Coronavirus Puts Travel Advisors to the Test

With so much fear and uncertainty over the fast-spreading coronavirus, travel advisors have been challenged to keep on top of the situation and deal with the concerns of their understandably worried clients. For many, it's been a busy couple of weeks of handling cancellations and rescheduling flights and itineraries.

Risk management experts and industry organizations are recommending that travel advisors direct concerned clients to primary sources such as the Centers for Disease Control when making decisions about whether or not to cancel travel plans. Even if there's little to fear in a destination, it's up to the client to decide.

Here's some good advice from Craig Hsu, vice president of Travel Design USA: "As advisors, we do not try and influence our clients' decisions whether to cancel a trip or not. Every traveler has their own comfort level, and it is our duty to help provide them with the most reliable information for them to make that decision on their own."

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Any suggestions for the coverage you would like to see are welcome. Feel free to contact me at mbl@skift.com.

— Maria Lenhart, Travel Advisor Editor

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Skift Travel Advisor Editor Maria Lenhart [mbl@skift.com] 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.