Gay Nagle Myers
One of the many travel businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic is destination wedding and event planner JoAnn Gregoli.
The New Jersey-based Gregoli has not contracted the virus herself, but her lucrative and successful Elegant Occasions business has been felled by the global pandemic.
Her time is consumed these days by counseling panicked clients whose weddings and events are now on hold due to restrictions on travel and prohibitions on social gatherings.
"I lived through the fears of clients and the resulting impact on my business from SARS in 2003, swine flu in 2009 and Zika in 2016," Gregoli said. "I remember assisting brides who lost wedding venues after 9/11, but this coronavirus now is unchartered waters."
Worldwide cases topped 100,000 as of March 11; U.S. numbers had climbed to more than 1,000 by that date, with hundreds more cases expected in the coming days, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
"All I can do is help calm my clients' fears, advise them not to panic and come up with alternatives and options for them," Gregoli said.
"This is a fluid, constantly changing situation. It's wait and see. Where we can postpone, we do. I tell them not to cancel but to pick a later date. Weddings and events planned for June and July and later are on hold right now. We are assessing and advising, waiting to see if travel restrictions are lifted and if the virus has at least been contained."
Much of her work today involves dealing with hotels, venues and vendors to shift dates from March and April.
"For the most part, everyone has been cooperative and understanding. These businesses are suffering right now as much as we in this business are," Gregoli said.
Most hotels are willing to switch deposits and payments to a later date, but Gregoli always counsels her clients to buy both travel and wedding insurance.
She recounted a recent destination wedding that involved a large group of friends and family traveling from overseas.
"Everyone was scared to get on a plane," Gregoli said. "They feared they'd get the virus from other passengers. The bride and groom were already in the islands. They did get married, but in front of several hotel staff as witnesses instead of their invited guests."
A recent 200-person conference scheduled in Milan dropped to 100 attendees and then to 20 "in a nanosecond before I was able to cancel the event," she said.
Elegant Occasions handles 50 destination weddings a year on average throughout the Caribbean, primarily on Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Nevis and St Maarten.
Other popular venues include the Riviera Maya in Mexico, Italy and other parts of Europe.
She herself attends many of the weddings and events she or members of her five-person staff have planned, "but right now my travel business has ground to a halt," she said. "It's pandemonium out there, the worst times I've ever seen. What I try to do is to mitigate the damage, come up with alternatives and calm the very stressed-out brides and grooms."
Gregoli is a 30-year veteran who holds the title of Master Wedding Planner, awarded to her by the Association of Bridal Consultants. In addition she was appointed the New Jersey State Coordinator of the association.
"I've prepared my kids for what may lie ahead when this virus gets worse," she said. "We've stocked up on supplies.
"What I want is for all of this to go away, but my job now is to save the day for my clients."