy.
Air Canada President and CEO Calin Rovinescu said last week that he thinks it will take at least three years for his airline to recover to 2019 levels.
Here’s the NY Times story: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/business/airlines-coronavirus-bleak-future.html?referringSource=articleShare
Carnival Cruise Looks Down Under
Sydney Harbour, Australia. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Australian cruise market can’t reopen soon enough for the CEO of Carnival Corporation, the leisure travel giant with a nine-cruise line portfolio that includes Carnival, P&O and Princess. Here’s an item from cruisepassenger.com.
“Australia is one of the most thriving cruise markets in the world,” said Arnold Donald by phone in a rare one-on-one interview from his St. Louis residence. “It’s had double-digit growth in cruise for something like 10 years in a row – I’ve lost count. It’s a great market for cruise, certainly with our P&O and Princess brands.”
The magazine reports that “even under the lingering dark cloud of the fatal Ruby Princess calamity, the end of an industry-wide shutdown appears to be within sight. Cruise lines worldwide are now setting specific dates for resuming service, most in time to salvage the Australian winter.”
Here’s the full story: https://cruisepassenger.com.au/exclusive-carnivals-global-ceo-says-australia-may-be-among-the-first-to-relaunch/?fbclid=IwAR10qPqOC7FKrAz2kaTMggJsxErKk1mo0YAU501iTVXaF5DBEabpNlWYWho
Canada Flights to Mexico on the Rebound?
According to the website traveloffpath.com, Aeroméxico announced a while back that from May 1 it will resume flights from Mexico City to Vancouver with one weekly flight, and would increase that to two weekly flights from May 7 to 31. Flights to Montreal and Toronto have been suspended until May 31, with operations resuming on June 1. Interesting.
Canadian Airports Rise in the Rankings
The Air Canada Signature Suite at Toronto Pearson Airport.
Good news for Canadian airports, as our three largest ones (you remember airports, don’t you?) all rose in the recent Skytrax World Airport Awards, handed out on the weekend. Vancouver YVR rose from 17th in last year’s rankings to 13th this year, and deservedly so. It’s my favourite airport in Canada, and one of my faves in the world, with amazing details, tons of light and plenty of distractions and shopping. I wish the food was a little more interesting diverse; that’s one area I’d like to see improved. But it’s a beauty, and I love staying at the Fairmont YVR. Toronto Pearson YYZ, vilified by locals and often criticized by yours truly for super-slow baggage service, rose from 50th to 42nd. They’ve made a ton of great changes lately, and they deserve praise for the restaurant and shopping improvements. Montreal’s YUL climbed from 62nd in last year’s rankings to 57th this time around.
For the very first time, YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport won top honours in the “Best Airport Staff Service” in North America category. They began a big push on service a couple years ago and it has clearly paid off.
Here’s the top 10, and note that four of the top 10 are in Japan.
- Singapore Changi (remarkable)
- Tokyo Haneda
- Doha Hamad
- Seoul Incheon
- Munich (a beauty)
- Hong Kong (well-deserved)
- Tokyo Narita
- Centrair Nagoya (Japan)
- Amsterdam Schiphol (for sure)
- Kansai (Osaka Japan)
Rental Cars Get the Wipedown Treatment
Enterprise Holdings is reinforcing its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness in the car rental industry. Today, the company announced the implementation of its Complete Clean Pledge program across the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, as well as its comprehensive portfolio of transportation services.
The Pledge includes the company’s car rental operations, as well as its truck rental, vanpooling, corporate fleet management, retail car sales, carsharing and vehicle-subscription services. It’s one step in enhancements the company is implementing across the organization to ensure its customers feel safe and confident as they move forward and look to travel again.
“Employee and customer safety are our top priority,” said Chrissy Taylor, Enterprise Holdings President and Chief Executive Officer. “Today and every day, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness in the industry. Following guidance from health authorities and in partnership with the travel industry, we at Enterprise Holdings are taking additional measures to build on our already rigorous cleaning protocols. We want customers to feel confident their vehicle is clean and sanitized each and every time they rent.”
Appropo of nothing, a good friend of mine from my youth and college days directs the National Car Rental commercials with actor Patrick Warburton, famous for playing David Puddy on Seinfeld.
