The rest of Q&A

Q – 5.14.21  Thank you for all of this – extraordinary info. We are planning a tour to Egypt that will include a cruise along the Nile for four nights. This is a bucket list item and I am an advance planner. The dates and pricing for our planned travel about two years from today are not out yet but I am told I can have our names placed on a wait-list with a deposit. We will then be contacted when things are set. We are working with a local agent in our town who is encouraging us, naturally, to deposit.  Are there risks involved? Is 24 months in advance rushing things? 

A – Egypt touring with Nile components is among the five top worldwide destinations that are selling out far in advance of reservations elsewhere. The demand is high with visitors from North America, Asia, India, and Europe. For one of the better, most reliable tour operators the idea of placing your deposit down far in advance of pricing is a sound one as some departure dates could sell out within days of being announced. The deposit will serve to hold your place – space will be offered to your agent before the departure is opened to the general public. We want to be certain, however, that you have something in writing certifying that if you are unhappy with the pricing presented you can drop out and receive a full refund. You should receive a confirmation in writing from the supplier care of your advisor showing the wait-list confirmation.

Travel to Egypt is challenging, worthwhile, and dependent on the quality of the operator, the hotels, the guides, and the boat used along the Nile. This is an example of a destination where budgeting is unwise. Take security into account as well. Stay at one of Cairo’s top-grade hotels. Standards decrease rapidly. Be prepared for Cairo’s pollution. 

Q – Thanks to your efforts, we are looking forward to a cruise from Copenhagen to Stockholm next summer. We have decided to arrive in Copenhagen two nights prior to our sailing on the Regent Splendor. We would love to stay at a well-located, reasonably-priced hotel and go out to a nice dinner before boarding the next day. Any recommendations for an interesting hotel experience along with a Vegan-centered restaurant recommendation? We have been assured by your Team that Vegan dining aboard ship is not an issue.  Just wondering if you are coming across many Vegan travelers in your work? 

A – We’d suggest a stay at the new Villa Copenhagen, a four-year project to convert the post office next to Tivoli Gardens into a $215 Million 390-Room property with a striking rooftop pool. Rates will co9me in at under $300 for a standard room and you’re perfectly close to the action. You can walk the streets and watch some of the world’s “happiest” residents frowning their way through the city.

For the best Vegan food in a city renowned for its creative cuisine head to Restaurant Ark which is very close to the worth visiting Torvhallerne food halls. Try to order a dish made with produce from the staff’s private mushroom farm (no not that kind). 

The facts regarding vegetarian dining in America are quite surprising. Forty-six percent of the U.S. adult population always or sometimes eats vegetarian meals when eating out. Twenty percent of U.S. adults always or sometimes eat vegan meals when eating out. Four percent of American adults are vegetarian (including vegans) all the time, and half of the vegetarians are also vegan (two percent).

Enjoy the schrooms and don’t forget to board the Splendor the next day. 

Q – 5.14.21  I had a trip planned with Tauck Tours in 2020 and was offered an incentive to keep money in-house with an incentive that was placed in something they call a “travel wallet”. Now, it looks like we are being cancelled again and I was wondering if we should expect a doubling of the incentive if we travel in 2022? Is there an industrry rule that they have to keep increasing the offer with each cancellation (by them – not me)?

A – There is no such rule and these companies, which have been hit hard by the pandemic, are not generally doubling up on re-booking incentives once they have been applied. This is not a bank account that earns compound interest. Some companiues like Tauck will take your insurance payment and move it into an account for a future booking where it can be applied. That saves you the considerable cost of re-purchasing insurance. 

We would need to know the specifics of your case but it appears that you have had two tours cancelled because it was deemed that to operate them might place your health in jeopardy. Normally, incentives would be carried over once and then again if necessary. But they would not be duplicated. 

Q – As we start planning our travels again, and I don’t want to bother you with long weekends and domestic hotel stays, I wonder if you are feeling that handing over credit card info to a hotel website or online booker is reliable these days? In the past, I’ve done it without thinking, but something you once posted made me think that this had once been a problem. Just how secure is online booking? 

A – Actually, glad that you raised this question. Fake hotel sites are a major problem and most consumers cannot identify the real sites from the fake ones. In 2019, the last year for which reliable pre-Covid data exists, there were an estimated 15 million bogus hotel bookings at an estimated value of $1.3 billion. Most “ghost” hotel sites look identical to the real thing. The goal of the ghost sites is collecting your credit card information and it is estimated that the number of credit card numbers harvested by online hotel bookings now exceeds $100 Billion. Many of the online sites are pretending to be located in the States but they are often overseas ventures that sell your personal information to anyone willing to pay. 

There is no reason that you should use a travel agency to book domestic hotels unless you are seeking high-end comp. amenities at a five-star property. But if you do book directly always phone the hotel directly and make certain you are actually talking to hotel reservations and not a ghost service. Tell them you are recording the call and ask specifically if they are “on property”. 

Thank you for raising this important question as most travel consumers are naive about the dangers of online travel purchasing. 

Q – We are restarting our travel buttons with planned stays at hotels in LA as well as Manhattan for Fashion Week events. As we emerge from this Covid crisis, cleanliness is even more important than godliness. To be specific, how do we choose a hotel that will not be reusing the same sheets from a previous guest? According to your site, this happens often. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I mean suppose a Kardashian has just occupied the room?

A –  It does happen far more than most hotel guests would imagine. In 2019, the average room rate paid for a hotel room in the United States was $97.50. At that rate, housekeeping is going to be minimal and sheets will likely not be changed if there are no visible stains. In June 2020, Inside Edition found “used sheets” gracing beds in the middle of Manhattan at Hyatt Place Times Square, the Hampton Inn Times Square Central, and Trump International. 

There are a few ways to avoid this issue. First, make up your mind that budget or even mid-range hotels are far more germ-laden than you might imagine. Avoid them and book upscale properties that come personally recommended by your consultant. If you can’t afford to stay at a Four Seasons call the hotel front desk shortly before arrival and insist that the beds be made up with fresh linens and ask that all room bedspreads, duvets, and cushions be removed. It is likely that they are covered in fecal matter and have not be properly cleaned for months.

Q – Any thoughts on how things might change in terms of the check-in process, rules aboard aircraft etc? What can we expect?

A – Airlines have discovered major software deficiencies system-wide making the cancellation and transfer of credits extremely challenging. Automation challenges are being addressed now and should be in place when full-scale international air travel resumes by May 2021.

You should expect a rapid acceleration in the use of biometric facial ID at airports. This will help streamline the process. The checking-in of baggage will also be changed in some dramatic ways but that is, according to experts, about three to four years off. Facial ID achieved by having the passenger simply look into a camera will even become the norm at larger domestic airports.

Security clearance will not be initiated at check-in. El-Al has had a system in place for years that allows them to identify all passengers at the time of ticket purchase. Israeli security consultants think we are foolish for not doing the same.

Airlines will simply refuse to permit non-mask wearers to access the aircraft and, in most cases, the terminal. This will surely change over time but look for rule enforcement throughout 2021.

Q – We are due refunds, we believe, for our air arrangements which we made directly through American. They are giving us credits which we do not want at this time. How does one deal with this, can you help us, and how do we avoid this fiasco in the future? We were flying Business class and our total investment was $8400.

A – US Airlines have been doing everything possible to avoid paying cash refunds. In the majority of cases, they are required to under the law. You should keep sending certified letters to customer service explaining why you will be unable to use a future credit. Those with health or financial issues will be in the best position to get a positive response.

As you may have detected, we are not big fans of anti-social media because anything posted becomes public domain and can be sold or used against you in a profile. Here you will get a kickstagram review to increase your instagram followers.  The average American now has more than 1,000 data bits of information in their profile – a profile that is sold by Google, Amazon, Samsung, and your grocery store. That said, in your specific situation, anti-social media (we think that is its correct name) can be useful. We would suggest you carefully lay out your case on American’s various social media sites. They are carefully monitored by management because you may be influencing thousands of users who follow the sites. You are likely to get a faster and more consumer-friendly response than you would had you simply written an e-mail or posted, perish the thought, an actual letter.

Finally, as we face certain turmoil in the booking process, changes, cancellations, and re-routings, it is really important that guests book directly with the carrier or, better yet, through one of the better Flight Ticketing services that offer Concierge-level flight monitoring. 

Q – We keep hearing references on the news to how hard the airline industry has been hit hard around the world. How bad has it been and will they recover?

A – There was one day in March where it was calculated that 61% of the US Airline fleet was in lockdown somewhere at a desert airfield in Arizona, New Mexico, and similar locations. (Actually, we wonder if there really are “similar” locations)

This year, the world’s Airlines have, according to the IATA, lost in the range of $118 Billion. But 2021 is also expected to show losses that exceed $39 Billion. Many of these airlines receive government subsidies as they are seen as essential industries that support the tourism sector in each country. US Airlines have been complaining for years that they are forced to compete with airlines that receive major infusions of cash from their governments.

The sense seems to be that most of the major names will survive but that we will continue to see consolidation in the industry.  Churchill & Turen has long proposed the merging of our three largest US Carriers to something called, perhaps, “AmDelighted” Airlines. We are also seeing a worldwide shortage of pilots that should begin impacting international air travel in 2023 and 2024. How this shortage will evolve is unknown but it is a limit to the growth plans of many international carriers.

Q – You go all over the internet and find all kinds of advice about travel to Africa and it all sounds like so much noise. Yesterday, my therapist, yes I am being serious, told me about your site. I hope you will answer just a few questions. My wife and I are in our early fifties, I work in manufacturing, we’re in good health, and we don’t want to wait until I am retired to start seeing and doing things that take some effort. Our questions are – which tour operators in Africa are really the best, which ones should we avoid, and what month is the best time to see the “Big Five”.  How do we begin the process and what will a travel agent charge us to assist?

A – We’d need to know a lot more to make really specific recommendations but let’s do the best we can:

Don’t even think about going on safari unless you are booking with one of the following established, highly respected, feet/offices on the ground firms:

Micato Safaris  –  Abercrombie & Kent  –  &Beyond  –  Africa Adventure Company  – Austin-Lehman Adventures  –  Grey & Company  –  Wilderness Safaris –  African Travel Inc. – Big Five Tours 

We would recommend you avoid any firm not on this list although there could be exceptions based on your specific interests.

The best time to go depends on your interest in terms of seeing East Africa or Southern Africa. The “season” for a safari is quite extensive but many travelers go during our summer months. But this is a discussion that occurs after you select the very best program for your “safari expectations”. 

The process starts with a “No Sales Pitch” discussion with a professional travel consultant. The rule of thumb should be that there are no charges of any kind when you are booking an established, brochure departure. If your agent is creating a custom safari especially for you, fees hover in the $500-$1000 Per Person range. 

We hope this helps and good on you for planning Africa while you are physically able to handle the adventure. 

Q – We try to keep up with travel industry publications and have been surprised by the failure of Thomas Cook and the reported financial issues with Cox & Kings, which is, I believe, the oldest travel agency in existence. You keep hearing that travel agents are being put out of business by the internet. We’ve just started a new relationship with a new local travel agency and I suppose we’re wondering how we might know about their financial solvency. How do we know our money is safe? Is it appropriate to ask for financials? 

A – Several broad questions here. Let’s start by saying that Thomas Cook and Cox & Kings are not travel agents. They would be designated as tour operators. Cook was involved in charter flights, group tours, charters, and worldwide group packages. It is a risky business involving payments of huge amounts of money upfront. For example, two of the major tour operators specializing in travel to China declared they were closing their doors last week in anticipation of a complete decline in potential tour groups to Asia.

After the last financial crisis in 2008/2009 it is estimated that 40% of the travel agents in the United States were put out of business. The vast majority were selling inexpensive package travel that was easily replicated by OTA’s, (Online Travel Agencies). 

Since that time, the income of travel agents has risen and there is now a serious shortage of qualified vacation agents, particularly those that cater to upscale overseas travel. Tour Operators take a much larger financial risk than travel agents who simply act, for the most part, as intermediaries in the booking of other people’s products. They are the distribution channel for the tour operator. 

We certainly think that a discussion of the financial stability of any company you work with is appropriate although asking for a written accounting statement might be a tad much. You will get the best accounting service which is  Available via infinit accounting. It is good to know if any funds paid to a travel agent are kept in escrow until the time you travel. Here are four questions you should ask any travel agent with whom you are considering a relationship:

01 – How do I know that you are placing my interests ahead of those of your agency’s financial interests?

02 – What won’t you sell – and why?

03 – Have you worked within the travel industry before becoming a travel agent and in what capacity?

04 – Will you be wearing a bathrobe when I speak to you on the phone?