SARASOTA-MANATEE COUNTIES (WSNN) – If you’re a traveler, 2020, was not your year to rack up miles and points. But, with the vaccine here, some on the Suncoast say they’re ready to book that trip.
“We’re just looking forward to the travel world open up,” Seasonal resident, Alex Brager said.
2020 cancelled about half a dozen trips for the Brager family. But they say the COVID-19 vaccine is giving them hope in 2021.
“Our trip to Antarctica was postponed to this year,” Paula Brager said. “So, we’re hoping to go in December of 2021. We’re very excited about that and we feel pretty confident that it’s going to happen.”
Travel expert, Marc Bokoff says 2021 travel will still be very close to home for the first half of the year.
“In the second half of the year, we are cautiously hopeful about a return to some European travel,” Bokoff said.
Currently, international countries have their own restrictions and quarantine policies.
“Airlines are running to and from overseas, but the practical nature of that is pretty limited,” Bokoff said.
Bokoff says North American cruising is still on hold.
“We are not going to see any cruising out of North America other than the potential for some test cruises that the cruise lines might do,” Bokoff said. “You won’t see them before the first of April.”
The pandemic will have permanent effects on the travel industry when it comes to vaccinations, says Bokoff.
“If you want to a place that requires the yellow fever vaccine and you don’t want to take it, you’re not going to get to go,” Bokoff said. “I think the COVID vaccines are going to be a similar type of situation simply because it was such a pandemic; COVID was literally everywhere.”
It’s safe to say travel plans are still up in the air.
“I probably won’t book anything till after March,” Lakewood Ranch resident, Debbi Breslof said. “Why? To see how the progress goes with both the virus and the vaccinations. Because I personally don’t want to contribute to any spread.”
