Getting to know Canada a viable travel option during pandemic, local agent says

The job of a travel agent has changed due to the ongoing pandemic, and many of them are sitting patiently, waiting for the thumbs-up to begin bookings again, explained Judy Hupponen, co-owner of North Star Travel and Tours, in a recent interview.

This is the time of the year when phones should be buzzing for travel agencies. Families and individuals would be beginning their summer vacation plans, such as cruises, road trips and flights across the world. Or at least beginning to plan big vacations.

But now that the province is in its third lockdown, travellers are grounded, leaving everyone frustrated with cancellations and no actual date as to when travel will begin again.  

“We aren’t doing a lot of selling that we’d normally be doing. We're just having to keep our heads above water and hoping for the light at the end of the tunnel," Hupponen said. “And we are doing some bookings for 2021, but it's nothing compared to what we would normally be doing at this time of year.”

Hupponen says it’s been a disaster of a year for North Star Travel and Tours, and they usually would be busier than this, especially with summer coming up.

“March Break would be over now, and the winter vacations would be over. So we would be starting the Europe trips in the summer, and then even into the fall,” she said.

Since closing its doors, North Star Travel and Tours has seen a decrease in revenue by 95 per cent. Hupponen stays close by, popping in and out of the office to check emails and assist with any client needs.

“I’m in the office today (April 8) to check emails and make sure everything is caught up because we were not open,” she says. “We were open before the latest restrictions, by appointment only. We are not open right now, and most of the work that we’ve been doing is online.”

Families and individuals are pausing all trips, stated Hupponen, and most people are looking to book again at the end of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“People are very interested to get travelling again. And they know that there will be a time when it's safe to travel, and it gives us something to look forward to,” she said.

Unfortunately, only time will tell when travel will pick back up again, but Hupponen stays hopeful for when the business will go back to its usual status.

“We don’t really know because this latest stay-at-home order is something we weren't expecting. So you know, we're just going, month by month and just feeling our way through and just keeping our fingers crossed. We're very hopeful that things will get back to normal. We just don't know when,” she said.

Hupponen, says that she does get calls from individuals seeking advice on where to travel within Canada during this time. She suggests that while travelling individuals should take into consideration the length of quarantine.

“People are telling us that they are thinking about trying to get to know Canada a bit better and travel quite a bit of land. Newfoundland would be a great destination, something that many people have on their bucket list but haven’t been able to do. The West Coast has some amazing views,” she said.

“We still have a 14-day quarantine in effect, and most people don't really like how it’s sort of disruptive to their life. They go away for two weeks, then have to quarantine for two weeks. They have to be available for four weeks, so it makes it a little inconvenient,” Hupponen said.

For travellers who are still itching to get out during the summer or once the lockdown has been lifted, Hupponen suggests individuals consult a travel agent. She also suggests that people do research prior to travelling, ensure they have an understanding of the COVID-19 restrictions at the destination, and have the vaccine first.

“I don't think anybody should be travelling until they get the vaccine. That would be my recommendation for sure. And a lot of the hotels, cruise lines, tour companies, and airlines all have protocols in place for COVID-19. It's going to be a whole different way to travel,” she said.