Things are changing daily when it comes to the future of travel. But, one thing is for certain, travel as we know it has changed forever. This doesn’t mean we won’t be on that adventure by the end of the summer. Instead, precautions will forever be taken. Travel expert and on-air personality, Lindsay Myers, weighs in with her predictions, but with the current trends, they seem to be on the right track.

Flexibility – We’re getting some power as we move into the future of travel, since airlines, hotels, car companies are needing our businesses. With this, it brings flexibility. We will have the ability to shift or adjust our dates, as well as have a more flexible cancellation policy. They’re also allowing you to extend your point statuses until the following year. Rest assured, this will help when you are getting ready to book your next trip.

Domestic Trips- Local, long, and short road trips will dominate domestically this summer. We’re all itching for an escape this summer. Some people are even turning to RV’s and campers when they never thought they were those types of vacationers! We feel safer in the car, inside controlled environments, and are now more aware of being sanitary. You can jump in your car at any time and still have those summer trips. National parks and beach towns are going to be the hot spots. We need fresh air and nature, so why not hit the road this summer where you can do it safely.

City Changes- Big cities are going to try to get people back and a lot are opening up streets to pedestrians only. They want people to feel safe and have the ability to social distance. Cities and tourism organizations are even working together to cross-promote. They are helping you create reasons to travel. Keep an eye out for package deals, travel to hotels or vacation rentals from state to state at a discounted price. For example, Shutters in Santa Monica is promoting staying at their property then working with a hotel in Sonoma to extend a deal if you stay at both places. But, the real trend is the smaller off the beaten path cities. People are wanting to avoid crowds. This is a great opportunity for the smaller cities to get back on their feet. You also get the opportunity to give back to smaller local communities and feel good about your trip this summer.

Safety- Safety is something that everyone wants to see moving forward. We want to be reassured we’re doing everything we can to maintain our good health. Airlines are going to go completely touch-less. From your check-in to your baggage drop. They are going to try to have as little contact as possible. This will apply to car rentals as well. Everything will be run through apps. You will not have to even talk to anyone at your hotel at check-in, and you get to control how often the housekeeping staff comes in. Airlines, hotels, and car rentals are spraying down everything with disinfectant between flights and check-ins. They don’t want anything to happen to us on their watch just as in the same way we do not want to get sick. We should feel good about the precautions being taken moving forward with our safety.

We can all agree travel will look different in the future. Even if we are wearing masks, covered in antibacterial, and can’t touch anyone, we will get back out there.