Typically, when we are on the cusp of a new year, we take the time to reflect on the past year’s joys and sorrows, milestones and missteps, wins and losses. The start of a new year fills us with enthusiasm and a determination to make it the best year yet. We make resolutions, we set personal and professional goals, we welcome January 1st armed with our date planners ready to fill up those pages with what we love to do the most and well … we do it.  

Unfortunately, 2020 resulted in a lot of scribbled out plans in our date books thanks to the arrival of the pandemic. And right up there on top of the list of what had to be cancelled and / or postponed just so happens to be my love and my passion – travel.

As an inhabitant – and adventurer – on this marvelous planet first – and a proud member of the travel industry second – I – along with many of you – have faith that we have turned a corner heading into 2021. Thanks to the arrival of not one – but two – vaccines that have turned on that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. And even if it’s just a flicker for now – it’s destined to glow brighter with each passing week. 

Now, neither I nor anyone else can 100% predict what it’s going to look like post-pandemic. But I have no doubt there are going to be positive changes – and a lot of them – overall in humanity itself – and in so many areas – including my beloved travel community.

So, as we enter 2021 with much hope in our hearts for the world – let’s start the discussion of what changes we can expect and just exactly where we want to go once we feel safe doing so again!

What’s Going to be Different?

Honesty – as I stated above – I feel that it’s going to be nothing but positives that come out of this ordeal as far as travel is concerned. We already know that airlines and hotels have taken their cleaning practices up a hundred plus notches – Amtrak too. And cruise ships are hard at work developing their new safety protocols for when they return to the oceans and rivers where they long to be again. The way I look at it is that it’s brought a new standard – a new level of cleanliness and safety – that was needed long before 2020 and that is now here to stay.  

I also believe that my brothers and sisters in our travel advisor family will be playing a huge part as not only your trip planner extraordinaire – but as your go to source for safety information on the transportation and accommodations you choose, for the protocols that have been put in place within the destinations you are traveling to, for the cancellation and / or postponement penalties for every aspect of your journey and so much more. And speaking of cancel penalties – we are already seeing much more lenient policies being rolled out by all sectors of travel – which is a huge plus for all of us!

The Bucket List

I believe that more and more people who have not made travel a priority in their life before the pandemic may be changing their minds about how important it is to see, feel and experience as much as possible in this great big world of ours while we are still here and able to do so.

But so many get overwhelmed when deciding where to go first. And that my dears is why I am here – to assist you in discovering where it is that your heart is leading you.  And one of the ways that I am helping many of you to do this is through a new community I have formed on Facebook called The Bucket List by Thia’s Travel Services. Here I am assembling a group of passionate travelers sharing our adventures and experiences and introducing each other to fabulous destinations with the goal to create a bucket list together – to expose each other to what’s out there waiting for you to discover it.

Staying Positive and Planning While We Wait

So, when it turned 2021 last night at the stroke of midnight everything did not miraculously return back to normal – or even to a “new, new normal” – as if someone had waved their magic wand. Yes, we have vaccines and yes – numbers are coming back down in some of the hardest hit places – but COVID-19 is still here, and we still have a way to go before the vaccine is distributed to enough people to start experiencing that all important “herd immunity.” 

Now I’m well aware that sometimes staying positive is easier said than done but I find one way to accomplish this is simply by looking at how far we’ve come.  Look at how we met 2020’s surrealness with a resolve to make it to 2021. As a society we’ve become more resourceful than ever, we’ve come together to help one another, we’ve applauded, praised and most importantly appreciated our essential workers and so, so much more.  My gosh that puts a smile on my heart just typing it! 

Baby steps. There are going to be down days along with up days but that’s normal whether it’s 2021 or 2011 or 2031. One thing we can be positive about is that travel will be back and better than ever. And I would be honored to help you start the planning process. Let’s get the discussion started – contact me and together we can give you something else to look forward to in this brand new year.

May you all be blessed with a year of health, happiness and travel.

Yours in travel,

Thia