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THE FUTURE
OF LUXURY
TRAVEL
Challenges and
Solutions for Returning
to Operations
globalrescue.com
THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL
TOURIST ARRIVALS
LUXURY TRAVEL (thousands)
Challenges and Solutions for
-97.5%
2020 2019
Returning to Operations 200,000
April 2020
In late December 2019, an outbreak of the pneumonia-like By mid-April, a survey of Global Rescue members revealed 150,000 2019
coronavirus was first traced to a seafood market in Wuhan, 90% of travelers had either canceled or postponed their 117,653
China. By March 2020, the World Health Organization travel plans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
declared COVID-19 a pandemic and countries around 100,000
Recent research from the World Travel & Tourism Council
the world began rapidly imposing entry restrictions and
(WTTC) estimates COVID-19 could result in a loss of
travel bans.
121 million global travel and tourism jobs and an estimated
2 50,000 3
Tour operators and travel advisors were quickly thrown into $3.4 trillion in global GDP. 2020
unprecedented territory as the travel industry came to a 3,359
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
sudden halt. 0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Source: UNWTO https://www.unwto.org/international-tourism-and-covid-19
SIGNS OF RECOVERY
While the tourism and travel industry has been deeply impacted by the
pandemic, the road to recovery is already showing signs of promise.
As early as mid-April, signs of pent-up demand at international locations for their 2021 travel.
for travel were already emerging. More than
Even with traveler sentiment at such a promising
half (59%) of Global Rescue travelers reported
level, there’s no ignoring that travel is going to
they would book another trip as soon as they feel
be infinitely more complex than ever before.
safe to travel.
For luxury tour operators, gone are the days
Among travelers who did cancel their trips, not all where attention to detail and unmatched service
did so indefinitely. are enough to attract clients. Here to stay are
clients who expect the very best in health
“A great majority of the travelers have
and safety.
postponed,” said Jim Sano, former president of
Geographic Expeditions and Yosemite National In response to a greater expectation for health
Park Ranger. “When you look at the number of and safety measures, organizations like WTTC
4 travelers booked, the bookings for these tour and the Adventure Travel Trade Association 5
operators compared to this same time last year, (ATTA) have developed a series of COVID-19
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
October of 2019, are up by as much as 46-50%.” guidelines with protocols and recommendations
for rebuilding traveler confidence with an
Despite the fact many tour operators are still
evidence-based approach to health and safety.
shut down, it’s clear that when the time is right,
the return will be fervent.
In mid-September, another Global Rescue survey
revealed 52% of travelers said they were looking
When you look at the number of
travelers booked, the bookings for these
52%
tour operators compared to this same
time last year, October of 2019, are up
by as much as 46-50%
of travelers are concidering international
travel for 2021 Jim Sano
former president of
Geographic Expeditions
THE FUTURE OF
LUXURY TRAVEL
Outside of rebuilding confidence, some expectations among
luxury travelers will remain familiar. While privacy has
always been paramount, it’s already emerging as an even One of the first things
greater priority.
“One of the first things out of the gate will be private trips,”
out of the gate will be
Sano said. “These private trips will be family bubbles or
small groups of people with high confidence that this is the
private trips. These
will be family bubbles
group they feel sure of.”
While much of the airline industry continues to remain
stagnant, the private jet industry is surging. According to or small groups of
a recent article in Bdaily News, global charter company
6
Vista Jet has reported a bounce back to about 85% of pre-
people with high 7
pandemic traffic in the United States, with more than 70% of
bookings coming from new customers.
confidence that this
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
The future of luxury travel is already in motion, which means
tour operators will need sound strategies and resources to is the group they feel
ensure they are able to overcome unprecedented challenges
to meet new traveler expectations. sure of.
To meet these challenges, they’ll need two things: Jim Sano
planning and response.
former president of
Geographic Expeditions
85% 70%
Vista Jet is back to
OF PRE-PANDEMIC TRAFFIC of Vista Jet’s bookings are from
NEW CUSTOMERS
PLANNING &
RESPONSE
In a recent webinar for tour operators preparing for a
return to travel, Global Rescue Vice President of
Operations Scott Hume pointed to the renewed emphasis
and requirement to assess medical capabilities and
transportation infrastructure at every destination’s local
health care facilities.
“It is critical whether the medical infrastructure is accessible
and capable of providing the needed treatment,” Hume said.
“Who bears the cost should someone get sick or injured and
stuck on the other side of a border is also important.”
It is critical whether the
The time, expertise, and resources required to carefully
and accurately vet health care providers and facilities
to ensure travelers will have immediate access to care
8
should they need it is a huge undertaking. Many luxury tour medical infrastructure is 9
operators rely on Global Rescue to provide vetted hospitals
accessible and capable
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
and medical facilities rather than take on this burden and
liability themselves.
Similarly, Global Rescue’s award-winning GRID travel
of providing the needed
intelligence platform continuously monitors changing
border restrictions, fluctuating destination conditions,
treatment
and shifting traveler rules – relieving both operators and Scott Hume
travelers from that concern. Providing additional services
like emergency action plan creation, training, scenario
Global Rescue Vice President
analysis, running a rigorous COVID-19 testing regimen and of Operations
maintaining access to emergency response assets is at the
heart of Global Rescue’s solutions that allow tour operators
to focus on delivering the best possible experience for
their guests.
Finally, no planning process is complete without a robust
response component. Rescue, case management, including
for COVID-19 cases, evacuation, and repatriation complete
the comprehensive array of services that will help tour
operators focus on their business and help travelers relax
and focus on their experience.
THE SMART SOLUTION
GLOBAL RESCUE
20,000+
As the leading provider of travel risk, crisis management and Should an emergency occur, Global Rescue medical and executing established emergency action plans including:
response services, the in-house experts at Global Rescue security experts can fully coordinate all aspects of advisory access to case management, transport logistics, evacuation
have extensive experience assisting tour operators develop and evacuation – managing all ground and air medical and repatriation for any medical emergency, and monitoring
OPERATIONS
and implement solutions of all sizes, supported by our evacuation, quarantine and treatment for COVID-19 from diagnosis through repatriation. WORLDWIDE
proprietary GRIDSM journey management platform and our positive individuals.
While these services are a critical piece in helping tour
exclusive relationship with the Johns Hopkins Emergency
Global Rescue services may also include global telehealth, operators and companies get back to business,
Medicine Division of Special Operations.
1+ million
which includes access to trusted physicians with Global Rescue has been working closely with clients,
From planning to response, Global Rescue substantial expertise in global traveler medical concerns. governments and health care providers to deploy integrated
services are completely customizable to This fully-integrated model provides access to doctors for travel risk and crisis management solutions for more than
MEMBERS
real-time diagnosis and treatment from anywhere. 15 years.
meet the unique needs of each client.
No one expected a pandemic emergency, and no one With more than 20,000 operations worldwide, Global Rescue
Global Rescue medical, security and intelligence experts can
knows what the next vulnerability will be. We do know has been at the forefront of some of the world’s most
200+
support tour operators as they evolve existing protocols and
that the people, businesses, and industries that are best challenging crises. The coronavirus has deeply impacted
implement new procedures. Once a screening and tracking
prepared will be most resilient to any challenge. Part of that the travel and tourism industry, but as history has shown,
strategy is set, Global Rescue’s GRID platform allows tour MEDICAL CENTERS
preparation includes an all-hazards emergency protection the industry is resilient and travelers will acclimate.
operators to securely collect and store information, while OF EXCELLENCE
solution for medical and security crisis, like COVID-19.
also keeping up to date with destination reports that include WORLDWIDE
On-going protection provides support for authorities in
10 COVID-19 specific information. 11
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
Global Economic Crisis
15
first growth
IMPACT OF Sept 11th first growth +4 month ten
+4 month six
10
PREVIOUS CRISES ON
SARS first growth
+2 month five
5
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
Percent Change
Global arrivals returned to growth the fastest after SARS (5 months)
-5
SARS Global Economic crisis September 11th Attacks
-10
Month 0 for September 11 crisis = September 2001
Month 0 for SARS crisis = March 2003
-15
Month 0 for Global Economic crisis = January 2009 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Number of Months Since Event Occurred
Source: UNWTO https://www.unwto.org/international-tourism-and-covid-19
JUST ANOTHER
KNOWN RISK?
“There’s a certain amount of acclimatization that is bound
to happen over time,” said Sano, who pointed out that
many tour operators have already updated their terms and
conditions and implemented new waivers.
Sano likens aspects of the coronavirus pandemic to that
of the Ebola outbreak, noting that eventually travelers still
opted to visit Africa knowing Ebola was there.
Outside of Ebola, malaria is also an endemic disease
in African countries. Dengue Fever is endemic in South
America. Asia is one permanent home for Chikungunya,
a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected
mosquitoes. These endemic diseases are known risks
to travelers.
12 “It is always a background travel risk,” Sano said. 13
While there’s no way to predict if and when the coronavirus
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
THE FUTURE OF LUXURY TRAVEL
will fade to the background for travelers, what’s clear is that
BEFORE YOU GO...
travel risk will always be present yet manageable with the
right skills and team in place.
We love to travel. Whether it’s to visit family and friends,
or for adventure and discovery, or to escape and relax
– travel is important. And travel carries risks that may
It is always dramatically change our plans.
a background Global Rescue has done the work to mitigate those risks,
anticipate crisis, and to know what to do when a crisis
travel risk, inevitably occurs. In order to adequately prepare for a crisis,
the travel and tourism industry must take a seat at the table
Jim Sano in crisis preparedness, management and recovery.
former president of We cannot always predict the nature of the next crisis,
Geographic Expeditions but the value of your participation in the understanding
and planning around crisis preparedness is clear.
Even if a disaster strikes, having these systems in place will
mean a shorter recovery time for you, your clients, and the
destinations you serve
“Global Rescue plucks people from
precarious situations worldwide.”
The New York Times
Global Rescue was founded in 2004 to help make travel safer.
We provide travelers a better way to get help when they experience a
medical or security emergency. Global Rescue employs more
than 250 personnel spread across five operations centers in five
countries and provides the only vertically integrated duty of care
and travel risk management solution to organizations of all sizes,
including governments.
Our track record includes more than 20,000 operations worldwide
saving lives and protecting our members. These include evacuations
during some of the world’s most challenging crises, including the
2020 pandemic, Hezbollah’s war with Israel, the Arab Spring, the
earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal and hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Our mission is to continue to provide our clients with the world’s
leading medical, security, evacuation, travel risk and crisis
management services.
“They’re a well-tested provider of
medical services and evacuation.”
National Geographic
“Members who call in are connected
800.381.9754
immediately with critical-care
Intl. +1.617.459.4200 paramedics or nurses.”
connectwithgr@globalrescue.com
globalrescue.com The Wall Street Journal
