Life is a beach…
We’ll get you back
into the sand
as soon as we can!!
Well, 2020 isn’t exactly off to a storybook beginning as many of us expected it to be as of December 31, 2019 when we were laying out our New Year’s resolutions and looking to make this new century our you-know-what…
COVID-19 Interrupts the Global Travel Industry
If there is anything I’ve learned in my 26 years on this planet is that life can change on a micro or macro-level in what seems like the blink of an eye. From unexpected personal/family-related events, to a nasty virus that can disable international travel temporarily — anything can happen. Although, I feel as if there is always an opportunity to move forward towards better days to come. That being said, I’d like to share something about the travel industry that has particularly impressed me and made me proud to be a part of the Latin Excursions team these past few months.
Setbacks are Inevitable on a Personal and Global Scale
This is a lesson I learned in college when I was accepted and granted a scholarship to study English in Australia through a University program. I spent that entire year so focused on saving money and getting there, that I forgot to enjoy my surroundings and really wasn’t genuinely happy at the time leading up to it. As the Spring semester was coming to an end, I was told that the Summer international study abroad Australia course had been canceled because a few students had to drop out. That news was devastating to me, and I couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to make it to the land down under. Looking back, if that never happened, I likely never would have gone to Peru and fell in love with selling adventure travel in Latin America! Everything happens for a reason.
Now, allow me to discuss setbacks on a global scale, which most people I imagine can relate to right now. My best friend is getting married next month, so I had planned a Bachelor Party to Tamarindo Beach, Costa Rica in an ocean view 6-bedroom villa from March 20-25 for 8-10 of our friends total. News broke to us this morning that International flights to Costa Rica had been banned for the next month and we had to cancel. Many of us had requested time off of work and were looking forward to this for month, fueling us along the way with inspiration to close sales and put in work before we leave!
Reschedule, Don’t Cancel!
Through the Corona Virus 2020 experience of working in the travel industry hands-on, I can tell you that a lot of wonderful people who I know including myself, are going to be affected by this event for a while. No time for pity though, I’m here to educate you about current booking/rescheduling policies of great travel companies like Latin Excursions. When a crisis occurs and global travel is affected, we in the industry understand cancellations are inevitable.
Typically for no fee, airline companies like United will give you full credit for your cancellation and if you don’t use that credit within a year, they’ll give you a refund for the sum of your credit. Meanwhile, we go to lengths in order to reschedule your accommodations for later down the road. At Latin Excursions we are in constant contact with all of the hotels, villas, boats, guides, and drivers we work with. Our Founder of Latin Excursions, Eric Sheets, has created an award winning travel company by maintaining these relationships and getting to know them on a personal level. It’s really incredible to see the lengths everyone in our team goes to in order to create these memorable experiences.
Postponed Our Journey to Costa Rica — Still Going Later this Year!
Although our journey was canceled for the time being, we are excited to reschedule for later this year, which gives us all something to look forward to especially since the vacation is paid in full and we all were able to get our flights fully refunded or credited! A good ole surf session with your best friends sounds like the perfect medicine for a post-quarantine apocalyptic seeming world… Oh and don’t forget the Piña Colada!
Here is Why You Should Reschedule Ultimately
Aside from your mental and physical well-being, we need to keep the world traveling to share different cultures, ideas, and make new memories on epic adventures. The people affected by the current travel policies include local guides, operators, trip designers drivers, hotel staff, and liaisons. By rescheduling your trip for later this year, or even next year, helps provide future work and optimism for those in the industry. And hey, sometimes even a kind compliment to your travel agent or operator can make someones day especially in a time of doubt 🙂
If you have any questions about this article, would like help rescheduling your 2020 journey if it was canceled due to temporary country travel policies, or would like to plan a journey for later this year, reach out to turneysjourneys@gmail.com.