For nearly a year, COVID-19 has been disrupting our lives — our daily routines and how we interact with others. Fear, anxiety and stress related to health, finances, career and more are taking its toll on our mental wellbeing. We are encouraged to stay home and limit interactions with those outside our household. Traveling was at a virtual standstill for a long time, but has started to return in many destinations both domestically and internationally.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, since the beginning of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in more than $460 billion in cumulative losses for the U.S. travel economy. I am one of many travel agents who have experienced this loss firsthand. For years, studies have demonstrated the health benefits of travel – how it relieves stress and boosts mental health. Plus, by traveling you are not only boosting your wellbeing, but you are supporting an industry that has been ravaged. I encourage you to start planning your future travel now, so you have something to look forward to. Travel brings people so much joy – whether it is during the planning process, on the actual trip itself or reminiscing over memories while looking at photos.
There are ways to travel safely and within your own comfort zone. This can mean taking day trips or staycations, or even vacationing to the Caribbean or Mexico. Traveling during this pandemic has not only helped me re-focus and find clarity, but I now have a greater appreciation for the world we live in. Yes, traveling is part of my job description as a travel agent. I not only provide recommendations on where to visit, but now in times of COVID-19 it is my duty to inform my clients about what they should expect when traveling, what paperwork and tests need to be completed, the safety protocols being implemented and more. The best way I can service my clients is to experience first-hand what their vacation experience will be like, answer their questions and be a trusted resource in a time when there is so much confusion.
Traveling is and always has been an important part of our lives. It introduces us to new cultures, shapes who we are as individuals and has the power to give us a perspective that truly transforms us.
I am traveling and I encourage you to start planning your next vacation now, for when you are ready to travel.
Anna Hoy
Vacations by Anna-Dream Vacations
Cerritos, CA
562-403-2344