My first thought was everyone will remain calm. They'll follow CDC, State Department, and WHO advisories, practice common sense hygiene, and not panic. I thought: I won't need to write about Coronavirus.
When reported cases appeared outside Asia, public reactions changed overnight. I almost wrote something in Muse News last week about all this, but I'm glad I waited another week. I'm not a believer in knee-jerk reactions, and I wanted to responsibly gather my thoughts to share with you. If you're thinking, "Great, now she's going to try and sell me a trip while the world is in chaos - chaos, I say!!" - the answer is Nope. First, I want all of my clients to feel excited every single day leading up to a beautiful trip we've planned together. If you need to take a deep breath, learn the facts of the day, and then make an informed decision about your travels, I am here to help you.
A few days ago I booked a couple on an outstanding Holland America Line Alaskan cruise tour for this summer with an Inside Passage sail, two nights in Denali National Park, a tundra wilderness tour, stunning train rides in the Yukon, and so much more! Which is the right way to think about booking travel right now? There isn't one. There is only what YOU feel comfortable doing and where YOU feel comfortable going, mindful of State Department and CDC advisories, which is always the case. "But Danielle, what would you do?" It doesn't matter how, where and when I personally like to travel (unless you plan on coming with me). These are your trip plans, your happiness and comfort, and your long-awaited journey someplace you've been dreaming of seeing.
This is a perfect time to remind you of the importance of working with a professional travel advisor.
No matter what's going on in the world, I am your personal advocate for all your travel plans. I am constantly monitoring advisories that pertain to your reservations. Have questions? You can call me (an actual person). Want to know what's happening on the ground in your destination? I work with the best travel suppliers in the world, and they are true partners who are proactive with sharing information and are always available 24/7. When you choose Nine Muses Travel, it's like gaining your own global Travel Squad, watching your back. All year I attend meetings, events, workshops, trade shows, familiarization trips, live webinars, and conferences to build and nurture extremely valuable relationships with hotels, tour operators and all kinds of suppliers on every continent so that when any kind of need arises, my clients immediately get the attention you deserve. I'm on the front line advocating for you and your travel plans, no matter what's in the headlines - every single day. When you hire me, I work for you and in your best interests. I am YOUR personal travel advisor.
The trusted and vetted travel suppliers I work with have been amazing with how much communication they've sent since Coronavirus first appeared. I am getting regular, hyper-local updates directly from tour operators, airlines, and travel insurance providers. Nobody in the travel industry is new to working through a crisis, be it geopolitical, financial, environmental or even medical. We are resilient, creative problem-solvers, and at the heart of it, we are a service industry - in the service of your safety, enjoyment, relaxation, and global exploration. When you work with Nine Muses Travel, you get a worldwide coalition of professionals in your corner - your Travel Squad!
Of course the immediate effect of the new Coronavirus on travel is a fluid situation, and there is a wealth of information, guidelines and recommendations on www.cdc.gov - including THIS PAGE regarding travel. I know most of you are taking all this in stride because that's what I'm hearing from you. When you are ready to book a trip, there are generous promotions and relaxed cancellation policies aplenty right now! We'll talk through the best options for you, or your family and friends. This is why I'm here, and this is why I love what I do - helping to find the perfect getaway at the right time, for you.
Contact me to get your own Travel Squad looking out for you!