CC: WestJet
Being shut down due to Covid-19 was excruciating for the entire world, let alone the travel industry and Snowbirds. The travel industry has recently opened back up as it could under the restrictions still kept in place. Now flights have been given the takeoff, and Snowbirds have wind under their wings. With the public knowing how it was to deal with the pandemic in their lives, a look into one of the biggest industries in the world is interesting.
Kelly Lynn is a travel agent for RobertQ, the company known for everything travel. I decided to talk to her about what it is like with business and how the industry is coming back. “While the last 22 months has been incredibly challenging, in the beginning of the pandemic, we had to deal with trying to get people back. That was quite a job. Now with changing COVID rules, it’s just trying to keep track of what the rules are, making sure people are aware of what they need before they leave. And also making sure they know the liabilities as far as insurance when they’re available when they are down.” Kelly replied to when asked about what the start and recent times of the pandemic has been like.
Now with flights being able to fly, locations are a big thing for people getting out of the cold. “Well this time of year definitely people are thinking South, short term vacation. So, of course, Cuba, Mexico and Dominican Republic are always the perennial favorites of Canadians. And of course your snowbirds that are going into Arizona and Florida are definitely coming back to see us and make sure that they can get down.” Kelly said about the locations people who are traveling go to.
Traffic with the lighter restrictions should be flying, literally. But that doesn’t seem to be the case this time around. “I’ve seen 150 files this last year, which is probably a tenth of what we usually see. I think we were really hoping that travel would come back for 2022, I don’t see that happening. I think regular travel won’t come back to normal levels probably until 2023, 2024.”
Flights are good to be booked, the only thing waiting for them, are the public that want to go. The future of the travel industry and snowbird still is uncertain, but only time will tell.
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