Stay Home, So We Can Crush This
April Fool’s Day was fast approaching when Bob Family Travel at Travelonly’s Pat Probert sat down to write this letter, observing:
“Please wake me from this joke, prank, dream or nightmare. Last week was one of the most devastating weeks in the history of the travel industry with millions laid off, incomes wiped out for families or reduced to a fraction of what they were.”
Probert continues his letter, writing:
“Travel advisors took pay cuts throughout the industry so they could save other colleagues their jobs in the companies they love so much. Tragically some will never return again to this great industry which is a true loss. I have never heard of so many people that I know all being let go from their jobs, at one time as I have this past week. If you are one of them we pray for you and your family and we know it is not easy, but you need to stay strong and healthy and look after what is most important … you and your family.”
He continues:
“As the travel industry has been hit so hard, like never before, many companies will close forever … sadly. We have heard from many organizations, including hotels we have used over the years that their family operated hotels will be closing after decades in business, putting lifelong employees out of work.”
Probert notes:
“We all need everyone to Stay Home so we can CRUSH this curve not just flatten it. We need to do this NOW for all of us, not just those of us in travel, but for everyone! After we have done this and successfully eradicated the virus, we need to get back out to restaurants, get small businesses going again, cruise ships full, planes flying, hotels and beaches packed and get back to what the world is, as we knew it before, and hopefully with a heightened sense of appreciation.”
He points out:
“These past 6 weeks have certainly been the hardest for most all of us regardless of what industry we are all in. Our travel teams are doing cancellations nonstop. Even though we do not get paid for this we will always be here for our friends and clients and our travel industry will never let you down. We will fight for the last refund, the least penalty, the best future credit, the longest times to use your credit, the lowest price on your future booking and anything else we can do. We will stand up for you, our client, while understanding what our suppliers are also going through and we will support all of them as well because we need them on the other side of this, competition is good for business.”
He continues:
“We want to thank our friends and clients who are moving your travel dates further out…it is very much appreciated by all in the industry as it is giving us all hope because on the other end you will be travelling again. We have had little to no new solid bookings in 6 weeks just like many other travel advisors, but we have hopes and dreams.”
He observes that:
“All travel advisors and not just us are having payments recalled from head offices and suppliers for cancelled cruises and trips that were paid back in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb for trips in Mar, Apr, May and Jun that have been cancelled either by suppliers or our clients. Our future business that we worked on for months and months is all disappearing.”
“Your independent travel agent is just a small business owner and we get no support from the Government but we contribute greatly to society. Some bricks and mortar store employees and many of their travel advisors all are affected by this same pandemic.”
And he concludes:
“Stay safe and stay home, so we can all CRUSH this together and when this is over and it is safe to do so hug someone in the travel and hospitality industry…it is not hard to find them they are everywhere, and don’t forget to send your “Travel Wish List” to your travel advisor for safe keeping so when you are ready to travel they will be ready and there for you.”
