A look at what travel might be like in 2021 and how it impacts Whatcom County
When it comes to travel in 2021, local road trips to destinations to enjoy the outdoors are expected to be a popular choice.
Even with news of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, restrictions are expected to remain in place well into next year, further crippling the travel industry. The pandemic’s impact on travel and what’s next was the topic of conversation last week during Western Washington University’s Zoom presentation Travel in the Age of COVID.
Keeping safe will remain at the forefront for most people as they consider whether to travel, said Allan Wright of Montana-based Zephyr United, one of the panelists during the Western Insights presentation, held on Friday, Nov. 6. This will continue what’s been the worst crisis ever for the travel industry, he said.
“It’s been brutal,” Wright said. “No industry has been hit as hard as travel.”
Air travel remains really hard hit, but is slowly starting to improve. The improvement has been in leisure trips and not so much in business travel, said Jeremy Horn, director safety and security at Alaska Airlines. It has helped that studies indicate low COVID-19 transmission rates on flights and passengers wearing face coverings throughout trips.
The challenge continues to be what will people do when they get to their destinations with restrictions remaining in place, Horn said.
The most complex travel arrangements for Alaska Airlines have been to Hawaii. Travelers are required to show they’ve tested negative before flying or quarantine when they get there. Horn said about 90% are choosing to test first, and so far it’s been a success.
Horn expects that the current policy of wearing masks on Alaska Airlines flights will remain in place until a vaccine is well established.
What tourism looks like in Whatcom
Tourism in Whatcom County is expected to see trends similar to the national expectations, said Sandy Ward, CEO and president of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.
“We think 2021 will bring close-in, road-trip, drive-market visitors (within five hours) to Bellingham and Whatcom County. We believe outdoor activities will be popular all winter and well into 2021,” Ward said. Ward was not part of the Western Insights panel but answered questions by email.
Given the number of outdoor activities around Whatcom County, that could make this area a popular choice for travelers from other parts of Western Washington.
Other aspects of Whatcom tourism might be changed for quite some time. Ward said some creative thinking in the industry will be needed in areas like business meetings and conventions.
When the restrictions at the Canadian border are lifted, Ward said they are working on ways to entice Canadians to visit Whatcom County for more than just a big-box store experience, including overnight packages at local hotels/resorts. Her expectation is that the border restrictions won’t be lifted until the virus is under control or a safe and widely distributed vaccine is deployed.
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
