As we’ve been watching the travel industry lately, we began to realize that many truly pressing issues are being ignored. Well, maybe not ignored by everyone, but receiving little attention that is leading to very little action. It’s not like the travel industry doesn’t have some immediate problems, either. Gas prices. Inflationary pressure across many industries. Supply chain issues. Lack of staffing in key sectors. Really, it’s a mess in many ways. Yet, the response has been piecemeal with no industry coordination or much effort. It’s as if everyone is hoping that these problems will just go away. Problem is, though, that they may not.
What is the consequence? These problems make the travel experience more difficult. Budgeting for travel is the first issue. It takes more money for your next trip and more time to save that money. The act of transiting from Point A to Point B now seems to be a gamble of epic proportions. You may get there on time. Yet again, you may not. The summer airline fiasco is one of the primary examples of this problem. So much for that relaxing experience in the tropics when you arrive exhausted, exasperated, and ready to sleep for 24 hours.
There’s also that creeping, uneasy feeling you get by realizing that any travel that you do undertake contributes to our global climate crisis.
So, what can we do? Short-term and long-term? In the short-term, the focus should be on making travel easier and more affordable. How? In a truly weather change of expectations, travel agencies and group travel are now coming back in vogue. Big time. As planning travel is now more difficult, having a team to help you can make a big difference. Working with a travel company, like Seadog Travels, can provide you with travel options, deeper insights into the destinations where you want to travel, arrange and book the travel, and provide you with that ever-critical support before and during your travels. You get more value for the money that you spend. Spend time finding a travel company that charges less for easy services (bookings and reservations), provides more comprehensive support (they are there when you need them), and offers knowledge and options that are beyond your expectations.
Then there’s group travel. While the COVID-19 pandemic put the kabosh on group travel for a couple of years, it’s coming back. This is also a more affordable way to travel that can provide a much more immersive experience. As with many things, it’s all about volume. More travelers = bigger discounts = you pay less money. That’s why it makes sense to get your group together first. You can then search out your travel options. Families. Community groups. Friends. Businesses. You name it. This will lead to more savings and very likely the addition of perks that are great add-ons to what you pay. You will also get the bonus of that travel agency support and the wonderful feeling of knowing you don’t have to do the reservations. That can become a hassle very quickly!
Finally, there is the long-term issue of sustainability. When there are some efforts in that area, namely Virgin Voyages and Green Marine, to name a few, this issue is slow to receive sufficient attention. Now is the time for the travel industry to fully embrace sustainable travel, now and for the future. Look for companies, such as Seadog Travels, that incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly travel as a core tenet of their business. For example, the vision of Seadog Travels is to explore and protect the oceans of the world. Explore through travel. Protect through science. Combining travel with science is an innovative way for the company to do its part to preserve ocean health. And doing it on a fleet of tall ships is a great way to reintroduce people to the joys of sailing and getting close to nature.
So, it’s not all doom and gloom. However, it does take a vision to embrace change and doing things differently. We’re optimistic. Let’s do this! Join the effort at https://wefunder.com/seadog.travels.