rotel tours coronavirus

Rotel, the touring German hotel on wheels, rolls to Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel

What was that tomato-red rig breezing along Estero Boulevard?

A bus? An RV?

Nope. It’s a Rotel – a “rolling hotel.”

One of these German custom-built buses arrived Monday at the Red Coconut RV park on Fort Myers Beach, and has been drawing second looks ever since.

People assume the vehicle carries musicians, a traveling theater – "or chickens," quipped tour guide Birgit Zahn.

Such buses are a relatively rare sight in these parts. However, they provide a form of no-frills travel Rotel Tours in Tittling, Germany, introduced nearly 60 years ago, and which since has spread to remote and not-so-remote corners of the globe.

If you didn't get to see the Rotel that was in Lee County for a couple of days, here’s the 4-1-1:

This hotel-on-wheels can sleep 24 guests, a driver and a tour guide.

Guests ride in front during the day, and then move to a triple deck of berths in the rear at night.

More: City of Fort Myers, families spar in court over downtown hotel site

That sleeping experience could be a claustrophobic’s nightmare.

Single cabins measure three feet high, three feet wide – and six feet long.

Their bottom surface is all bed: You probably could prop yourself up to sitting position – unless perhaps you play center in the NBA.

Traveler Siegi Volkner, who is about 5 feet, 10 inches, finds the space manageable. Each berth has a window to the outside.

And, after a day of sightseeing, swimming in the Gulf and such, “you’re so tired in the evening. You lie down, and you sleep,” Volkner said.

Different Rotel models operate elsewhere in the world, including some with a detachable trailer of sleeping cabins that are left behind during day trips.

None of the rigs have showers; hence, campgrounds with shower-and-restroom facilities are favored destinations. Many have a single toilet aboard, although this one doesn’t.

“When we travel, we stop every two hours,” Zahn said.

The 18-day tour she's leading began in Newark, New Jersey. That's where the travelers flew in from Frankfurt, Germany.

More: Amavida developers apply hotel expertise to senior community soon to open in Fort Myers

Stops included New York City, Washington, D.C., Colonial Williamsburg and Myrtle Beach, to name a few.

The 15 guests on this tour all hail from Germany; however, Zahn has led tours that included Italians – and Germans who immigrated to Canada.

The group left the Beach for a day trip to Sanibel Island on Tuesday, and planned to visit the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers on Wednesday before heading to Miami, Key West – and then flying home.

Fran Myers, co-owner of the Red Coconut, sees the German tour group as a sign that some normalcy is returning to Southwest Florida’s lifeblood tourism and hospitality industry, which accounts for an estimated one in five jobs in Lee and Collier counties.

Fish-killing, cough-inducing red tide isn’t entirely gone from the state. However, at least for now it appears to be retreating locally.

Said Myers: “The water’s great! Our phones are ringing off the hook."

More: City of Fort Myers, families strike tentative deal to settle hotel site claims

Tour Operators Embrace Vaccine Mandates While Grappling With Covid-Induced Changes

Rashaad Jorden, Skift

August 25th, 2021 at 11:30 AM EDT

It's very beneficial from a PR standpoint for tour operators to vocally support vaccine mandates since the travel industry needs increased vaccination rates to help reach pre-pandemic travel numbers.

Destinations around the world have been increasingly enacting measures requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccination for entry into public places, such as numerous members of the European Union mandating people display Covid passports to enter places such as restaurants, movie theaters and gyms.

Likewise, New York City implemented its own expansive vaccine mandate earlier this month that includes museums, swimming pools in addition to the same places the European Union is requiring proof of vaccination to enter.

So how have tour operators — many of which are taking guests to locations requiring proof of vaccination for entrance into public places — reacting to the growing number of mandates? They are, by and large, supportive of the measures, even if they’ve had to adjust their operators. Many of them have enacted their own vaccine mandates.

“As a company overall, we are pro-vaccine,” said Steve Born, the chief marketing officer at the  Globus family of brands, which includes Cosmos, Avalon Waterways and Monograms. Globus announced on August 16 that it had extended its Covid-19 vaccination requirement for any trip in its portfolio through March 2022.

“We’ve very clear on the fact that vaccines are the fastest route to the recovery of travel. That is something we have a commitment to in our operations.”

Certainly, in Born’s case, travelers have gotten on board with the call to get vaccinated. 95 percent of travelers on Globus’ trips had been fully vaccinated before the company implemented its vaccine mandate.

Why have tour operators required guests to be vaccinated? It’s largely a matter of convenience, according to Melissa DaSilva, the U.S. President of Trafalgar, Costsaver, Brendan Vacations and Contiki — all of which are Travel Corporation run-brands that are requiring all adult guests to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 effective September 1.

“To get into venues, attractions, restaurants, guests were going to have to show proof of vaccination or their negative Covid test, which could be more than 48 hours old, which was really going to require on an every other day basis,” DaSilva said. “We felt (that) was going to be prohibitive to having the type of inclusive experience that we are usually giving to our guests because we would have to take hours out of the day — every other day — to get tests.”

“So it was really feeling like it was going to impact the experience and the traveling of our guests so much it felt like it was a necessity in order to make vaccines required to have a good vacation experience.”

dealing with unvaccinated guests

But before enacting vaccine mandates, how did tour operators handle situations with unvaccinated guests? For one executive, such occasions often didn’t end well for travelers.

“In cases where guests were not yet vaccinated, we assisted them in finding PCR or rapid-antigen testing centers in each location,” said Contiki CEO Adam Armstrong, who stated almost all of the company’s July and August guests had been vaccinated. “However, this did (cause) considerable cost and inconvenience to our travelers. In some cases, they were unable to join some of our activities as they did not have valid test results.”

“For example, a guest in Italy could not attend a guided tour of the Colosseum in Rome because their test result expired a few hours earlier.”

So how have travelers reacted to vaccine mandates enacted by tour operators? They’ve generally been quite supportive of such decisions, stated Guy Young, the president of Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, which are also Travel Corporation-run brands.

“We have had some guests that want to travel without a vaccination,” he said. “(But) most unvaccinated travelers understand our decision, especially when we explain the difficulty we would have in delivering the tour they had purchased to a level that would be satisfactory to them and to us. Many guests have commented positively on this policy change, feeling reassured by it.”

What mandates have changed

While it may be a relief to tour operators that their guests are largely accepting of vaccine mandates, the requirements do raise the question of whether companies have to modify their operations? Globus’ Born doesn’t believe that’s the case.

“In any case where we had felt that requirements were going to significantly impact the experience, we simply chose not to operate. So thankfully, those were very few regarding countries that were open to Americans,” he said. “But beyond that, there have been subtle twists in our operations in managing certain conditions.”

“So one example is for arrival to Britain — there is a negative test required by day two of arrival. So in that case, that is a place where going with a tour operator like Globus is really a benefit. Because if you’re on your own, then you’d have to navigate that situation completely on your own.”

Born added that Globus arranges tests for guests upon arrival at their accommodation. “They can take the tests upon arrival at the hotel, submit results, and move on on day two.That’s the plan,” he said.

But another tour operator believes vaccine mandates have forced it to enhance its preparations. “All of our teams have been required to take health and well-being training. This is to assist with identifying and understanding the symptoms of Covid-19,” said Contiki’s Armstrong. “We have also implemented new crisis procedures in line with the recommendations of the World Travel & Tourism Council.”

How long should vaccine mandates be kept in place? In the case of the four Travel Corporation brands DaSilva heads, proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required for all of 2022. “It seems like it would give the most consistency to our partners, to our traveling guests, and it really seems like making decisions a quarter at a time was really just kicking a can down a road and causing even more confusion for the people that are looking to make vacation plans for next summer,” she said.

Finally, as tour operators are navigating a world fraught with unknowns regarding Covid variants and vaccination requirements, might such companies launch tours geared toward people not wanting to deal with the uncertainty of international travel? Globus definitely has.

“We have indeed developed new and diverse products in and around North America,” said Born about Globus’ Choice Touring and Undiscovered Tours . “This year, our domestic tours have fared very well, as they’re a way for fans of touring to have a rich experience without the need for a long-haul flight or concerns about foreign border restrictions.”

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Tags: coronavirus recovery , tour operators , vaccinations , vaccines

Photo credit: Insight Vacations' well-being director chatting with guests in London. Insight Vacations

Here’s how COVID changed hotels — and what it means for your next vacation | Travel Troubleshooter

Hotels have changed a lot since the pandemic started, and more changes are coming. Now that COVID-19 finally appears to be on its way out the door, hotels are making a few more adjustments in time for the summer — for better or worse.

So how will your hotel stay be different? Debbie Winsett, a nonprofit tour planner , has seen some of the changes, and she is not impressed. 

On a recent business trip to Southern California, her hotel charged her $10 to park and another $10 for breakfast. Pre-pandemic, the same hotel included parking and breakfast in the room rate. When she asked about the extras, a representative shrugged and said, “we have to make up for all the extra COVID costs somehow.”

“My hotel rates were not less than prior years, and the service was definitely less,” she adds.

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Hotels, motels and resorts are still evolving, just like COVID. In the last three months, I’ve stayed at properties in Europe and the Middle East that ranged from permissive (a breakfast buffet with zero restrictions) to conservative (a la carte service only with masked and gloved servers). Some hotels offer full housekeeping, while others leave you alone for the duration of your stay. 

“There are still a lot of unknowns,” says Faisal Sublaban, president of Bonotel Exclusive Travel , a travel agency in Las Vegas. But he says, generally speaking, hotels are starting to return to their pre-pandemic lineup, with a few important exceptions.

Some things will probably never change. For example, hotels that used to serve breakfast buffets will slowly start to phase them back as the pandemic eases. Other things might change permanently, like daily housekeeping service. As far as guests are concerned, the worst part is that some hotels will look for new ways to leverage the pandemic for additional revenue. So watch your wallets, fellow travelers.

Here’s what’s changed for good

Some of the changes have been for the better, and they appear to be permanent. For example, Martinhal Resorts , a Portuguese luxury family hotel chain, is keeping its rigorous cleaning and safety measures even as restrictions have slowly eased. 

“We will adapt, with the government’s guidance,” says Chitra Stern, the chain’s CEO. 

I’ve spoken with several hotels that say they plan to keep their sanitizer stations and rigorous cleaning measures because guests want them.

The Atlantis Resorts hotel chain launched an in-resort app that lets guests check in, access their room and order from room service. That cuts down on contact points, like picking up a room key or using the in room phone to order dinner or to call the concierge with a question. Apps like those will stick around, leading to a more seamless stay.

The most significant changes are hotel cancellation policies. During the pandemic, many properties allowed last-minute cancellations to entice guests to book. Some, but not all, of these flexible policies will survive. At the Domaine Madeleine , a small luxury hotel in Port Angeles, guests liked the more relaxed rules, says Stephen Fofanoff, the general manager. 

“The changes are now a permanent part of our operations,” he says.

Hotel experts agree that many, if not all, of these changes are set in stone.

“It’s easy to forget there was ever a time when features like enhanced cleaning and free cancellation weren’t standard when searching for a hotel,” says Melissa Dohmen, a spokesperson for Hotels.com .

Post-COVID, beware of fees and reduced service 

Winsett, the tour operator, says her experience is no fluke. Hotels are trying to squeeze out a profit in lean times. Ellis Connolly, the chief revenue officer for Laasie , a hotel technology company, says the fees and extras help them do that. 

“The biggest thing that will change for hotels is their profit margins and their ability to continue to do more with less,” he says.

That means hotels may add new charges for amenities, like parking and breakfast, that used to be included in your stay. For now, many full-service hotels have returned to daily housekeeping. But other properties are limiting room cleaning to every other day or by request only, and some are even charging extra for it.

“The pandemic created lots of additional financial burdens on hotels,” says Vimal Patel, president of Qhotels , a hotel-management company. “Labor costs have risen dramatically. They’re up 20% to 25% versus pre-pandemic. “There is no way the hotel can sustain itself without passing on those kinds of rate increases to guests.”

The only solution is to add new fees. These extras may become a permanent part of the hotel pricing scheme. But for now, it’s hard to say if they’ll stick.

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Although the post-COVID hotel experience is coming into focus, no one knows exactly how hotels will look going forward. A lot depends on how the pandemic ends — and what hotel guests want when it does. Scott Ford, director of marketing at Innisfree Hotels , says even with cases going down, it’s too soon to tell.

“We have learned as soon as we think we have this situation figured out, it changes on us yet again,” he says. 

Here are some of the best hotel changes after COVID

New and improved rooms. Forward-looking hotel chains used periods of lower occupancy to renovate. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts remodeled or expanded properties from Bangkok to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco turned its central courtyard from a meeting area for private events into a central area for guests to enjoy time outdoors. 

New menu items. At Holiday Inn Express , the hotel kept its signature pancake and cinnamon roll station for breakfast. But knowing that its guests were ever-mindful of their health, it also added Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and oatmeal with toppings. “We wanted to add options that guests wanted and needed,” says Stephanie Atiase, the company’s vice president of marketing and global brand management.

A new attitude . There’s a sense that hotels have survived the pandemic, and that’s something to celebrate. Milwaukee’s Ambassador Hotel is taking that literally by relaunching happy hour. It’s added new cocktails and appetizers to appeal to business travelers, who are slowly returning. “Happy hour will come back with the return of corporate travel,” predicts Jon Jossart, general manager of the Ambassador.

Navigating the pandemic

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The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

Urlaub mit den roten Zwitterbussen von Rotel

Urlaub im Zwitterbus : Nicht ohne meine Ohrstöpsel

Da schau her, Schnur hast du schon mitgebracht“, lautet der Kommentar eines alten Hasen am ersten Abend meiner ersten Rotel-Reise. Es klingt einerseits bewundernd, andererseits ein wenig enttäuscht, denn offenbar gehört es zum Initiationsritus, den Frischlingen vorzuführen, an wie viel Zubehör es ihnen mangelt. Mit den Schnüren in der Hand gebe ich mich also gleich als jemand zu erkennen, der sich bei einem Kenner kundig gemacht hat. Das beste Briefing verdankte ich einer Freundin, die schon oft in den überlangen, roten Bussen mit den vielen kleinen Heckfenstern unterwegs gewesen ist. Die Damen vom Buchungs- und Serviceteam im bayerischen Tittling, dem Stammsitz der Rotel-Touren, gaben sich am Telefon nämlich stets zugeknöpft, wenn man im Vorfeld allzu detailliert nachfragte. Sie verweisen am liebsten auf die Homepage des Unternehmens. Die lässt jedoch etliche praktische Fragen offen, deswegen ist ein Gespräch mit einem Rotelianer seines Vertrauens vor Antritt der Reise ungemein hilfreich.

Keine Geschichte verpassen: F.A.Z. Reise bei Facebook

Am Morgen waren wir in aller Herrgottsfrühe in Mexiko-Stadt gelandet, am Vormittag standen für die übermüdete Truppe der dreiundzwanzig Teilnehmer gleich Besichtigungen auf dem Programm, erst am späteren Nachmittag kamen wir endlich am weit außerhalb der Metropole gelegenen Campingplatz in Tepotzotlán an. Es war die erste Station einer Vierzehn-Tage-Tour, mehr als zweitausend Kilometer quer durch Mexiko bis nach Cancún lagen vor uns.

„Sag, du hättest Hexenschuss“

Bevor indes die Schnüre zum Einsatz kamen, galt es, die Zuteilung der Kabinen abzuwarten. Während die festen Sitzplätze im Reisebus vorne immer der Reihe nach vergeben werden und vorher feststehen – wer zuerst bucht, hat freie Wahl –, verteilte unser Reiseleiter die Schlafkabinen im hinteren Teil erst an Ort und Stelle. Wobei das Wort Kabine eigentlich ein Euphemismus für die zwei Meter langen, achtzig Zentimeter breiten und ebenso hohen Behältnisse ist. Drei solche Kojen liegen übereinander, acht Reihen gibt es nebeneinander, das ist auch schon der ganze Schlafteil des Hotelbusses für vierundzwanzig Gäste. „Sag dem Reiseleiter, du hättest Hexenschuss, Knieprobleme oder so was“, lautete ein Hinweis der besorgten Freundin. Nicht nur mitreisende Ärzte wissen ähnliche Ausreden zu erfinden, um nur ja keine der unteren Kabinen zu erwischen. Wem das blüht, der muss die Reise über Staub fressen.

Das ist unvermeidbar und liegt in der Natur dieses Vehikels, eines Zwitters aus Reisebus und Schlafmobil. Der unlängst verstorbene Unternehmensgründer Georg Höltl hatte sich die Idee zu dem originellen Hotelbus nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg patentieren lassen. Man schläft letztlich in einer Kiste, den Boden füllt eine Matratze aus, am Fußende ist die Ein- und Ausstiegsluke, am Kopfteil ein Miniaturfenster. Während der Fahrten tagsüber werden die Einstiegsöffnungen mit Klappen am Bus von oben und unten verschlossen. Für das Schließen der Fenster ist jeder Gast selbst verantwortlich, und die Gardine sei unbedingt zuzuziehen, mahnt die Freundin mehrfach und eindringlich. Den Grund kennt niemand, meine persönliche Hypothese lautet: Kein Außenstehender soll sich einen realistischen Eindruck vom Platzangebot drinnen verschaffen dürfen.

Logistikunternehmen würden vor Neid erblassen

Ist am Abend eines Reisetages der Campingplatz erreicht, müssen sich die Männer beim Aufbauen nützlich machen. Die Verschlussplatten der Kabinen an einer Seite des Busses werden nach oben gestemmt und bilden so ein provisorisches Dach, die unteren werden hinabgelassen und mit Stelzen darunter am Boden abgestützt. So entsteht ein Plateau vor den Schlafkojen, eine Treppe führt hinauf, eine Plane soll den Vorbau abdichten. Nur über diesen Weg erreicht der Rotelianer seinen Schlafplatz, allerdings auch jeder Dieb in der Nacht, denn nichts ist abgeschlossen.

Ein Drittel der Schlafkojen liegt nun unmittelbar ebenerdig, was zum einen bedeutet, dass man stets nur in der Hocke oder auf Knien vor der Einstiegsluke an seine Utensilien auf der Matratze gelangt, multiples Anstoßen am Bodenteil der darüber liegenden Kabine inklusive. Zum anderen ist der Boden davor bald schmutzig, denn auf dem schmalen Pfad vor der eigenen Koje gehen alle dahinter untergebrachten Mitreisenden vorbei, um zu ihren Schlafplätzen zu gelangen. Der Schmutzeintrag spiegelt die Bodenbeschaffenheit des Campingplatzes und den Zustand der Wasch- und Toilettenräume vergleichsweise zuverlässig wider. Wer in der Mitte schläft, hantiert dagegen bequem im Stehen und tritt rasch beiseite, wenn der Dritte im Bunde zum obersten Stock hochklettert und dabei noch etwas Sand von den Füßen dem knieenden Underdog in den Nacken rieseln lässt. Deswegen sind die mittleren Kabinen im Ranking so beliebt wie umkämpft, gefolgt von den obersten. Diese haben den Vorteil, dass keine Damen mit schwacher Blase oder Männer mit Prostatabeschwerden darüber liegen, die mehrfach nachts herabsteigen, um die Toiletten aufzusuchen. Deshalb, und weil die dünnen Wände zwischen den Kojen den Schlafteil des Busses quasi zum großen Schlafsaal machen, retteten die unerlässlichen Ohrstöpsel schon manchem Rotelianer die Nachtruhe.

Die berühmten Drei-Tage-Taschen

Beim Herausrobben am ersten Morgen mache ich gleich den ersten Fehler: Ich krieche mit dem Kopf voran, und schon rammt mir jemand sein Knie an die Schläfe. Eine Armlänge vor mir stapeln sich Schlappen und Schuhe, dahinter die berühmten Drei-Tage-Taschen, ein absolutes Rotel-Unikum. Sie heißen so, weil man sie mit Utensilien packt, die voraussichtlich für die nächsten drei Tage benötigt werden; an den eigentlichen Reisekoffer kommt man immer nur kurz zum Umpacken. Über den Taschen ist an einer Stange Platz für Kleiderbügel, zwei für jeden, eigene Vorräte empfehlenswert.

Nur ist das provisorische Dach nicht dicht, nach Regenfällen oder vom Tau sind die Kleider morgens feucht bis nass und die Handtücher zum Duschen auch nicht trocken. Es sei denn, sie sind in der Kabine untergebracht. In diesem Moment erschließt sich Sinn und Zweck der Schnüre beim Blick in die Nachbarkabine. Dort spannen sie sich entlang der Kabinenwand, Tücher und T-Shirt trocken und sicher daran aufgehängt. Haken empfehlen sich ebenso, denn alle Utensilien, die sonst in einem Hotelzimmer einfach herumliegen, müssen eben auf der Matratze in der Schlafkoje oder vorn beim Sitzplatz im Bus auf engstem Raum untergebracht werden. Der Variantenreichtum von Kisten, Gummis, Karabinern und Tüten, mittels derer Rotelianer rund um ihren Sitzplatz jeden Quadratzentimeter zum Stauraum machen, würde Logistikunternehmen vor Neid erblassen lassen.

Tütensuppen, Fertigpüree, Dosenfutter

Bei einigen wenigen Kabinen fehlt die Trennwand zum seitlichen Nachbarn, aber diese „Suiten“ sind offenbar unbeliebt. Am ersten Abend wird es schon peinlich, keiner möchte so recht in die überzähligen Doppelkabinen, die eigentlich für Paare vorgesehen sind. Rotelianer sind nun einmal bevorzugt Alleinreisende mit ausgeprägtem Kostenbewusstsein. „Du sparst dir hier den Wahnsinnsdoppelzimmerzuschlag in den Hotels“, tun gleich mehrere Businsassen bei einer Miniumfrage kund. Denn einige hundert Euro extra sind für etliche zu viel.

Für wenig Geld die Welt bereisen – „ich hab Indien damals mit Rotel für tausend gemacht“, sagt ein stolzer Rotelianer –, das ist eine der Hauptmotivationen für die Wahl dieses Reiseveranstalters, der nach dem Krieg damit begann, billige Busreisen für Pilgerfahrten nach Jerusalem zu organisieren, und das Konzept dann auf die ganze Welt ausdehnte. Nicht zuletzt bevorzugen Frauen diese Variante der Gruppenreise, weil sie sich in etliche Gegenden als Backpacker nicht trauen, auch nicht mit einer Freundin. Andere, die das nötige Kleingeld für die gehobenen Hotelvarianten hätten, fühlen sich bei Rotel von Anfang an weniger ausgeschlossen: „Woanders verkrümeln sich abends die Pärchen, und du kannst sehen, wo du bleibst, das passiert dir bei Rotel nie“, begründet eine quirlige Rentnerin jenseits der siebzig ihr Faible für die roten Busse.

Die prinzipielle Offenheit der Alleinreisenden prägt das Klima, das viele nicht missen wollen. „Das nicht so tolle Essen nehme ich in Kauf, Hauptsache, gute Stimmung, nette Gesellschaft“, heißt die mehrfach bestätigte Devise. Bei Rotel bucht man nämlich Halbpension, der Busfahrer sorgt traditionell für Frühstück und Abendessen. Ihn als Koch zu bezeichnen trifft die Sache indes nicht immer. Tütensuppen, Fertigpüree, Dosenfutter und ein offenbar unerschöpflicher Brötchenvorrat, Tag für Tag dieselbe Sorte, zeugen von einem knapp bemessenen Verpflegungsbudget. Die Nachfrage in puncto kulinarische Erlebnisse bei Rotel fördert die ganze Bandbreite von zutiefst enttäuscht bis hellauf begeistert zutage. Geschildert werden bittere, nie vom Unternehmen beantwortete Beschwerdeschreiben – „Wir kauten auf den zuvor nicht entfernten Plastikhüllen der im Eintopf gekochten Würstchen herum“ –, aber auch Lobeshymnen über Steak und Fisch beim abendlichen Barbecue.

Unser Fahrer mühte sich redlich, aber die aus Riesenpackungen stammenden Schinken- und Käsescheiben zum Frühstück boten keine Abwechslung, während der ebenso kostengünstige wie knapp kalkulierte Instantkaffee auch keine große Freude bereitete. Die krümelig trockenen Backwaren wollte nach einiger Zeit niemand mehr schönreden, zumal das Brotangebot selbst in mexikanischen Supermärkten auf Anhieb einladender aussah. Nachts befielen einen Albträume, in denen man den heimlichen Brötchenvorrat suchte, jedoch nie vernichten konnte. Der Fahrer verkaufte Bier in Minidosen und Wein aus der Kiste, ein Euro pro Plastikbecherportion. Ein Vielgereister hatte vorsorglich ein Weinglas mitgebracht, sein Zwinkern wertete ich als Ausdruck des Überlegenheitsgefühls; dass der Wein darin besser schmeckte, wage ich allerdings zu bezweifeln.

„Einmal Rotel, immer Rotel“?

Das Campingplatzgefühl ließ sich bei unserer Reise kaum mehr perfektionieren. Unsere Plastiktische und Holzbänke galt es allmorgendlich vor dem Aufbruch im Bus zu verstauen, abends wollten sie wieder herausgeräumt werden. Auf Rotel-Fotos im Internet stellen die Mitreisenden gerne eine fröhlich tafelnde Runde in der Wüste, in freier Wildbahn bei schönstem Wetter zur Schau. Kalte Abende im Dunkeln und bei Regen, in denen man keinen anderen Platz zum Verweilen hat als das Innere des Reisebusses, werden naturgemäß ungern dokumentiert, ebenso wenig wie der Halteplatz unmittelbar an der Straße, über die Laster nachts am Fensterchen vorbeidonnern.

Küchenhilfe ist für die Reisenden obligat, Hygienekontrolle nicht. Morgens legten wir Schinken und Gurkenscheiben aus, Obst längst nicht immer. Abends stand Schnippeln an, wenn es denn einmal Salat gab, oder das Umrühren von Saucen und Reis. Jeder erhält zu Beginn der Reise zwei Geschirrtücher, Besteck, Teller, Becher und Brett im roten Beutel, erfahrene Mütter erinnern die Plastikmaterialen an unverwüstliches Kindergeschirr. Das spült jeder selbst, danach kommen die Töpfe vom Abendbrot dran, es sei denn, das Rotel-Essen fällt aus, weil man erst spät am Ziel ankommt. Dann dürfen die Teilnehmer sich für ein paar gutgeschriebene Euro selbst verköstigen.

Reiseleitung und Komfort klaffen weit auseinander

Manchmal endete so ein Abend in einem authentischen mexikanischen Restaurant, leider allzu selten. Ein Campingplatz zum Beispiel bot in Fußdistanz lediglich amerikanische Schnellimbisse als Anlaufstellen. Das sei gleichgültig, denn wie sonst käme man so kostengünstig zu einer ambitionierten Mexiko-Studienreise mit derart eng getaktetem Programm und einem derart kompetenten deutschen Reiseführer, betonten die Mitreisenden völlig zu Recht. Unser Führer Rainer war so gut wie immer zuständig, führte kenntnisreich durch Museen und antike Metropolen wie Teotihuacán, entwirrte für uns Olmeken, Tolteken, Azteken oder Zapoteken und kannte sich in der Maya-Forschung ebenso gut aus wie mit korrupten mexikanischen Politikern. Vermutlich gibt es keinen zweiten Veranstalter, bei dem die Qualität von Reiseleitung und Reisekomfort derart weit auseinanderklaffen wie bei Rotel.

Ob sich dieses ambivalente Konzept in Zukunft noch tragen kann, wird sich allerdings weisen müssen. Wenn ich das unterschwellige Grummeln in der Gruppe richtig gedeutet habe, spricht nicht viel dafür. Für etliche Mitreisende, die sich eine solche Reise mühsam ersparen müssen, ist das Preisniveau nicht mehr konkurrenzlos niedrig, und sie überlegen, vom vielzitierten „Einmal Rotel, immer Rotel“ Abstand zu nehmen.

Von einer Erosion des Konzepts zeugen nicht zuletzt die Campingplätze, auf denen wir übernachteten. Sie hatten zum Teil mehr als Patina angesetzt und lagen – so einer der Hauptkritikpunkte – nicht nur weit außerhalb der Stadtzentren, was das Abendprogramm ziemlich einschränkte. Mitunter waren auch keine anderen Gäste mehr dort zu finden, spätestens beim Besichtigen der Sanitärräume erklärte sich, warum. „Früher“, so erinnerte sich der Reiseleiter, der seit fast vierzig Jahren für Rotel unterwegs und eigentlich schon Rentier ist, früher seien deutlich mehr Busse in Mexiko unterwegs gewesen. Diese Zeiten sind offenbar vorbei. Auch unser Vehikel schien angezählt, zumindest müsste der Bus mit Passauer Kennzeichen in Deutschland dringend mal wieder durch den TÜV – die Plakette ist schon 2011 abgelaufen.

Rollende Sardinenbüchsen

Informationen: Rotel Tours, Herrenstraße 11, 94104 Tittling, Telefon: 0 85 04/40 40, Internet: www.rotel.de .

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• CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

How hard will the coronavirus hit the travel industry?

The COVID-19 pandemic brings travel to a standstill, causing massive job and revenue losses. Will there be light at the end of the tunnel?

A nearly empty American Airlines flight prepares for takeoff March 18, 2020. Airlines, along with the rest of the travel industry, are facing an uncertain future caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, few industries have fallen as far and as fast as tourism. The technological revolution that brought us closer together by making travel and tourism easy and affordable—a revolution that fueled one billion trips a year—is helpless in halting a virus that demands we shelter in place.

Taking a snapshot of tourism losses is difficult, as the data changes as quickly as the virus spreads. If the pandemic continues for several more months, the World Travel and Tourism Council , the trade group representing major global travel companies, projects a global loss of 75 million jobs and $2.1 trillion in revenue. Losses come daily; as of April 2, British Airways is reportedly poised to suspend 36,000 staffers .

An employee at Dayton International Airport picks up a single bag on the jetway bridge March 18, 2020. Airlines project losses of at least $250 billion due to travel restrictions from COVID-19.

Gloria Guevara, the CEO of WTTC, is lobbying governments to offer support to travel companies saying these potential job losses are “bringing real and profound worry to millions of families around the world.”

These photos capture a world paused by coronavirus.

America’s travel industry is among the hardest hit. The U.S. Travel Association projects a loss of 4.6 million jobs through May, a figure likely to increase. U.S. weekly jobless claims skyrocketed to a stunning 6.6 million , doubling in a week and by far the biggest spike in half a century. Tourism decline is a driving reason for job losses in states including Nevada, where Las Vegas casinos and jumbo hotels have gone dark.

On March 29, in an attempt to contain the virus in America, President Donald Trump extended national limits on travel, work, and gatherings of more than 10 people for at least another month—and perhaps into June. Summer vacations could be on hold. “This is the worst time of the year for this to happen,” says Isabel Hill, director of the Commerce Department’s National Tourism Office . “This is the season—spring and summer—when the travel and tourism [industry] makes a significant amount of [its] revenue.”

“The impact on travel is six or seven times greater than the 9/11 attacks,” says Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, which encourages travel to and within the country and represents an industry that generates $2.6 trillion in economic output and supports 15.8 million jobs in the U.S.

Airports including Cologne Bonn in Germany are mostly shut down. The global tourism industry is facing massive job and revenue losses.

With so much at stake, Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus that couldn’t have come at a more urgent time. The focus is to help those unemployed and to support businesses large and small. But questions remain: Will the aid package be enough as the country slides into a recession, and what does it mean for travelers?

Not saving for a rainy day

Much of the tourism industry built its financial strategy around a trouble-free future, planning for eternal blue skies: open borders; high tourism demand, an $8 trillion industry that defies the ups and downs of the market.

On average, international carriers, including Delta and United Airlines, had less than two months of cash on hand to cover expenses before the coronavirus hit, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In contrast, Apple has enough cash to cover six years of expenses.

With much of its fleet grounded, the airlines’ projected revenue losses could climb to more than $250 billion. That’s at least twice the $113 billion in losses the IATI predicted three weeks ago , before countries started shutting down borders.

Airlines for America (A4A), the trade group representing American and JetBlue among others, as well as UPS and Fedex, say its member companies will lose $87 billion in revenue this year and have already begun borrowing.

Aid packages to the rescue?

Airlines could benefit from several provisions of the stimulus: $425 billion from the Federal Reserve for distressed industries; $75 billion in loans, and $25 billion in direct grants, with the government taking a stake in the companies. Much of the money is conditional—it can’t be used for corporations to buy back stock, a practice that led many companies to be short of cash.

The bailout comes on the heels of a $100 million bill Congress passed weeks before, which provides increased unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, extended food assistance, and free testing for the virus.

“This [aid package] is important and we want [the recovery] to speed up,” says Dow. “Most of the travel industry [consists of] small, mom-and-pop businesses. With small business loans we can help keep their doors open.” The emergency small business loans will be available through June and would be forgiven if companies have to keep their employees on the payroll.

The lodging sector— which has suffered as much as transport , with companies such as Marriott losing as much as 75 percent in revenue—is also a big recipient of the bailout. Hotels (and restaurants) can benefit from the $350 billion lending program for small businesses and from a small adjustment to a federal tax law that could save them as much as $15 billion.

Cruise industry at sea

But cruise companies face an uphill battle to recover. Cruises have become beleaguered poster children of the pandemic as news stories chronicle the plight of ships carrying infected passengers. At press time, Holland America’s Zaandam and Rotterdam ships were finally granted permission to disembark at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after the Coast Guard balked at allowing them to dock. On March 8, the Center for Disease Control and the State Department told Americans to stop taking cruises and published a detailed explanation why those ships increase the virus’s “risk and impact.”

Cruise lines have become the face of the pandemic, as news articles chronicle the plight of ships carrying infected passengers searching for ports.

The cruising industry faces an uphill battle to recovery. Because many cruise companies are incorporated overseas, they don’t qualify for U.S. aid money.

The effect on the cruise business has been swift. Companies have lost $750 million in revenue since January, according to reports. Shares of the big fish—Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian—have dropped by 60 to 70 percent. Future losses will mount, and it’s likely that sailings will be postponed at least until July or August.

Unlike the airlines and hotels, cruise companies aren’t eligible for the $500 billion in aid because they don’t count as American enterprises. Major companies locate their primary headquarters overseas, with ships flagged and incorporated in other nations. This means they pay almost no federal taxes and avoid many U.S. regulations.

This photographer returned from a remote island to a world paused by a pandemic.

The cruising industry faces more hurdles in the future. “Governments may have an increased interest in illness reporting and sanitation inspections,” which means more regulations, says Ross Klein, a Canadian academic at the Memorial University of Newfoundland who studies the sector.

A sign of things to come

But there is a glimmer of hope. China, where the pandemic began, offers a glimpse into the future. Now that the pandemic is reportedly under control there and restrictions are being lifted, there are early signs of recovery.

Hotel bookings in China have increased by 40 percent the first week in March, according to Bloomberg, while peak daily flights rose 230 percent from the previous (albeit disastrous) month. Arne Sorenson, CEO of Marriott, says he’s seen initial improvement in his company’s properties in China.

China’s domestic tourism market is gigantic and supports some five billion trips a year. In several surveys the domestic industry says it’s planning for a recovery of 70 percent over the next six months, according to Dr. Wolfgang George Arlt, director of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute . But that recovery largely rests on domestic tourism, with China severely limiting foreign visitors to insure the virus doesn’t resurface.

The United States—the new epicenter of the pandemic—isn’t following China’s trajectory, so the comparison may be more hopeful than realistic. Still, the U.S. Travel Association’s Dow remains optimistic. “Over the long term we will return and come back to business as usual,” he predicts. “People have short memories and there will be a pent up desire to travel.”

Economists, though, are warning that few industries—let alone travel—will return to normal anytime soon.

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How virtual tourism can rebuild travel for a post-pandemic world

The Faroe Islands is just one destination using new technologies to create a virtual tourism experience Image:  Knud Erik Vinding/Pixabay

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.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Virtual and Augmented Reality is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, virtual and augmented reality.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the travel and tourism industries;
• Businesses in this sector must build infrastructure and practices that allow people to travel safely in a post-pandemic world and support local communities that benefit from tourism;
• Augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies can offer alternative ways to travel the world and an exciting new model for the industry.

The tourism industry has hit a nadir owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will continue to feel the effects for at least the first three quarters of 2021 – according to a recent UN report , tourist arrivals globally in January 2021 were down 87% when compared to January 2020.

Travel will prevail over post-pandemic anxiety, making it incumbent on the aviation and tourism industry to build safer infrastructure and practices that take care of travellers’ well being.

Have you read?

International tourism is set to plunge by 80% this year – but some regions could recover more quickly, how global tourism can become more sustainable, inclusive and resilient, virtual reality adds to tourism through touch, smell and real people’s experiences.

After a year thwarted by the pandemic and with the future not looking too upbeat for the industry at this juncture, tourism business owners should look at alternative modes of interaction for holidaymakers that can also aid the people and economies who depend on tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has noticeably hastened the testing and rollout of forward-looking technologies. Technology has not only enabled citizens globally to interact with loved ones, but also helped industries such as healthcare, information technology, education and many more to work remotely.

In the last few decades, technology has helped travel and tourism industries increase their reach through travel booking websites, videos, blogs and travel photography. Digital tools and content are a vital source of information for vacationists organizing their next holiday or creating a destination wish list. Whilst remote or virtual tourism has been a futuristic theme within industry forums for some time, the world today, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, might now be ready to accept it.

A human-centric design that draws insights from cognitive behaviour, social psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics applied with cutting edge technologies such as augmented, virtual or mixed reality (AR, VR, MR) could be a game-changer. AR, VR and MR can enable a seamless, uninterrupted interactive experience for viewers from their own private space. The design principles will create a frictionless digital user experience and construct a positive perception of a tourist destination.

There have been previous attempts to achieve this feat: if you are an aqua sightseer, you might be aware of a documentary exploring the Great Barrier Reef . Through an interactive website, one can view the clear, tranquil currents of the Pacific Ocean and the biodiversity of the reef, and experience the sounds of a healthy coral reef. Another much-discussed VR experience is Mission 828 which allows you to take a virtual parachute jump from the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Official Tourist Board of the Faroe Islands has also crafted a virtual experience to entice post-pandemic visitors from across the world.

Imagine a human-centric designed, interactive space online that makes a destination accessible and so real for a sightseer with sound captured by electro-acoustics researchers. You could view holiday sites in a video or through self-navigation using voice or joystick controls, interact with people using video-calling platforms, travel through the streets of said location, eavesdrop on local music and much more. This could be stitched together in a single platform individually or in silos on the internet and further enhanced by setting up physical experience tourism centres locally. Such a setup would allow tourist guides, artisans, craftspeople, hoteliers and transport business to create their own digital and virtual offerings and interact with possible customers.

Here’s how it might look: a vacationer starts their experience from the time their flight commences. The plane descends to the destination runway and pictures of the vicinity from the aircraft window pane are captured. The airport signage welcomes passengers and directs them to a pre-booked taxi. The vacationer gets to choose their first destination and travels through the streets in a chauffeur-driven car whose interactions en route become part of their cherished memories. On arrival, a tourist guide walks you through the destination all controlled with just a tap on your gadget. During the sightseeing, you hear random people speaking, posing for photographs and more. You take a photo to post on social media, go shopping and negotiate with a local vendor to purchase an artwork and get it delivered to your door. You learn how a local dish is prepared and get familiar with local customs.

A virtual platform could even provide an opportunity for people to explore areas that are affected by or fighting terrorism. For example, imagine seeing the diverse wildlife and snow leopard of the Gurez Valley, in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It doesn’t stop there: if thought through, one could experience travelling to the South Pole, space and beyond. It could also serve as a learning portal for students to understand geographies, culture, art and history.

With technology improving lives globally, virtual tourism could reignite the tourism industry and its people and help build a more sustainable economic model. As a human-centric platform, it can establish local tourist guides, artisans and others as global citizens in the tourism industry.

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It’s no secret that 2020 was one of the worst years to work in travel, with an estimated 100 million direct tourism jobs at risk worldwide, according to an August 2020 policy brief from the United Nations. But there’s one tourism job that has become more relevant than ever: the travel agent.

Before coronavirus, it seemed the travel agent was a dying profession. The internet made it easy to research your own destinations, compare costs, find availability and book. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019 projected that employment of travel agents would decline by 26% from 2019 to 2029, a loss of 21,300 jobs nationwide.

And while it might be optimistic to believe the trend will completely reverse, signs indicate that the demise of the travel agent might not be as drastic as the government’s 2019 data projected. With people demanding refunds, needing help rescheduling or seeking guidance on travel restrictions, agents have proven their dominance over the travel booking websites that killed them.

“Travel advisors are like flight attendants,” says Beci Mahnken, founder and CEO of travel agency MEI-Travel. “When you have a smooth trip, we make you comfortable, … ensure you get to your destination safely. But our true value is on full display when something goes wrong.”

That rang true especially in 2020, when the realities of COVID-19 hit.

Human travel agents prove their worth

From April to September 2020, user satisfaction with internet travel services like Expedia and Tripadvisor plummeted 5.2% to an all-time low, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

“Online travel agencies struggle when it comes to customer support such as live chat, help pages, or call centers — a situation that worsened during the pandemic,” according to the report. Users have long found canceling travel arrangements with online travel agencies to be cumbersome.

“Many travel suppliers had long hold times to cancel or rebook trips,” Mahnken says. “We were able to take that burden on for our clients as well as navigate the ever-changing policies and find the best-case scenario.”

And that was just the first few weeks of the pandemic.

“Weeks later we took on the task of following up on refunds and made sure future cruise and travel credits were correctly issued,” she says.

As many airlines and hotels relax their cancellation policies for travel booked directly with them, the same can’t be said for many online travel agencies.

For example, Booking.com says you’ll likely be entitled to a refund only if you specifically book a “flexible rate” and warns that even still, “Your cancellation request will be handled by the property.” Expedia says you can usually cancel reservations made through its site, but standard cancellation policies might apply (which likely isn’t helpful if you want all your money back).

“Pandemic or no pandemic, either book direct or with a travel agent. Should anything need to be canceled, you’re only dealing with the one business," says Sarah Dandashy, former hotel concierge and creator of Ask A Concierge. She warns that booking with a third-party online travel agency creates one more entity that you’ll have to involve.

Since travel agents typically have personal relationships with travel providers, they can often get you the best of both worlds: a curated trip that’s also easier to cancel.

What’s in store for 2021

Like most other tourism jobs, 2020 was brutal for travel agents, but as vaccines roll out and travel restrictions ease, travel agents say they already expect 2021 will be busy.

“Since news of the vaccine, we have seen an increase in inquiries and even bookings, primarily for fall 2021 and into 2022,” Mahnken says. “There is pent-up demand to get away from the same walls where we have all been quarantined.”

But it’s not just more bookings that Mahnken expects added to her workload.

“I also foresee tracking and communicating a lot more information like travel restrictions, requirements and possibly vaccine verification. It will also be more important to keep up on a particular resort or cruise ship’s safety protocols so clients can travel with peace of mind.”

Why booking with a travel agent might make sense (and not necessarily cost you more)

A big reason why 2020 was so tough on travel agents: They typically make money only if you actually travel. MEI-Travel, like many other travel agencies, provides services for free to customers. Their paychecks come from commission paid by the suppliers — and only at the time of travel.

“This has made it difficult as not many have been able to travel until recently, and many more are rebooking until later in 2021 and 2022,” Mahnken says.

Some travel agencies charge fees for individual services like research, bookings and changes.

If there’s no fee, then that could be a good enough reason for some to book with a travel agency. But even if you like DIY travel planning, it might make sense to work with an agent, and here’s why.

They can help with last-minute changes

You might need support for a variety of possible disruptions, say a snowstorm delaying flights, a new COVID-19 guideline at your destination, or an illness or injury to someone in your travel group.

“We have close relationships with the travel suppliers, who keep us in the loop of any changes at your destination so there aren’t any surprises,” Mahnken says. “Our most important role is as an advocate. If something does go awry, we are just a text or phone call away and can leap into action and resolve it.”

Agents are more familiar with travel restrictions

Mahnken says her primary work right now is helping clients sort through the myriad of travel restrictions and policy changes. Not sure if your destination requires a COVID-19 test upon arrival? Unclear whether your airline mandates masks for toddlers? Your travel agent likely knows and if not, they’ll do the work to find out.

They’ll tell you what to expect

If you’re headed to Walt Disney World with hopes of getting a warm hug from Olaf from “Frozen,” booking with a travel agent who specializes in Disney trips, like Mahnken, can set your expectations. In that case, she’d warn you that there are no Olaf hugs to be had, as all Disney character experiences are currently socially distanced — meaning characters only wave to you from terraces, parade floats or behind other barricades.

Travel agents may save you money

Because travel agents have relationships with travel companies, Mahnken says that they can get you deals that you wouldn’t necessarily find on a large booking site.

“Travel suppliers give us access to additional perks you may not find booking direct,” she says. “We also monitor your booking for better deals and proactively apply any additional savings or benefits that may come along.”

They can organize complex itineraries

Taking three separate flights to get to your overwater bungalow in the Maldives? Heading on a cruise with your grandparents, parents, 12 cousins and their parents? An agent can help get you back on track if one leg of your air travel is delayed, or can coordinate schedules of your 30 family members so you can spend Christmas in July together.

As travelers anticipate more extravagant trips than ever to compensate for a lost 2020, a travel agent may prove instrumental in organizing all of it.

“Travel feeds the soul,” Mahnken says. “It’s an important part of the human experience, and people have been saving money and vacation time over the past year for it.”

The bottom line

Travel agents demonstrated their value over the past year, especially when travelers experienced unexpected changes to their 2020 trips — whether it was a flight canceled by the airline or a personal decision to call off a vacation because of quarantine requirements. And as travel still looks uncertain for the foreseeable future, booking through a travel agent could save you headaches should your itinerary change.

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clock This article was published more than  3 years ago

Group-travel companies are scheduling tours for 2021. But they aren’t betting on them to depart.

Booking any kind of travel right now comes with caveats. here’s what group vacationers need to know..

Tour companies operating group vacations have long offered travelers an easier way to see the world. Booking a group departure, sometimes with airfare included, alleviates a lot of planning for those willing to handing over a set sum of money for a set amount of inclusions on a group vacation with strangers.

But amid the coronavirus pandemic’s travel restrictions, tour companies have halted the vast majority of their operations for nearly a year now — and still have little idea of when most of their offerings may be up and running again.

Want to travel after getting vaccinated? Precautions are still needed, experts say.

“I know all of us in the travel industry wish we knew exactly when and where travel will resume,” says Heidi Durflinger, president of EF Go Ahead Tours . “Unfortunately, we just don’t know for certain, and there are many variables that are constantly evolving.”

Without a crystal ball to say when travel restrictions will lift, tour companies are now scheduling (and rescheduling) group departures for 2021 in hopes that the pandemic will soon wane. They are also making many logistical and health changes to adjust to the long-term realities of the coronavirus.

Here’s what optimists looking to book future tour travel need to know.

Most tours have not run for almost a year, and they are still getting canceled

Anyone considering booking a spot on a tour departure should know that the company may be returning to operation for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic — and there could be some growing pains as companies navigate logistics and a patchwork of travel bans and health protocols.

Border restrictions and other travel safety guidelines have led EF Go Ahead Tours to begin canceling tour departures it had scheduled for mid-April. Exodus Travels , a tour operator with trips to more than 100 countries, says it has also moved to pause departures through the end of April.

Intrepid Travel , a Canada- and Australia-based tour operator with offerings all over the globe, has not run any of its North American departures since early last year. Only a limited number of small “retreat-style” tours ran within Europe last summer, and the company just restarted its domestic tour offerings in Australia.

That approach largely represents how tours have existed since the pandemic began. Group travel from North America mostly halted last March, and it remained limited in Europe when E.U. borders temporarily reopened for travel last summer. The challenge of restarting group travel in a post-covid world has largely not yet begun. Most consumer interest in 2021 tour bookings is for the second half of the year, the companies say.

Health protocols will be ramped up and group sizes will be smaller

Many, if not most, tour companies are shrinking their group sizes as a health measure: Group limits that typically reached anywhere from a dozen to more than 40 travelers, depending on the company, are being scaled down. G Adventures, for example, says their groups, which were previously 12 to 16 travelers, will no longer exceed 12 participants. Exodus Travels has reduced its group size to 10 travelers or less “in order to put the safety of our travelers, staff and the local people always first.”

Go Ahead tours, which previously allowed for up to 38 travelers per group, will now cap tours at varying limits to “allow for extra space on our private [bus] and the ability to create a more intimate experience,” EF’s Durflinger says. The company has also created a collection of solo tours that include a single-occupancy hotel room, allowing solo travelers to avoid having to share a room with someone else on a tour.

Group-tour companies are also requiring travelers follow destinations’ local health rules, including masking and pre-travel coronavirus testing, and that they separately attest that they are free of the coronavirus. EF Go Ahead has guaranteed that it will provide free assistance to any traveler who gets the coronavirus on a trip, including lodging, meals and interpretation services. Many tour companies, including Intrepid, have broadly been touting their status as a ‘Safe Travels’ provider recognized by the World Traveler and Tourism Council , which certifies travel companies adhering to globally recommended covid-19 protocols.

Exodus Travels says it will travel only to countries cleared for travel by internal guidelines based on country-specific advice from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of State and a private risk-assessment firm. The company introduced a Travel Safety Charter that pledges that the company will only visit safe destinations, that travelers must attest they are covid-free, and that it will implement enhanced cleanings at lodging and in all dining scenarios.

Timing and activities also come into play, with group arrivals being planned for less-busy times of the year, as opposed to popular times like the holidays. “Our expert global operations and health and safety team evaluates every single moment of each tour carefully to minimize time spent in crowded places by rerouting or arriving at quiet times,” Exodus Travels spokeswoman Robin Brooks says.

‘I even miss the airline delays:’ Meet the business travelers who can’t wait to get back on the road

Optimists can book with flexibility — and are planning dream trips way ahead

Because of the uncertainty surrounding group travel departures, tour companies are largely allowing flexible bookings that can be canceled without penalty up until about a month in advance, if the company does not cancel itself. And some have opened up advance-booking for departures years out; EF Go Ahead says it has opened up 2023 bookings following strong consumer demand for future bookings.

Flexible booking policies that allow free cancellations seem to be driving that demand: Intrepid Travel says it has seen strong interest in late-2021 departures from North America as vaccine hopes rise. The average lead time for Intrepid’s tour bookings is about one year in advance, and there is high demand for destinations like Antarctica, Egypt and Ecuador, where travelers can get far away from typical crowds.

Private tours are on the rise

Travelers who want to book up a private tour with friends are also receiving attention from tour companies encouraging them to “book with a bubble.” EF Go Ahead lowered the group-size requirement for its customized and private tours to seven participants, making it easier for a friend group or family to book. Intrepid says its private bookings are gaining popularity for late 2021 and are designed by the travelers purchasing the trips. Interest in those tailor-made tours are up 60 percent from last year, the company says.

Companies are hopeful that the planning-free ease of group tours, especially those that do not include travelers from outside a group bubble, might catch on more broadly to help visitors come back after the pandemic.

“A lot of adventurers who might have booked and planned travel on their own are now looking for the peace of mind and 24/7 support that comes with a guided tour in a small group, led by an expert local guide,” says Brooks, of Exodus Travels.

“Travelers are looking to do their big bucket-list trips. Over the years, they’ve been saying to themselves ‘Oh, we’ll get there eventually’ but this [past] year has put things into perspective.”

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Traveling During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What You Need to Know

Your guide for everything from travel advisories and rewards status to vacation and staycation ideas.

What to Know For COVID-Era Travel

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Ready to wander again? We've got everything you need to know.

As borders reopen and travel bans ease, you're likely itching to get out of the house. U.S. News has a variety of resources to help you prepare yourself (and your loved ones) for your next vacation. Check out the pieces below to help you plan each stage of your trip.

Before You Go

• Is It Safe to Travel? How to Travel Safely During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Where You Can Travel if You're Vaccinated
• Where Can Americans Travel Right Now?
• What Will Happen to My Elite Status and Points Because of the Coronavirus?
• When Will Cruises Resume?

Travel Insurance

• Travel Insurance 2020: Find the Best Policy for You
• The 10 Best Travel Insurance Companies
• The 7 Cheapest Travel Insurance Companies
• Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know

Where to Stay and Hotel Info

• The Best Hotels
• The Best Vacation Rental Sites
• The Best Cabin Rentals
• 13 Top Hotels With Work-From-Hotel Packages
• Top Glamping Resorts in the U.S.
• Charming Bed-and-Breakfasts Across America
• Hotel Cleaning During COVID-19
• 7 Ways Hotels Are Changing Because of the Coronavirus

Getting There

• Things to Do if Your Flight is Canceled
• RV Travel: 12 Tips for Renting an RV

What to Pack

• The Best Face Masks for Travel
• The Best Camping Gear
• Road Trip Essentials for Your Vacation
• Travel Accessories That Make Vacationing Easier

Domestic Vacation Inspiration

• Best Places to Visit in the USA
• Best U.S. National Parks
• Best Small Towns to Visit in the USA
• Best Weekend Getaways
• Best Family Vacations in the USA
• Best Romantic Getaways in the USA
• Best Relaxing Getaways in the USA
• Need more inspiration? Check out other vacation ideas here .

Activities for at Home and on the Road

• Virtual Tours and Attractions to Explore Online
• The Top Jigsaw Puzzles, Games and Books to Keep Travelers Entertained
• The Top Cookbooks to Buy
• The Best Language-Learning Apps, Programs and Online Courses
• Travel-Themed Activities to Do At Home
• The Top Staycation Ideas
• Social Distancing Outside: Safe Places to Go and Things to Do

Tags: Travel , Coronavirus , Vacations , Travel Tips

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

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The Kyiv City Ballet to Tour the US in an American Premiere

The US tour will include a full-length Swan Lake (choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Ivan Kozlov), and a second mixed repertory program of three ballets.

The Kyiv City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ivan Kozlov, announced today a U.S tour from September 16 to October 24, 2022. The Fall tour is a US premiere and marks the Kyiv City Ballet's first United States performances ever. The day before Ukraine was invaded in February, The Kyiv City Ballet unknowingly took one of the last flights out of Kyiv. The company flew to Paris to begin a long planned tour. They have not returned home. The country of France sheltered them and the company has been performing throughout France, and now Europe, since the invasion began. The US tour will include a full-length Swan Lake (choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Ivan Kozlov), and a second mixed repertory program of three ballets: Thoughts (choreography by Vladyslav Dobshynskyi) a contemporary ballet, Tribute to Peace (choreography by Ekaterina and Ivan Kozlov) a neo-classical work, and Men of Kyiv (choreography by Pavlo Virsky) a Ukranian folk dance. "We are honored to share the beauty of ballet with US audiences, through Ukranian artists" said Ivan Kozlov, Artistic Director. "Touring the States for the first time with a range of ballets makes an important global statement. It demonstrates the resilience of the Ukrainian people." The Kyiv City Ballet's mission is to bring joy to audiences through ballet by bringing exemplary artists to theatres around the world. In the past decade, the company has successfully toured throughout dozens of countries on four continents. Two of Ukraine's prima ballerinas: Krystina Kadashevych and Oksana Bondarenko will perform with the company on their US tour. The company's principal dancer is Vsevolod Maevskiy, a former soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet and Kozlov's former student. "We are humbled that Rhizome has been asked to produce and strategically support the Kyiv City Ballet on their very first tour to the United States," said producer Kristopher McDowell . "That major cultural arts centers across the country are coming together to open their doors and their hearts is extraordinary. It is very clear this company and their artistry will have great appeal to non-dance and dance audiences alike." Additional tour dates will be announced over the summer. The Kyiv City Ballet's confirmed 2022 US tour schedule is as follows:

To donate directly to The Kyiv City Ballet click the PayPal link HERE

All donations go directly to the Kyiv City Ballet to help support the company

Kyiv City Ballet

The Kyiv City Ballet was founded in 2012 by the current Artistic Director Ivan Kozlov. Their mission is to bring joy to audiences through ballet. They strive to bring exemplary artists to theatres around the World. In the past decade, they have successfully worked together with various partners and toured throughout dozens of countries and 4 continents. Their classical ballets include: "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty", "The Nutcracker", "Scheherazade", "Giselle", "Chopiniana", "Romeo and Juliet", "Don Quixote", "Gala Tchaikovsky", "Funny Concert" "Strauss Evening", "Carmen Suite". Ballets for young spectators and their families: "Cinderella", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "Aibolit and Barmalei","Coppelia" as well as "Thoughts," "Men of Kyiv," and "Tribute to Peace."

Ivan Kozlov (Artistic Director)

Ex-Premier of the National Opera of Ukraine, The St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet, IBT (Internationale Ballet Theater), and the Mariinsky Theater; the choreographer and teacher Ivan Anatolievich Kozlov was born on 13 December 1982. In 2000, after graduating from the KGHU (Kiyv State Choreographic School), under the tutelage of the Honored Artist of Ukraine, Vladimir Denisenko, Ivan Kozlov was invited to join the ballet troupe of the National Opera of Ukraine, and simultaneously to the world- famous troupe of Boris Eifman in St. Petersburg. He worked as an artist in both troupes. During his work in the theater of B. Eifman, Ivan performed the leading parts in the following repertoire: "Red Giselle", "Don Quixote", "Russian Hamlet", "Anna Karenina", and "The Brothers Karamazov". In the troupe of the National Opera of Ukraine, he performed the leading parts in the ballets Swan Lake, Giselle, Spartacus, Don Quixote, Viennese Waltz, and many others. Ivan Kozlov worked under contract as a leading soloist of the "Internationale Ballet Theater" in the United States. From 2007 to 2010, he was the premier of the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater, where he performed the leading parts in nearly the entire repertoire of the theater, as well as in numerous concert numbers. Ivan is a laureate of many ballet competitions, including the Serge Lifar International Competition (2002, silver medal) and the X Moscow International Competition (2005, silver medal). Among the teachers of Ivan Kozlov are some of the most outstanding dancers of the 20th century: People's Artist of the USSR, Irina Kolpakova, People's Artist of the USSR Vladlilen Semenov, People's Artist of the RSFSR, Sergei Berezhnoi, Premier of the Mariinsky Theater, Eldar Aliyev, and Honored Artist of Ukraine, Anatoly Kozlov. Since 2014, Ivan Kozlov has been the executive of the theater, "Kiev City Ballet" with which he has successfully toured Europe and the world.

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H-E-B provides tour of Disaster Response Units

Heb displays disaster response operation.

First responders from across central Texas toured a fleet of disaster response vehicles assembled by the grocery store chain HEB.

AUSTIN, Texas - A collection of vehicles took up a portion of the parking lot at Shoreline Church on Wednesday morning. It was a full deployment of H-E-B's Disaster Response Unit, known as a DRU. 

The grocery chain's history of answering calls for help goes back almost to the beginning.

"H-E-B's Spirit of giving really started in 1905 with our founder, Florence. And so, she and her three little boys would take them over to the Guadalupe River, and she would help feed the displaced residents there," said Tamera Jones with H-E-B.

The store’s first big relief effort, according to Jones, was in 1933 after a strong hurricane hit the Rio Grand Valley. Major storm events typically activate the DRUs, but the Panhandle wildfires brought about the most recent deployment.

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"It's probably the most rewarding thing you can do," said DRU team leader Frank Senioris.

When Frank Senioris isn't running a DRU, he manages the H-E-B in New Braunfels. Hurricane Harvey, he told FOX 7, is a run he will never forget.

"We went all the way to Beaumont, where they were still dealing with floods, over a week after Harvey had already, like, left the state. And so just to see the devastation and everything, it's, it's one where it kind of humbles you," said Senioris.

Local first responders toured the DRU fleet on Wednesday morning. It includes:

• A mobile kitchen that can serve 500 meals, a larger set-up can do more than 2,000 an hour
• There's a fresh water tanker
• A communications and operations trailer
• A bunk house
• Restrooms with showers
• A rolling pharmacy
• Business center, where cash withdrawals can be made

Texas Panhandle wildfires hit record size

The wildfire in the Panhandle has grown larger than the massive Bastrop Complex Fire that hit central Texas in 2011. Several Austin-area firefighters are battling the blaze in the Panhandle.

"They were there for us and some of our, you know, hardest and almost darkest times that we had in emergencies. They've been a steadfast partner in helping to make sure that we're able to take care of our folks," said Pflugerville Emergency Services Director Joseph Chacon.

The DRUs essentially fill a gap during a crisis.

"It takes some of that pressure off of those local, regional and state assets. They are self-supportive," said Commander Mikel Kane with Austin Travis Co EMS.

Re-creating the H-E-B DRU program would be an expensive endeavor for a small business or community group. But with wildfires a constant threat, and the hurricane season approaching filling a gap, even a small one can have a big impact.

"We can't do it by ourselves," said Rob Vires Chief of Staff for the Austin Fire Department.

Organizing the DRU tour was encouraged by AFD Chief Joel Baker. It’s hoped it will bring about more public and private partnerships.

"Anyone can step in and find a place at this table to help out in the community along the way to make sure we're taking care of folks in difficult times, to rebuild, to reestablish, to help them, in that gap from when the emergencies occurred to when they can actually get back to, some semblance of normal life," said Vires.

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Kyiv City Ballet to Make Its First Tour of the United States in Fall

The company, which had been on tour in France when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, will make a stop at Fall for Dance at City Center.

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By Kalia Richardson

Kyiv City Ballet will make its inaugural tour of the United States this fall, the company announced on Tuesday. Since February the company has been in France, where it had a temporary residency at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and performed charity concerts around the country to help Ukrainian civilians.

On the U.S. tour, which begins on Sept. 16, Kyiv City Ballet will perform “Swan Lake,” along with a repertory program of three works. Thirteen cities, including Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte, have been announced as stops, and additional locations may be added later. Among the stops will be New York City Center, where the company, which was founded in 2012, will participate in the Fall for Dance Festival.

The company’s star ballerinas, Krystina Kadashevych and Oksana Bondarenko, will be featured on the tour, as will Vsevolod Maevskiy, a former soloist at the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, now a principal with the troupe.

A day after Kyiv City Ballet’s arrival in Paris on its “Nutcracker” tour, the dancers learned of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In an interview, Ivan Kozlov, the company’s artistic director, said that some of the dancers returned home to serve with Ukrainian forces but were turned away because of lack of experience.

“They need somebody to be on the field who’s helping,” Kozlov said, not somebody who “needs to be helped.”

Kozlov said the dancers, who have kept in contact with family members with frequent calls, have leaned on one another for emotional support. He said he hoped the U.S. tour would not only showcase their art but also prove that nothing can break them.

“They’re trying to stay up,” he said, “up to work, up to help their families.”

Kristopher McDowell, a founding partner of Rhizome Consulting, which is producing the tour, said the Kyiv City Ballet would like to share Ukrainian stories with young Americans through workshops, master classes and conversations between dancers.

“Never have I been told this company needs a day off or this company needs three or four days to sit in their hotel room,” he said. “They want to be out engaged doing community work.”

At Fall for Dance, Kyiv City Ballet will perform a contemporary ballet, “Thoughts,” and a folk dance, “Men of Kyiv.” Stanford Makishi, City Center’s vice president and artistic director of dance programs, said, “They are a band of nomads right now, so to be able to bring them to New York, to give them the opportunity to perform here, I think is really meaningful.”

City Center received funding from the Trust for Mutual Understanding, which awards grants to support the arts and the environment, to help Kyiv City Ballet with travel expenses, Makishi said. A number of presenting organizations like City Center have joined forces, he said, to offset the costs of a large tour.

With Russian forces pressing into the Luhansk region , one of the two provinces of the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine, Kozlov said it didn’t matter which part of the country Russia invaded. If someone raids your home, he said, it’s irrelevant if the attack is on the kitchen, bathroom or hallway.

“It’s the same as the country,” he said. “You want your border to be in the same position as it was.”

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

Chasiv Yar, a small Ukrainian town, has been under relentless attack by Russian forces. Controlling the town  would put them in striking distance of key Ukrainian operational and supply centers.

The United States secretly shipped a new long-range missile system  to Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces immediately used the weapons to attack a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in the country’s southeast.

For residents of Ukraine’s second-largest city, daily Russian attacks have escalated fears  but have not brought life to a standstill. Here’s how a battered city  carries on.

Images From Year Three of the War: For all that time, photographers with The New York Times and other news organizations have chronicled the war , capturing a slice of how soldiers and civilians have experienced it. Some images will never leave them.

Nato’s Show of Force: About 90,000 NATO troops have been training in Europe for the Great Power war that most hope will never come : a clash between Russia and the West with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Resuming U.S. Military Aid: Weapons from the support package, considered “a lifeline” for Ukraine’s military , could be arriving on the battlefield within days . But experts say it could take weeks before there is a direct impact on the war . What would $60 billion buy ?

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .