SINGAPORE, 20 May 20230: Tour companies that offer coach transfers and extended road tours are dealing with the new reality of stricter hygiene rules to ensure guests travel safely on guided holidays.
A leader in the move to make land tours safer, The Travel Corporation (TTC) has introduced Covid-19 protocols and hygiene standards across all of its travel brand ahead of domestic and international travel resuming.
TTC’s award-winning guided vacation brands including Trafalgar, Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Contiki and Costsaver are among the first land tour products to adopt enhanced COVID-19 related protocols.
TTC’s executive and operations teams spearheaded a complete review of the sanitation and hygiene measures around guests’ experiences and interactions that occur on guided holidays, from the moment they meet their travel directors and trip managers to coach transfers, hotel stays and local excursions
“As a family-owned and run business for the past 100 years, the well-being and peace of mind of our guests and every team member is our top priority,” said TTC chief executive Brett Tollman. “Our dedicated TTC team members across the globe are implementing enhanced training, procedures and numerous new measures. These new protocols will be adapted and adjusted as needed, in a timely manner, as governments define and implement what will be required in each country,” he concluded.
TTC says it is ready to comply with new testing and physical distancing and hygiene protocol requirements by relevant government authorities and in accordance with the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO).
TTC is also sharing its best practices with various other industry players who are active members of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
WTTC has taken on the lead role to drive the definition of new measures and protocols, with the goal to have all governments approve these as expeditiously as possible, across the 10 sectors that WTTC is focused on.
Trained travel directors
TTC’s travel directors and trip managers will be trained in these new and enhanced hygiene and physical distancing procedures. They will monitor the guest hygiene compliance during trips, reacting and advising as needed to ensure high standards are maintained. Also, they will have new preventative measures in place to try and ensure guests’ well-being, and in the event that any unexpected issues arise on a trip, they will activate additional protocols.
Full team support 24/7
TTC’s operations and guest support teams are on call 24/7.
Stringent on the road protocols
TTC’s coaches are sanitised before the start of each trip. Drivers will now be trained with the latest hygiene protocols and will clean and disinfect all surfaces including handrails, door handles, tables, seats, air-conditioning filters and overhead lockers on a daily basis.
All of TTC’s guests will be asked to follow hygiene practices recommended by the World Health Organization including the thorough and regular washing of hands and sanitising when required. Hand sanitisers are available onboard for the guests to use throughout the day. Guests will be encouraged to bring their own washable face mask and gloves (as these are required to be worn in public in some countries, and on many airlines now), and to bring additional hand sanitisers with them. In addition, if an unexpected situation arises, personal protective equipment such as additional face masks, rubber gloves, antiviral sprays and wipes will be made available.
Physical distancing
TTC will be adapting to the right size groups, based on government distancing requirements. Hotels and restaurants will be vetted to ensure they adhere to physical distancing and hygiene guidelines required in each jurisdiction.
Smaller groups,
Luxury Gold’s and Insight Vacations’ are geared to smaller groups and customised coaches with fewer seats. Smaller groups also mean less queuing while embarking and disembarking at hotels and attractions, so it is easier to maintain a comfortable physical distance.
On future trips, all TTC brands will ensure travellers are divided into smaller groups at each stop, to ensure the required physical distancing is ensured.
TTC will host agent training webinars on the future of travel and these newly enhanced protocols to assist agents in preparing for our new world. Travel advisors will receive updates from their sales managers with dates and session times to register for the webinars.
