Business Traveler, July/August 2020

J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 2 0 b u s i n e s s t r a v e l e r u s a c o m 1 3 S P E C I A L R E P O R T at how many people have never actually looked into their companys BTA or their health insurance their travel insurance or their credit card travel benefits which we find a lot of small business owners and self employed travelers rely on notes Medjets Hallman They just assume things will be handled should they get sick on the road But a lot of those coverages fall short They cover medical costs of treatment in another state or abroad but dont get you transferred home In the case of a COVID case that results in longer term complications or an injury that requires surgery and extensive recovery being able to get home becomes incredibly important THE RISKS OF RESUMING TRAVEL Its essential to remind travelers that travel insurance only provides financial protection against disruption Look for financial protections from supplier failures such as using a credit card that provides some protection and exploring travel insurance options on a site like insuremytrip com advises McIndoe Thinking about contingencies during a quarantine is vital especially if you do get sick Healthcare resources in some cities could be overwhelmed due to the coronavirus making it difficult to get access to medical assistance should you need it Brice emphasizes This risk is amplified when placed in the context of new COVID 19 outbreaks That will likely mean the face of business travel will change at least for the immediate future When meeting with clients something as common as a handshake may not be the norm anymore Zenzola predicts Business lunches and dinners may not be as routine and will most likely be held to smaller groups For the immediate future I also cannot see any large conferences occurring where hundreds or thousands of people are together for an event he adds In the short term many corporations may place limitations on business travelers in terms of the trips they take and how they take them Over time if infection rates continue to decline and there is confidence in the societys ability to manage future outbreaks whether through a vaccine or other control measures business travel will increase adds Walloga The travel industry understands that doing its part in limiting the spread of the virus is critical For this reason airports will develop touchless check ins food and beverage service and seek to push baggage drop off further out towards the parking lot or front door to minimize lines and ensure adequate social distancing says McGarrity Individuals will be responsible for bringing their own masks and sanitizers and maybe even their own food to eat during transit to limit the need to interact with airline attendants And on a global level some countries may incentivize or penalize carriers based on their inbound passengers testing positive for COVID upon entry This could shift the responsibility to carriers to test before boarding McGarrity continues More developed countries like Vietnam South Korea and Hong Kong will conduct temperature screening and possibly testing upon entry other nations will require self quarantine for 14 plus days upon entry More developing countries will likely require immunity passports documenting the traveler passed a test within 24 to 48 hours prior to entry he adds I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE BRAND Rebuilding trust in travel will need to be done thoughtfully and strategically especially with the possibility of second and third waves of the virus rebounding as hospitality and travel companies show business travelers they are serious about providing healthy and safe accommodations For example how will a traveler know the last time a hotel room was cleaned and disinfected especially in more out of the way locales where hotel choices are more limited and cleanliness protocols might not be as stringent Global Guardians McGarrity explains In an age of social media and awareness hotel and airline reputations will be positive or negative based upon how cleaning teams and front line employees treat customers and ensure their health and safety Planes will board seats at the rear of the aircraft first and premium seating last to avoid passengers passing by each other Premium class passengers would likely still depart first with passengers sitting in the rear of the aircraft still departing last In the end brands that exhibit a willingness to be transparent will win Confidence will be predicated on several factors including a health response and measures that the travel industry and governments put in place to ensure travelers safety says Michael Becker CEO of GeoSure in Boulder CO Expressing safety in a way that empowers travelers with the information they need instead of heightening anxiety helps to regain trust in travel and is true as much for business as for leisure BT