Travel in Times of War, Pandemics, and Uncertainty

The Team

I have been in the travel industry long enough to learn one important lesson: people always travel again.

My first major crisis as a travel advisor was September 11, 2001. Overnight, the phones stopped ringing. The silence was overwhelming. The only calls we received were from clients asking for refunds—and many of them were understandably desperate to recover their money.

Slowly but surely, travel returned. Domestic trips came first, followed by Europe and eventually the rest of the world. Business travel recovered as well, and the industry entered another period of growth.

Along the way, we faced other challenges. Ebola, Chikungunya, and other health concerns changed how people planned vacations. Clients would call asking which destinations had the lowest risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. We even created color-coded maps showing the safest tourist destinations in Mexico, helping clients compare places like Cabo San Lucas, Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, and San Miguel de Allende so they could make informed decisions.

Over time, the fear of flying that followed 9/11 faded. The introduction of TSA procedures made airport security much more time-consuming, but it also restored confidence for millions of travelers. While the world continues to face security threats, the aviation industry has invested heavily in keeping passengers safe.

Then came COVID-19.

At first, many of us believed it would be another temporary health scare. We were wrong.

COVID became the greatest crisis the modern travel industry had ever experienced—far beyond anything we had seen after 9/11. Once again, our phones and inboxes were filled with refund requests. Suppliers struggled to keep up, travel insurance companies were overwhelmed, and processing times that once took days stretched into months.

One important lesson emerged from that experience: whenever possible, purchasing travel insurance from an independent insurance company rather than directly from a travel supplier can provide an additional layer of protection should that supplier encounter financial difficulties.

The pandemic reshaped our industry.

Some travel agencies merged. Others closed permanently. Hotels temporarily shut their doors, using the downtime to renovate and improve their properties. The companies that invested in training their employees, improving their systems, and preparing for the future were ready when demand returned. Those that let their teams go often faced a much longer road to recovery.

Today, the world continues to face geopolitical conflicts.

The war between Russia and Ukraine changed travel patterns throughout Eastern Europe. Travelers adjusted their plans, avoiding affected regions while continuing to explore other parts of the world.

More recently, tensions involving Iran have created uncertainty for travel throughout parts of the Middle East. Destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha invested billions of dollars over the past two decades to become world-class tourism and aviation hubs. They built extraordinary infrastructure, hosted global events, and welcomed visitors from every corner of the world.

I have personally arranged itineraries that combined both the United Arab Emirates and Israel for Jewish clients—something that would have seemed unlikely years earlier. Those trips were memorable and successful. Today, however, many travelers are understandably hesitant to route their journeys through the region until the geopolitical situation becomes more stable.

History has shown us that destinations recover. It may take months or years, but people eventually regain confidence, airlines return, hotels reopen, and travelers rediscover places they once avoided.

That has been the story of the travel industry for decades.

We all hope for a future where people can explore the world's beautiful cities without worrying about wars, pandemics, or political instability. Unfortunately, uncertainty has become part of modern travel. The difference is not whether challenges arise—but whether you have someone experienced helping you navigate them.

Anyone can book a flight or reserve a hotel online.

The real value of a professional travel advisor becomes clear when plans change, borders close, flights are canceled, suppliers become overwhelmed, or the unexpected happens. Experience matters most when things don't go according to plan.

After navigating 9/11, global health scares, COVID-19, airline disruptions, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts, one thing remains true:

Travel always comes back.

And when it does, we're here to help our clients travel smarter, safer, and with confidence.

rene@eawtravel.com