The industry expects two-for-one deals and significant discounts to help you get back on the road now, but is it moral to even propose it at a time like this?
We are in the midst of a momentary wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices are low, but dangers are high. And in the industry, there’s a debate about what to do.
I was at the forefront of the crash when one of my recent columns gave the impression on a Facebook page for agents. You may not forget the history of holiday tips where I advised readers to avoid ling.
Officials were so furious with my common sense recommendation that they tried to fire the user who posted my story.
The controversy has opened my eyes to a travel industry that is fighting for its survival and is willing to do almost anything for you to travel back, adding in all likelihood to expose yourself to a fatal virus. In fact, both sides of this debate are valid. arguments But you have to know who’s right.
For some people, the pandemic is yesterday’s news and it’s time to go back there. Travelers already know the dangers. The biggest tragedy would be not traveling.
“Yes, it is moral to advertise travel,” says Katy Kassian, business representative and common traveler from Regan, North Dakota. “Without other people like us who travel, there is no industry. There are no more attractions on the roads. Visitors” will close their doors, train and bus routes will be particularly replaced and, in the end, we will be even more disconnected from ourselves. our friends and family circle the fabulous positions of our country ”.
A general ban doesn’t make sense, professionals say. Sangeeta Sadarangani, CEO of Crossing, a multinational company founded in London, says some trips are safe.
“There are safe hotels and safe places to travel right now,” he says. She feels comfortable recommending trips to her clients, as long as they comply with all COVID-19 procedures: adding dresses with a mask, disinfection and practicing social activities. Sadarangani says it’s all about accepting as true, knowing that your travel advisor cares about your most productive interests.
But for her, “profit or transactions are the reason. “
But ethics specialists say this is not the right time to travel.
“With the rise of infections and hospitalizations in many countries, coupled with the United States, it’s valuable to remember everyone’s highest basic moral precept: don’t hurt,” says Bruce Weinstein, writer and ethics expert. “In this spirit, it is morally uns intelligent so far, especially for leisure. “
Consumer advocates agree.
“I don’t think it’s moral for corporations to propose travel,” says Emily Waddell, who publishes a blog called The Honest Consumer. “Travel agencies are only for their own interest in sales. They do not take into account the severity of the pandemic and how more travelers can simply increase the spread of the virus. “
The correct answer to the question “Is it moral to propose a holiday now?”No, no, no, no, no, do not tell other people that it is appropriate to take an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico and build in The instances of COVID-19 are obviously a mistake.
“We want the recommendations of public fitness experts, such as epidemiologists, to make scientifically and ethically sound recommendations on when and under what conditions it is safe to resume non-essential travel,” said Sarah Hull, associate director of the program at Yale School of Medicine, biomedical ethics.
This is a harsh truth for agencies and advisers, but those corporations will have to weigh the damage done to their business as opposed to the potential harm they can cause to consumers by encouraging them to Array, says Robert Foehl, professor of business law and ethics in Ohio. University.
“We have a moral duty to avoid harm to others,” he says.
That said, recent adjustments in the travel industry can make it imaginable to plan a spring or summer break now.
Most agencies offer advantageous cancellation conditions. For example, many airlines have eliminated replacement and cancellation fees, allowing passengers to plan a vacation without the stress of paying more if they have to cancel.
“Even if the next one is far enough away, it’s a smart time to plan a discount sometime in the future,” says Jeff Klee, CEO of Q. “With this extra layer of built-in flexibility, it’s smart to know that even if you’re not comfortable flying right now, you may not lose the money. “
Conclusion: don’t buy someone who will promote you to a recreational in the near future. Travel agencies will have to prepend their consumers to commissions and wait until it is safe. Smart guys are already doing it.
Here’s how to say it:
They’re lies. If your travel advisor tells you something that contradicts a public protection directive or suggests a way to “get around” a mandatory quarantine, you might be talking to the wrong person. “Ignore, minimize, or lie openly about recent knowledge that solving to travel to a specific destination is unethical,” says Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, business consultant.
They tell you not to worry. If your advisor rejects your security, quarantine, or Array questions, this may be just a sign of a problem. People rely on advisors “for a fair and comprehensive assessment of situations, with a complete disclosure of threats,” says John Thomas, a law professor at Florida School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the International University.
They don’t mention COVID-19. If your travel agent doesn’t mention the threat of a coronavirus infection or doesn’t communicate about travel-related threats, don’t go, run!Travelling is dangerous, but more than ever. Councillors who don’t communicate about COVID probably think only of their commissions.