…Or should the title be ‘Not being able to live as a travel planner in Italy due to COVID 19’. Don’t worry we don’t have it personally but our jobs, our routines and lives as we know it are at an absolute standstill. I have a hugely positive outlook on life… sometimes to the disgust of friends or family but I truly believe in living for today. As a travel planner I do exactly that, I work with my clients to create fun, bespoke and exciting vacations to destinations all around the world crafting unforgettable memories. I know that sounds like so much fun and a large percentage of the time it is, right now it is not.
We plan itineraries all throughout the year to all destinations across the world so there is a never a time we are not planning an itinerary, we also in many cases are planning 6 months to a year in advance (don’t get me wrong we also get a call 10 days before a vacation starts from a client pleading for assistance). The key is to always keep a level head, pay attention to the client’s needs and budget and most importantly know that the devil is always in the detail.
Right now, groundhog day has certainly taken hold of our lives because every single one of my travel colleagues, suppliers, clients, friends, neighbors and all the new acquaintances we are making across social media are all going through the same challenges, fears and emotions.
It is heart-breaking to see the impact that the virus is having across the industry. Whether we are working with large hoteliers, small family businesses, museums, guides, drivers, we are all feeling the same pain, the drain on our finances and different emotions – the sadness and nervousness we wake up with daily, not knowing when the travel industry and life as we know it will start to see some normality.
We wake each morning hopeful for positive news (less cases and less deaths) only to be faced with an inbox of emails from our clients asking for advice, should we cancel our vacation? What will happen if we postpone? What are the cancellation fees? What are our options? Have the laws or guidance changed in that country? The questions are never ending and right now so are the cancelations having a huge impact on the bottom line. Creating a bespoke itinerary for our clients takes time and right now we spending our days cancelling or postponing every hotel, every tour, every transfer, every train ticket every car hire, every restaurant booking. But we are also so very grateful to be working with suppliers and partners that are trying their utmost to accommodate all the different requests.
Our desperate hope is that we see the flattening of the curve not only here in Italy but the rest of the world so that we can go back to our schools, jobs, families, friends and to start to rebuild the travel industry. We have many clients that are still hoping to travel this summer and we are hoping for a small miracle that over the next few weeks quarantine levels will lift and there will be more freedom of movement.
While we wait things I continue to be grateful for are (in no particular order):
- Our health
- My work colleagues, for the daily support and guidance
- Our suppliers and partners for their continued support and understanding
- My clients for their trust, patience and support
- Our supportive local community
- Friends and family on social media that keep us smiling and lift our spirits
- Waking up to the sun shining
- My strong family unit with my hubby and children
- A roof over our heads and food on the table
- A positive attitude and looking forward to planning my next itinerary
We know it will pass but an interesting saying pops into my head on a daily basis….. ‘Man plans and God laughs’
