Earlier this month, Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus Family of Brands, found himself at the Grand Canyon with more than 20 new friends, participating on a weeklong escorted tour through Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
During any other year, no one would bat an eye at this scenario. But in 2020, the ability to successfully and safely take part in a guided tour — and emerge without a trace of COVID-19 — is reason to celebrate.
We chatted with Born about his time on the tour, the advice he has for travel advisors and what he sees for the future of Globus.
Last month, you successfully resumed the seven-day America’s Canyonlands Escape for the first time since the pandemic began. Tell me a little about the trip.
I characterized it as a victory tour for travel. For many of our guests, it wasn’t about the destination. It was just about traveling. There was this neat resolve and spirit throughout the whole thing, and it was nice to spend a week with a group like this because it was very energizing and positive. So much had been cut off for eight months, and to have something open really gave it this nice spirit. In a couple cases, the staff of hotels — many of them family-owned business — stood outside as the coach pulled up and cheered. For many of them, it was the first coach they had seen this calendar year. And for so many people, it was that tangible step toward recovery. To actually be on the tour and be there with guests and partners we met along the way, it was almost emotional.
For so many people, it was that tangible step toward recovery.
How would you characterize the guests on this trip?
What the guests had in common was that they were all confident travelers. It wasn’t so much about the demographic, because it really spanned a wide range. They ranged from mother-daughter teams to several couples to a large percentage of solo travelers. Of the 26 guests attending, we had seven solo travelers, which for us is a pretty big percentage. Research says we are going to see more solo travelers as early adopters [for] coming out because they have fewer strings [attached] and a confident mindset. From what we’ve seen so far, that’s going to be a reality and an opportunity for agents.
They were from all corners of the U.S, from Miami to Portland, Ore., and everywhere in between. And what they shared in common was a positive resolve and confidence. The majority had traveled with us before, which I think is also going to be a sign of early adopters. They know us and they know the care that we take in our operations.
Steve Born, CMO for Globus, during this month’s America’s Canyonlands Escape tour, which was the first to resume during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: 2020 Globus Family of BrandsYou offer a Peace of Mind Travel Plan to all bookings — which includes a complimentary change to any date, destination, itinerary or brand within your portfolio. Do you find that guests are taking advantage of that?
A number of our guests who had used the Peace of Mind had moved what they originally booked this summer to this trip. It was the first one operating, and they were committed to taking a vacation this year.
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What safety protocols were put in place during this trip?
We’ve had all our safety protocols in place since March, and from our standpoint, this was our first opportunity to put them on the road and put them in action. The week prior to [the Nov. 1 departure], our director of operations drove the itinerary and vetted the hotels and attractions, just to supply that initial scout and make sure everything was ready for us. Because this was our first tour, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to make it an execution template for the rest of the tours we operate.
We’ve had all our safety protocols in place since March, and from our standpoint, this was our first opportunity to put them on the road and put them in action.
Did anything change from the scouting trip to the first trip?
When operating with guests, nothing really changed from what was in our protocols to putting it into action. If anything, it was finding the best ways to deliver it and finetune a few things. We made sure our guests are familiar with and sign our health and safety waiver, and then we took a temperature check. And what we learned is that doing this in different spots along the way was very welcome from the guests and reassuring to them. It was a friendly way for the tour director to check in personally with each one of the guests, and it was very natural as opposed to a more clinical process.
And it was almost instantly that our guests had a commitment to look out for one another — to wear masks and do social distancing — and to pay close attention to the cues from the tour director on things such as luggage sanitation and using hand sanitizer when available. Folks realized that we were in a traveling family together, and we were going to keep an eye out for one another. There was never an awkward moment where there was any resistance to the protocols.
Folks realized that we were in a traveling family together, and we were going to keep an eye out for one another.
What makes escorted touring relevant for today’s travel environment?
We have the [health and safety] protocols in place that are tested and that we are confident with. If clients are at all concerned about crowds or space, there are options with Globus and Cosmos to help overcome that. One of them is booking a Small Group Discovery tour. For every itinerary we offer for Europe and North America for 2021, we will offer an option to choose a Small Group Discovery departure with an average of 24 guests. Another way it’s relevant is with the itinerary itself. When choosing a destination, [clients can] choose an undiscovered type of itinerary that’s off the beaten path in small towns and communities with wide-open spaces … such as what we experienced on this great American road trip that we were on.
What happens if a guest begins exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 during one of your trips?
With any sign of symptoms, the guest is removed from the traveling party. We would also contact local authorities and a test would be initiated. We would rely on medical assistance at that point, as well. We won’t pretend to be both experts in touring and medicine. While awaiting test results, [the guest] would be isolated from the group and the rest would continue (if they have no symptoms) while we await the outcome of the original test.
From that point on, we have more detailed protocols … depending on the duration and proximity of contact that the guest had with others. But in a large part, we would defer to local authorities to help guide us on what protocols they would see as being appropriate for a traveling party.
What advice do you have for travel advisors right now as we head into a new surge of COVID-19 cases across the country?
I think some agents are a little apprehensive given the [COVID-19] spikes we are seeing in most states right now to even engage with clients in a conversation about travel, but I would say [to do] the opposite. There’s nothing wrong with the idea of helping your client find out what those safe opportunities are. On the day that there’s going to be that “grand opening” that we are all waiting for, it might be too late. Don’t be bashful about initiating that conversation.
On the day that there’s going to be that “grand opening” that we are all waiting for, it might be too late. Don’t be bashful about initiating that conversation.
The vast majority of our distribution sales come through travel agents, and that was the case [with this tour], as well. It was clearly a situation where the agent was keeping clients abreast of what was operating right now [and who had] the first departures, and helping them if they had moved from a trip they had planned with us this summer. I think that’s a template for short-term success for an agent. So many of them have clients who have credits or plans that were changed this summer. Whatever they had planned previously is almost going to be irrelevant, and they are very open to the power of suggestion from their advisor in helping guide them to know what’s operating.
What destinations are you keeping an eye on for 2021?
I think domestic travel is going to continue to be popular throughout 2021. But [in terms of international travel], it’s really a matter of border openings and feeling secure we can operate in a healthy and safe way.
As we get a little further out, we are keeping a close eye on destinations such as Costa Rica and South America, along with the U.K. and Ireland. Canada would also be a natural extension. But I think we are going to see travel open from the inside out, starting close to home, and moving from there. The opportunity for the E.U. to make some changes to its quarantine rules is going to open up huge possibilities.
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