We are just weeks away from the “OPEN” sign coming out around the world

Every day countries around the world are opening up their borders and making it much easier for foreign travelers to enter their countries as COVID makes a fast decline and becomes much milder. Many are starting by dropping the testing requirements upon arrival.  I think that by Easter we will see the green light for all international travel and it will be time to dream BIG travel dreams again.

February will see the end of the $39 airfare sales in the U.S. – For the last 3 months, the airlines have been using super airfares sales offering fares as low as $39 one-way to get people to fly during the Omicron variant. Well, these promotions are about to end as travel will soon start picking up as more and more people become confident in travel and get ready to fly again.  My advice is “BUY NOW” as prices are heading up every month from now until the end of the year.

Are you ready for a smart device in your hotel room – I am predicting that some hotels will add Amazon’s Alexa in hotel rooms. These “smart” artificial intelligence/voice recognition devices will replace the TV remote, room thermostat, clock, and even the light switches in rooms. On the surface, it sounds cool not to have to mess with dirty TV remotes, thermostats that don’t work, and alarm clocks that are impossible to program and replace that with a simple voice response system like Alexa. But many people I know don’t trust “Big Brother” listening to them in their hotel room. It looks like there will need to be a lot more security safeguards in place before Alexa’s will be a common sight in hotel rooms.

Should you allow company travelers to use Airbnb instead of hotels? Common sense says NO! – Many companies today have put their heads in the sand and are ignoring how the sharing economy in the form of Airbnb and VRBO has been creeping steadily into the corporate travel management world. At first blush, many people would casually ask, “What’s the big deal? Many vacation travelers love Airbnb so why not use it for business travelers? Are you crazy! Companies by law are responsible for the safety and security of their travelers when they are traveling for business. Please do your homework before you allow your company travelers to mix business travel with leisure travel and find a “great deal” with even greater liability for your company. CLICK HERE to read “13 Airbnb Horror stories that’ll make you think twice.” 

Delta rated the best airline in a recent WSJ survey – Delta once again took the top spot as the best airline as rated by the WallStreet Journal. This rating looks at on-time arrivals, canceled flights, extreme delays, 2-hour tarmac delay, mishandled luggage, involuntary bumping, and complaints. Alaska Air was #2 followed by Southwest and then United. If you want to read more about the Best and Worst U.S. Airlines of 2021 CLICK HERE.

Passion Play, the Best of Germany, Austria, Topped off with Prague – One of my favorite trips ever took place in 2010 when I attended the Passion Play in the small mountain village of Oberammergau, Germany. The play has taken place since 1634 and is one of the most breathtaking performances you can experience. We have a few spots left on our departure this June 7-17, so do not hesitate to secure your spot. This group is limited to 20 travelers. Besides attending the Passion Play, this once-in-a-lifetime journey includes Munich and the world-famous Hofbräuhaus, Neuschwanstein Castle, Salzburg, the “Sound of Music”-region, Vienna, and fairy-tale Prague. Call or email our friendly group department (402) 858-0033 / GroupDepartment@executivetravel.com. CLICK HERE to learn all the details!