Travel’s Messy 2021 Comeback

Travel’s comeback in 2021 seems assured, but it might be messy.

I watched CNBC’s Jim Cramer this morning, and he was all excited because he just got his first dose of vaccine today.

He said that the first thing he will do is go to a bar (he owns a bar in NYC).  And the second thing he will do is travel.

Similarly, I was getting my steps walking around “da hood last night, and I ran across neighbors (who are also clients) who were all excited about getting their jab as well.  “We can’t wait to get back to traveling,” they said.

Believe me, Carol and I are excited about getting back to travel as well.

So while we fully expect to see travel resume in late spring or early summer, we also expect it to be a little messy getting there.

So let’s grab a few disinfectant hand wipes and explore some of the hurdles in our path.

The Path to a Travel Restart

• Needless to say, we need to get this virus under control in our country and around the world.
• The pathway to making that happen is a COVID-19 vaccination in everyone’s arm.  And while the rollout has been slow, we see massive infrastructure being built in many states to make this happen.
• Many countries, including our own, are now requiring a negative COVID-19 test, no older than three days old, before being granted entry.  To make this happen routinely, we need access to the rapid-tests we keep reading about.
• While I don’t know this for sure, I fully expect that once everyone in our country has had the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccination, travel brands may well require a vaccination.  Be on the lookout for this in perhaps the third quarter.
• Passport Issues.  Check your passport right now.  To enter many foreign countries, your passport must be greater than six months from expiration.  The State Department has a massive backlog of passport applications to dig through.  If your passport expires this year, get it renewed now.
• Travel Insurance. Countries with socialized medicine have been footing the bill for Americans who need medical attention while traveling in their countries. They are tired of doing that.  As a result, we expect countries to begin requiring proof of travel insurance with medical coverage before they let you through the border.
• For ocean cruises to begin sailing out of U.S. ports, we need the CDC to act on the health and safety protocols submitted by the cruise lines months ago.
• And last but not least, we need the traveling public to feel safe.

Therefore, dear friends, remain diligent with your COVID-19 precautions, get your vaccination at your earliest convenience, and let’s get this party started.

Additional Reading: State Department Warns: Passport Delays

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