"This means travelers knowing how to be safe, actually doing it, and communicating about safe travel measures with fellow travelers as well as with family and friends." "The only way to make travelers feel safe while traveling is for travelers to actually travel safely," he says. Chris Schaberg, an expert on air travel and a professor of English at Loyola University New Orleans, says there's a reason for the reluctance, and it's something of a Catch-22. Many travelers still refuse to take a trip or even plan one. And Orlando’s safety protocols to “raise the bar on safety” have reassured visitors that it's doing everything it can to maintain a safe and clean environment for tourism.ĭespite the many precautions during the last year, safety concerns remain. Hilton’s CleanStay program with Lysol and the Mayo Clinic set the bar for the hotel industry. "They wanted an honest and transparent response from the industry to mitigate their fears about the pandemic and the chance of catching COVID-19 when traveling," he says. Travelers want specific action on safetyĪlan Fyall, a professor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, says travelers wanted companies to take specific action to protect them from infection. One-count Clorox wipes now come standard in every Enterprise vehicle.
"That customer feedback inspired a collaboration with Clorox," says Lisa Martini, an Enterprise spokeswoman. Nearly 80% said they'd feel most comfortable renting a vehicle if they could wipe down the high-touch areas with a disinfecting wipe. Shortly after the outbreak last spring, Enterprise Rent-A-Car asked its customers what they wanted beyond its Complete Clean Pledge, an enhanced cleaning program for its vehicles and locations.
Promising to protect travelers from the virus is one way to deliver security. "Cars and homes have become our safe havens, causing many to consider upgrading these personal spaces to feel better protected.”
"The effects of the pandemic have expanded the definition of safety," says Jim Nichols, a spokesman for Volvo Car USA.