Travel is one of the biggest industries decimated by COVID-19. As people are advised to shelter-in-place and all but essential travel restricted in most of the country, the industry has suffered a 42% loss.
Even as companies take drastic steps to cut costs, reduce capacity, and conserve resources, they still have a responsibility to slow the pandemic. Travel businesses, such as airlines, bus systems, trains, car rentals, and more should follow strategies designed to reduce risks of COVID-19 transmission. Strategies should include operational changes, new employee practices, reimagining high-population public spaces, and rethinking general traffic flow. The health and safety of employees and customers should always be top priority.
Considerations for Travel Industry Companies
Enhance Sanitation: New, specific practices to slow the spread of COVID-19 need to be strictly implemented. Establish more frequent hand-washing and hygiene practices for all employees. Employees need to be communicated with and trained on new practices to protect themselves and others. For customers, be sure that hand sanitation is always within reach.
New technology and advanced symptom screening is now available and developed for use in spaces such as travel hubs. Discuss with your company what new technology could be used in your spaces, including touch-less options. As digital options become more available, consider touch-less buying options, check-ins, etc. If touch-less options are not available, sanitation of high-touched areas becomes a top-consideration.
Create Transmission Barriers: Transmission barriers, whether physical or personal, are a key component of slowing the SARS-CoV2 virus. Physical transmission barriers include transparent screens protecting employees, temporary walls between lines, blockages between seating options, etc. These physical barriers can stop the spread of droplets and prevent infection.
Personal transmission barriers include PPE and social distancing measures. The CDC strongly urges the all travel employees and customers to wear masks. Experts agree that wearing a mask is a highly effective tool to prevent the spread of infection, especially in public places. Though all customers should be well-versed in proper PPE wear, always have extras on-hand in case of emergency to distribute. Employees should have their own or be provided with proper, medical-grade PPE. Depending on their role and preexisting health conditions, some employees may need more PPE than others.
Strongly enforce proper wear, whether verbally or through signage, with masks up above the nose and covering the mouth for people over the age of two years old. Though enforcing the rules to those unwilling is never a pleasant experience, the majority of your customers and employees will thank you for protecting their health.
Leadership in the travel industry needs to remain prepared and flexible. As experts discover more about how this fast-moving virus operates, be sure to pay attention and follow professional and local guidelines in your business plans.
As travel companies take drastic steps to cut costs, reduce in-person capacity, and conserve resources, they need to look to the future. Decisions made today will impact the eventual recovery of the travel industry. Be sure your travel business stays on top with medical-grade PPE from Global Sourcing.