It is with a heavy heart that I advise you that Normal is dead. First diagnosed with Covid-19 on Feb. 3, Normal expired on April 9, when the CDC extended its No Sail Order related to cruises originating from U.S. ports.
Normal declined rapidly, but its demise was obscured by other events. Survivors include several thousand sellers of travel from all over North America.
And we are exactly that: Survivors. So here are some survival kit ideas you may want to consider:
Educational webinars: Use this time to become familiar with suppliers and destinations you never had time to explore before. Focus on suppliers offering destinations that are open to your clients. Most likely, these will be domestic, Mexico or selected locations in the Caribbean.
Business relief programs: Stay current on changes by state and local agencies offering loans to small businesses. The state of Tennessee, for example, did not initially include travel agencies and travel arrangement services as an eligible business but added them to the list on Aug. 13.
Contact legislators: Two bills now in the House of Representatives and the Senate are immensely important to the retail travel sector. The bills (HR-7481, S-3814) offer loans based on decrease in business, not just payroll coverage. As such, the potential amount available will be a bridge to survival for many qualifying agencies. Call and email your legislators to stress the need for their support of these bills and their importance to the small-business community.
Promotional webinars: Produce your own webinars to offer to your clients or anyone on social media who wishes to attend. Your suppliers will be very happy to assist, especially since most of them have no money to spend on traditional advertising. Focus more on information and less on a hard sales pitch.
Informational email blasts: Send out periodic e-blasts to your client and prospect lists updating them on the latest in destination openings, policy changes, suspensions and travel tips. The object is to keep your company name in front of the public so they will think of you when they resume travel.
Contact clients who hold future travel credits: As told to us by travel suppliers offering a future cruise credit or travel credit vouchers, the certificates belong to the client, and it is solely the clients' decision where to use the credit when travel resumes. Stay in touch with them so they spend the credit with you.
Refund assistance: Be proactive in assisting your clients if they chose a refund. Clients who feel they have been left to their own devices are far less likely to return to a travel professional than those who were assisted along the way.
Revisit cost reduction: Look again at all business expenses and determine if there are lower-cost alternatives to products or services you use now offered by third-party vendors.
It's like this: Travel professionals have to maintain a positive, but realistic, outlook on the future of travel and to be a beacon to their clients. If you're reading this, you're a survivor. Hang tough.