Advisors Need Information ASAP to Keep 2021 Sales Momentum Going, DWHSA’s Sheldon Says
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 13 – Travel advisors who sell destination weddings, honeymoons, and all types of romantic getaways need immediate information and support from suppliers and tourism offices in light of new U.S. and Canadian Covid-19 testing rules affecting airline passengers.
Those new rules include presenting proof of negative results from Covid-19 tests taken within 72 hours of departure for passenger arriving in Canada (effective Jan. 7) and the United States (beginning Jan. 26).
Lisa Sheldon, president of the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA), says the greatest needs are available, affordable testing on site at resorts in destinations that have reopened in 2021 and flexible lodging and retesting options in the event of “false positives.”
“These brand-new testing requirements announced within the past two weeks have raised lots of questions from our clients, many of whom have already booked spring and summer trips,” Sheldon notes. “We understand the reason for the new rules, but they threaten the momentum advisors were beginning to see as their businesses continue recovering from the pandemic.”
DWHSA has begun contacting its supplier and destination partners to help in three key areas:
Making the correct types of tests available on site in destinations at an affordable cost (“We salute the Excellence Collection for being the first resort company to offer these tests to guests free of charge, and we hope others will follow suit if they can,” Sheldon says.)
Distributing updated information about how current travel insurance plans will apply to testing costs and the risks of testing positive days before departure flights
Flexible lodging and retesting options for about-to-depart travelers, especially in “false positive” cases
“Many romance travel specialists still feel very encouraged about recovery this year,” Sheldon notes, “so we must do everything we can as an industry to support advisors who’re trying to generate sales that will help all of us rebuild as vaccine efforts get underway.”
ABOUT THE DESTINATION WEDDING & HONEYMOON SPECIALISTS ASSOCIATION
Formed in 2013, the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA) – the world’s largest network of romance travel professionals – represents more than 850 agents in North America and around the world engaged in planning and selling destination weddings, honeymoons, and romantic getaways. More information is available at JoinDWHSA.com.