Zoom, zoom, zoom used to make us think of a car commercial. Now it conjures up flickering images of friends and co-workers squirreled away in basements with Ikea bookcases or tropical beach backgrounds.
The world has discovered that it can do a lot of things over the Internet. I’ve taken to depositing my checks/cheques by taking a picture with my phone. Lawyers are taking depositions by GoToMeetings. Teenagers who can’t go to the mall (horrors) are flooding Amazon with purchases.
So, what does that mean for business travel? A lot, in my opinion.
I’m a guy who practically lives for travel. It’s been my full-time job for 11 years. The thrill of a new destination – or a repeat visit to an old favourite teeming with memories – never ceases to send a shiver down my spine. But I’m thinking I need to pull back if I want to stay healthy and safe. And, if I’m thinking that, you can bet corporate folks who used to think nothing of cross-Pacific flights to Asia or Australia are thinking the same thing.
There was a great thread on Twitter today that talked about a ridiculously long journey to Hong Kong. That may not be typical, and things could improve with time. But pretty much everyone in the business realizes that travel will be quite different for the next couple years, even if they find a vaccine. And that means business travel will be different.
First of all, there’s the cost. Flying at the front of the plane has never been cheap. But air fares are almost certainly going to up in the near future if airlines are removing seats for physical distancing. That means less revenue for airlines that are positively starved for cash. Which means higher fares for everyone.
If you’re a small company, or even a big one, that has recently taken a huge economic hit, are you going to send one of your top executives on a gruelling trip in a metal can in the sky that she or he might get sick from, leaving them out of the office for three days with hotel costs, meals and other expenses to pay for? Are you going to dial into a germ-free and cost-free Zoom or FaceTime call and hash out that contract negotiation via the Internet? I know what I would do.
There are many stories out there focusing on this issue. Here’s one I spotted today on Business Travel News, an interesting chat with Healix International/HX Global chief medical officer Dr. Adrian Hyzler.
Here’s one part of his comments: “A lot of business travelers will be anxious about getting back on planes for business trips. Measures [like rapid diagnostic testing] may help to restore confidence in the travel industry, but there will still be people unwilling to travel until a safe and efficacious vaccine is available. Businesses will need to listen to the concerns of employees and tailor business requirements accordingly. There will be a greater drive, I suspect, toward teleconferencing meetings until travel gets back to ‘normal.'”
Rocky Mountaineer Suspended Through July 31
A view of the Rockies from the Rocky Mountaineer train near the B.C. Alberta border. JIM BYERS PHOTO
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated government restrictions, Rocky Mountaineer will extend the suspension of its 2020 travel season until July 31, 2020. This suspension is in addition to the previously announced suspended departures from April 13 to June 30.
“It is with much regret that we announce this extension of our travel suspension,” said Steve Sammut, president and chief executive officer, Rocky Mountaineer. “With numerous travel restrictions in place globally, airlines having limited flight availability, many of our operational partners having suspended their services, and other challenges, it has become impossible for us to start our operations in July.”
This is sad on a personal level, as my wife and I had a tremendous trip with them a couple years ago.
Guests on a suspended departure will receive a future travel credit of 110% value of monies paid, which is valid through to the end of the 2022 season. Rocky Mountaineer is also holding its 2021 rail prices at the 2020 level, so guests will not experience an inflationary price increase for the rail portion of their itinerary. For guests rebooking a similar package in 2021, within 14 days on either side of the original departure date anniversary, Rocky Mountaineer will guarantee they will not pay more for the new package, including third-party hotels, tours and attractions, due to the later travel date.
Canadian Maritimes and Tourism: What’s Happening and What Can We Expect?
Checking the tides on the Bay of Fundy is an amazing experience in New Brunswick. CANADIAN TOURISM COMMISSION PHOTO
As anyone who reads this blog (hey, Dad!) can attest, I love Newfoundland/Labrador and the Canadian maritime provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). To me, they’re the most distinct part of the country outside of Quebec. Yes, the Rockies are beautiful. But so are the Tetons in the U.S. and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Yes, Vancouver is pretty. But so is San Francisco. It goes without saying that the province of Quebec is unique in North America, but so are the maritime provinces and Newfoundland.
The New England states look a bit like the Maritimes, at least the coastal areas. But the feel is completely different. New England was settled by bankers and conservative Protestants. The Maritimes are a mix of cultures that include fiery French peoples and impossibly charming Irish folks. The music and joie de vivre of the Maritimes and Newfoundland aren’t nearly as evident in the hills and valleys of Vermont and New Hampshire, at least not in my experience. Which is why I love them so much.
With that in mind, here are stories from today that look at what’s happening now in terms of travel in New Brunswick and what the immediate future may hold for Nova Scotia tourism.
The Nova Scotia story focuses on what might happen this year on Cape Breton Island, one of the truly great (and beautiful) destinations in Canada (don’t miss the Cabot Trail drive and a night of music and local beer at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou). Here’s an excerpt from a story posted on the Halifax Chronicle Herald’s website:
“Tourism generates over $200 million annually for Victoria County which is home to some of the island’s most noted tourism attractions. They include Cape Breton Highlands National Park, that also stretches into Inverness County, Highlands Links and Bell Bay golf courses, the Alexander Graham Bell national historic site, the Highland Village in Iona and the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s.”
If I can make it this summer, I know I’ll try to make it.
Also, here’s an item from the CBC on what’s open or opening in New Brunswick, including an update on lovely provincial parks. I was in the province for four days a few years ago and found it delightful. Be sure to check out the Acadian coast and Saint John, which feels like a miniature, Canadian version of San Francisco with its hills and open water.
Europe This Summer? Who Knows?
Here’s another item on what’s happening in Europe, which seems like a very mixed bag of uncertainty to me. This one‘s from Forbes, which reports that the European Commission has unveiled a phased plan for reopening borders, airports and hotels to allow some amount of leisure travel to resume in time for the summer.
Lufthansa Renews Flights to Toronto
Lufthansa will re-launch flights between Toronto and Frankfurt, Germany in June of this year. Noah Boyer Photo/Unsplash
As countries gradually ease travel restrictions, the desire to travel and the need to see beloved family and friends has increased. The pent-up demand will see Lufthansa bolster the limited number of intercontinental flights to Canada with a resumption, in June, of service from one of its main Canadian gateways. Lufthansa plans to ramp up with three weekly, non-stop flights from Toronto to Frankfurt beginning June 3rd. Additional Canadian flights are currently being evaluated and planned for later in the summer.
The Toronto – Frankfurt flight adds an important, long-haul connection for Toronto-based travel to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. These include flights within Germany, as well as to cities in Austria, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. A total of 106 European destinations will be served next month. Flights to Tel Aviv are also being planned as are connections to Mumbai, Dubai, UAE and Johannesburg as well as to Abuja and Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
“Lufthansa flights to and from Canada have always been popular and well-received, and so this unprecedented halt of our flight operations is a difficult situation that we are working to overcome”, said Hans DeHaan, Senior Director Canada, Lufthansa Group. “We are committed to serving the Canadian market, and with Toronto as the first wave in our ramp up, the Lufthansa Group continues to reinforce its strong commitment to the region and to the country.”
Now more than ever, passengers are looking to travel with companies who place a priority on hygiene and cleanliness. The Lufthansa Group has always focused on delivering a premium travel experience and during this unprecedented time, Lufthansa continues to follow stringent hygiene guidelines and practices that are above and beyond the standard so as to ensure that the on board experience is focused first and foremost, on the public health of its passengers.
Avalon Waterways Health and Safety Program: Avalon Assurances
In anticipation of setting sail on the world’s waterways once more, Avalon Waterways has developed a NEW Avalon Assurance program to safeguard the health and happiness of travellers throughout their Avalon river cruise vacation.
“The world has changed but what remains certain is our steadfast commitment to our guests’ safety, comfort and peace-of-mind,” said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. “To that end, we have established a Global Health & Safety team dedicated to ensuring that the cleanliness of all operations exceeds today’s standards from start-to-finish.”
The river cruise operator’s new Avalon Assurance program currently features seven major categories and protocols that span across guest experience touch-points – all of which are being shared, explored, reviewed and renewed, accordingly. They include:
