Greetings travelers. Given the unprecedented developments in travel and daily life as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, this week’s newsletter focuses on providing you reliable, informative resources, whether you travel for pleasure, business, have a student studying abroad, etc.:
Upcoming travel plans? If you are scheduled to travel and would like to discuss your options (whether you booked your trip with us or not), please reach out. We are available to help you and share the most updated information from our industry sources. Many travel suppliers are updating their change/cancellation policies daily. Call volumes are extremely high, and customer service has been pushed to its limit for many suppliers.
Links to reliable sources of information (updated regularly):
Official statement about the latest travel restrictions announced last night in the President’s address to the nation – Department of Homeland Security: https://www.dhs.gov/news-releases/press-releases and CDC link to COVID-19 in Europe: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-europe and global level 3 health advisory: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/travel-advisory-alert-global-level-3-health-advisory-issue.html
U.S. Department of State & Links to U.S. Embassies Abroad: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
Centers For Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Worldometer: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Virtuoso (global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel) article: https://tinyurl.com/vhf2eon
Interested in booking travel for later this year but not sure if you should? Suppliers are offering flexible change and cancellation policies in conjunction with generous promotional pricing. We can help you navigate policies and find the right travel insurance plan to protect your trip.
On a lighter note, do you have kids at home and want to make handwashing fun? Check outhttps://washyourlyrics.com/. “Happy” by Pharrell might be a fun one for the kiddos!
We don’t have a crystal ball to know how things will evolve or when the coronavirus will be less of a global threat but do know that eventually this too shall pass. Armed with accurate knowledge, we can make the best decisions for ourselves and our families. As your partner in travel, we are here to help and support you; please don’t hesitate to reach out by email at susan@hiddengemtravelconsulting.com or phone/text 203.247.3396.
Warmly,
Susan
Hidden Gem Tip: If you need to reach an airline by phone, try the U.K. number if you can’t get through on the U.S. line. This strategy has proven successful for some of our travel colleagues.
