Skift Take

The recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka underscore the need for addressing traveler safety. While mitigating risk does not come with the same obligations for leisure travel advisors as it does for those on the corporate side, there are still steps they can take to protect clients.

Whether you are a home-based travel advisor or you work in a large office servicing high-profile accounts, the Travel Advisor Innovation Report will have you covered with the trends, news, and features you’ll need to stay on top of an ever-changing marketplace.

While leisure travel advisors may not have the same level of obligation that corporate advisors do in keeping travelers safe, the recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka raise questions about what they can or should do to minimize risk for their clients. It’s an important issue, given that tourist destinations can be susceptible to terrorist activity.

In this newsletter, Skift looks at some of the government and commercial resources that advisors and their clients can turn to for safety assistance. Among these is the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, in which travelers can register their itineraries and contact details with a U.S. embassy or consulate in the destination.

The service provides updates on travel risks in the destination and helps the embassy contact the traveler in the event of a natural disaster, civil unrest, or other emergency. In addition, a number of private companies provide safety-related services that travel agencies can offer their clients.

For more coverage of pertinent issues, click here.

Any suggestions for the coverage you would like to see are welcome. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].

— Maria Lenhart, Travel Advisor Editor

Featured Stories

Tight security in Sri Lanka. Associated Press

Travel Advisor Risk and Responsibility in Sri Lanka: Leisure travel advisors may not have the same obligations as their corporate travel counterparts when it comes to keeping travelers safe, but last week’s terror attacks raise questions about risk and responsibility.

Travel Leaders Picks Up Former Amex Partners in Corporate Travel Push: Leisure agencies that belong to Travel Leaders should know that the company is placing a huge emphasis on corporate travel, and an initial public offering could be on the agenda.

Marriott and Southwest Airlines Top Annual Loyalty Awards: Despite a rocky integration with Starwood Preferred Guest, Marriott performed well in this year’s loyalty rankings. Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, continued its reliable drumbeat of loyalty-program popularity.

Hotels

Marriott Is Officially Getting Into the Homesharing Business: As Marriott adds homesharing to its portfolio, the properties will likely be in what might be considered the premium or luxury category. Marriott staffers have been inspecting lots of the properties, and that’s a good thing.

Tourism

Culture Is Central in Puerto Rico’s New Marketing Campaign: In its new marketing campaign, Discover Puerto Rico wants to remind Americans that the island is part of the United States and uniquely accessible for U.S. citizens. No passport, no problem.

Philippines Boracay Island Tackles Overtourism With Bans on Cruise Ships in Peak Seasons: Philippines’ Boracay is a good example of how to regulate potential overcrowding by cruise ships. The idea to offer alternative ports of call is smart, as it promotes new destinations and spreads tourism benefits to other places.

Theme Park Operator Parques Reunidos Gets $703 Million Takeover Approach: With two of the company’s minority shareholders on board, this bid looks like it has a good chance of succeeding. But will any of Parques Reunidos’ rivals fancy getting involved with their own bids?

Airlines

Why Southwest Cancelled 10,000 Flights in the First Quarter: Southwest made a remarkable amount of money in the first quarter, considering how many airplanes it had out of service.

Alaska Air Slows Its Growth as It Focuses on Absorbing Virgin America: Alaska has always been a growth airline. But after acquiring Virgin America, the growth slowed slightly. Next year, the growth should pick up again. That should be good news for customers, as more capacity can spur lower fares.

Rising Costs Catch Up to Spirit Airlines: In many ways, the airline had a solid quarter, but some potential long-term issues are starting to emerge, casting doubt on future performance.

Skift Travel Advisor Editor Maria Lenhart [[email protected]] curates the Skift Travel Advisor Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Tuesday. Have a story idea? Or a juicy news tip? Want to share a memo? Send her an email.

smartphone

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: safety, security, tourism, travel advisor innovation report, travel agents

Photo credit: Security personnel standing guard in Sri Lanka after Easter attacks. Travel advisors have resources to try to keep travelers informed about security risks. Iain Marlow / Bloomberg

Up Next

Loading next stories