Last updated on July 8, 2020
In the past few months, COVID-19 has completely disrupted normal life. Nearly everyone has been impacted in one way or another, and right now it’s unclear when the travel industry will bounce back.
Until then, many of our travelers are looking for answers to their vacation questions: when can we travel again? Is my trip affected? What are my options? Am I able to get a refund?
In this stressful and trying time, we are here to offer help where we can. With that in mind, we have compiled a comprehensive list of what we know about the travel industry during this time, as well as what we are doing.
What We Know
- About 10 percent of the world works in travel and tourism. Like many other Americans, thousands of those workers have lost their jobs with little to no notice.
- Hotels, airlines, and tour operators have all taken a hit, with many companies offering credits in lieu of full reimbursements in order to keep the industry afloat.
- Airlines are getting bail out money from the government, while other travel companies are asking for additional COVID-19 relief funds.
- On May 12, the Government of Iceland announced plans to lift travel restrictions on June 15. Learn more here.
- As of May 2020, the United Kingdom announced that they will require all international travelers to self isolate for 14 days after arriving in the UK. Read more here.
- Italy is slowly opening back up in phases. As of June 3, borders are open to EU citizens and Schengen area countries first. Read more here.
- Northern Ireland will re-open borders on July 3. Hotels, bars, restaurants and visitor attractions are all permitted to open.
What We’re Doing
- We have established a crisis management team and service protocol to process customer inquiries efficiently and effectively.
- We are adjusting terms and policies as needed to both protect the company and benefit our travelers.
- We are waiving change fees and offering future travel credits to encourage travelers to postpone their trips rather than cancel.
- We will continue to directly communicate with our travelers to inform them of the latest travel restrictions and trip cancelations.
- We will continue to assist all of our travelers one-on-one with rerouting and rescheduling their upcoming trips.
- We are highlighting the benefit of our exclusive By-Your-Side Service℠.
How You Can Help Us Help You
- If your situation allows, you can postpone your trip instead of canceling completely. Your paid deposit goes directly toward employee salaries, overhead expenses and more. Read this article by Conde Nast Traveler for more insight on how postponing your vacation helps the travel industry.
- Support the travel industry with one of these suggestions post-virus.
- Understand the benefits of booking with a tour operator such as Tenon Tours.
- Ask us any questions you may have so we can do the research for you.
If you are a Tenon Traveler, please reach out to your personal Travel Specialist or By-Your-Side Service℠ TEAM member for assistance. You may also review our most recent relaxed policies and travel options for affected trips here.