Innovation as a Travel Advisor in a Covid-19 World

Being a travel advisor in this Covid-19 world is more important than at any other time in history.  We, like many other businesses, must pivot and change the way we do business that best benefits our clients.  Innovation, knowledge, and service will be the critical components as we move forward to serve our clients.  
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I have always been a lifetime learner and enjoy learning about new destinations, preferred suppliers, and best practices in my business.  Now, as we get closer to travel in our world, knowledge is the key to being there for our clients. There is so much information out there on change in flight schedules, travel restrictions due to Covid-19, country restrictions, and new requirements to travel to that destination. Finding the information is not always the easiest, even for the expert in travel.  Not only are the requirements and restrictions changing daily, locating the actuate information is crucial.  I have access to many resources to get the information my clients need, and sorting through all of the details is the best way I can help my clients. 
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When this pandemic began, and over the last three months, it has been my job to help clients navigate the cancelation of trips and the request for refunds or application of future credits.  Now that we are beginning to move forward, and clients are thinking of maybe traveling domestically this summer they have been coming to me for advice on where to go and if it is safe to go.  Honestly, there are still many unknowns, and things are even changing by the week.  I have had clients begin to think about trips to Florida during the summer. A few weeks ago, I would have said this was a good option considering, travel outside of the country is not yet possible, but with the increase of cases in Southern Florida, it is my role to advise clients of the current situation in the destination they are thinking of traveling to and giving my opinion whether I believe it is safe or not to go there.  
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Travel planning is also going to include discussions about comfort tolerance since travel will look different with masks and safety measures in place, and it is my role to help the clients understand what their trip and destination will look like in this Covid-19 world.  It is my relationship with my destination suppliers and hotels that I will be bringing to my clients.  So they know well ahead of time how the hotel is preparing for their stay, and they will know that I will have had direct contact with the hotels and suppliers regarding their trip.  With new innovations of safety being introduced by every supplier out there, helping to guide my clients with this information will assist them in creating a vacation that they will be excited about.