FOR
FOR INFORMATION YOU CAN VISIT THEROOT.COM.
THEROOT.COM. >>> IT IS AUGUST.
WE HAVE BEEN COOPED UP FOR
MONTHS.
MONTHS.
MONTHS. SUMMER ISN'T OVER YET.
MELISSA IS A SENIOR TRAVEL
ADVISOR AND WANTS TO GIVE US A
FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR A
SAFE VACATION.
SAFE VACATION. HEY, MELISSA.
HEY, MELISSA. >> HI.
>> HI.
>> HI. THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> THERE WAS RECENT SURVEY THAT
REVEALED WHAT AMERICANS ARE
REALLY THINKING WHEN IT COMES TO
TRAVELING RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT STOOD OUT?
>> WE DID A SURVEY THIS SUMMER
TO UNDERSTAND HOW FAMILIES WERE
THINKING ABOUT TRAVEL DURING
COVID-19.
COVID-19.
COVID-19. WHAT WE FOUND IS 960% WHICH IS A
WHOPPING NUMBER SAID CLEANLINESS
OF THEIR HOTEL OR TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS WOULD DICTATE WHEN AND
WHERE THEY TRAVELED THIS SUMMER.
THAT IS PRECISELY WHY WE SAID IT
IS SUMMER OF SAFE VACATIONS.
WE HAVE SEEN TRAVELERS STICKING
CLOSER TO HOME, PLANNING SHORTER
GET AWAYS AND VISITING ANYTHING
WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE
>> WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT AS THEY DECIDE WHEN AND
WHERE THEY WILL TRAVEL TO?
>> I THINK YOU HAVE TO PLAN
AHEAD RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
AND KIND OF STEP ONE.
SO INVESTIGATE AND RESEARCH
THINGS LIKE WHETHER OR NOT THERE
ARE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN
PLACE, LOOK AT STATE AND LOCAL
GUIDELINES.
GUIDELINES. THERE ARE ON ARRIVAL QUARANTINES
HAPPENING IN A LOT OF PLACES.
THAT SORT OF RESEARCH WILL HELP
YOU DETERMINE DO I WANT TO TAKE
A ROAD TRIP MAYBE OUT OF STATE
OR A LITTLE FURTHER?
OR DO I WANT TO STICK CLOSER TO
HOME KNOWING SOME OF THESE
THINGS MAY KIND OF PRECLUDE ME
FROM TAKING THE VACATION I WANT
BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO
QUARANTINE OR DO OTHER THINGS
UPON ARRIVAL BACK HOME.
KEEP THAT IN MIND AND LET SOME
OF THE EXPERTS HELP GUIDE YOU ON
WHEN AND WHERE TO GO THIS
SUMMER.
SUMMER.
SUMMER. IF YOU CAN SHIFT YOUR TRAVEL
DATES FROM A BUSY WEEKEND TO
MORE MID-WEEK OR IF YOU CAN JUST
VISIT A DESTINATION YOU HAVE
BEEN TO BEFORE, ESPECIALLY IF
YOU HAVEN'T TRAVELED YET THIS
SUMMER, THAT CAN GIVE YOU A
PIECE OF MIND.
>> IF YOU WILL STAY IN A HOTEL,
HOW DO WE KNOW THEY ARE TAKING
PROPER PRECAUTIONS?
PROPER PRECAUTIONS? >> LOOK FOR HOTEL CLEANLINESS
INFORMATION ONLINE.
INFORMATION ONLINE. A LOT OF TRAVEL SITES ARE
PROVIDING THIS.
PROVIDING THIS. SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE HOTEL
AMENITY CARD WHAT HEALTH AND
HYGIENE PRACTICES ARE IN PLACE.
THAT COULD BE CONTACT-LESS
CHECK-IN, CHECK-OUT, HAND
SANITIZER FOR GUESTS, SOCIAL
DISTANCING FOR GUESTS.
IF YOU DON'T SEE IT, CALL.
SOMETIMES CALLING IS THE BEST
PRACTICE RIGHT NOW.
>> IS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY -- ARE
THEY BEING MORE FOR GIVING WHEN
IT COMES TO CANCELLATIONS?
>> CERTAINLY.
>> CERTAINLY. I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS WE HAVE
SEEN THE ENTIRE TRAVEL INDUSTRY
RESPOND TO COVID-19 IS PROVIDING
MORE FLEXIBLE CANCELATION
OPTIONS.
OPTIONS.
OPTIONS. THIS IS TRUE FOR HOTELS.
I RECOMMEND IF YOU ARE THINKING
ACT BOOKING SOMETHING RIGHT NOW
YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR FREE AND
FLEXIBLE CANCELATION.
FLEXIBLE CANCELATION. WE OFTEN HAVE FILTERS ON SITE SO
YOU CAN FILTER.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR CANCEL BY
DATE SO YOU CAN GO ON AND CLICK
IN LINE ON YOUR ACCOUNT IF YOU
WANT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND LATER
ON.
ON.
ON. I
ON. I WOULD ALSO SAY ACTIVITIES ARE
DOING THIS AS WELL.
IF YOU CAN FIND ACTIVITIES OR
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT
OFFER THE SAME THING, I WOULD
LOOK FOR THAT AS WELL.
>> ANY FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR
ADVICE AS WE MAY BE -- TRY TO
PLAN THAT LAST TRIP BEFORE THE
END OF SUMMER?
>> CERTAINLY.
>> CERTAINLY. I THINK TRAVELERS ARE STAYING
CLOSE TO HOME.
IF YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT WEARY
AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR COMFORT
LEVEL IS QUITE YET, A STAYCATION
MAY BE FOR YOU.
WE HAVE SEEN TRAVELERS BOOKING
HOTELS IN THE SAME HOTEL WHERE
THEY LIVE.
THEY LIVE. MAYBE JUST A DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOOD JUST TO GIVE
THEMSELVES A CHANGE OF SCENERY.
THAT IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION.
I THINK TRAVELERS ARE ALSO
TICKING OFF THEIR BACKYARD
BUCKET LIST.
BUCKET LIST. NOW IS THE TIME TO REALLY GET
OUT AND SEE SOME OF THOSE
ATTRACTIONS.
ATTRACTIONS. >> ALL RIGHT.
VERY GOOD.
VERY GOOD. IF