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News continues to improve with regards to relaxing of travel requirements throughout the World. With thoughts returning to long overdue vacations I wanted to remind you why it’s more important now than ever to turn to a trusted travel advisor when making your post pandemic vacation plans.

Now, more than ever, the value of booking with a travel advisor is clear.

When travelers spent hours on hold negotiating refunds or navigating their way home, our clients didn’t have to lift a finger because it’s our job to handle that on their behalf. When things go wrong, we have your back. It’s our job to read the fine print and understand what’s a good fit for our clients. Like an attorney or financial advisor, we have a fiduciary duty to do what’s best for our clients. Given the overwhelming complexities of the post-COVID travel industry, I’m here to remind readers how important it will be to work with a professional like me.

While my part of the travel industry was devastated by COVID, travel interest is picking back up at record pace. That is why I can say confidently that travel advisors are poised for a renaissance of their own, and the golden age of travel is on the horizon.

Being grounded for two years caused introspection for all of us. We asked questions like: What really matters? How do I adjust as we move from pandemic to endemic? Where is my bucket list? Travel is the common denominator to all these questions because travel is how we heal.

As a travel advisor, I am the person behind the scenes helping us connect again. When I say connections, I’m not just talking about flights! I have relationships and industry knowledge that take a lifetime to build. The benefits of my relationships and experience are passed along to my clients in the form of free hotel upgrades if available, late check-out, spa credits, free breakfast and so much more. These are things you can’t get on your own when you book your own.

If you really want to travel confidently, use a professional travel advisor. According to ASTA, there is a 98% chance that the travel agency you work with is a small business and a 66% chance they’re female-owned. (Slaydon’s Travel is both.) By working with an advisor you can feel good about supporting a small business, but you’ll feel even better when you see what we can do for you.

Since you can only do your first post-pandemic vacation once, I highly recommend that travelers don’t DIY something that important. As the world starts traveling again, travel advisors are here to help…and here to stay!

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Have you noticed your social media feed full of friends playing Wordle? There have even been news articles about the game’s difficulty since having been bought recently by the New York Times. While I have found myself caught up in the fun of that, I’ve also enjoyed Worldle even more. It’s a similar concept, in which you are given the outline of a country, or territory and you have six guesses as to which country is represented. It’s a great test of geography, and you may even discover a new destination to add to your wishlist in the process.

While online may be fun for games, now is not the time to try to navigate planning your next vacation online without the help of a professional. When I tell you that protocols are changing daily, it’s no exaggeration. With all of the “announcements that there will be an announcement” it’s enough to make your head spin. Then there are the recommendations, or projected changes in protocols that seem to disappear in thin air. When you are not sure of the source things get even more confusing.

That’s where we can help, while we can’t guarantee that protocols won’t change (multiple times) during the planning process, we can guarantee that you will have the most up to date information from our trusted sources, not some internet link that takes you down a rabbit hole.

When you’re comfortable enough to start planning your next vacation the professionals at Slaydon’s Travel are here to help navigate that process.

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The news continues to improve with regards to relaxing entry requirements abroad for fully vaccinated US travelers. In the past week we have seen several announcements from countries dropping the incoming testing requirements with more signs of announcements coming in the next few weeks.

This encouraging news may have you wondering if maybe the time is right to start planning a vacation to one of the destinations on your dream sheet. I know that list of vacation ideas has grown for nearly everyone since we’ve been grounded for the better part of 2 years now.

When you start thinking about where to go next, I suggest we look at things from a different perspective. Let’s chat about your budget and the time frame you are able to travel within for the places on your list and go from there, rather than starting with the destination. We’ll take a look at where your best value is for 2022 rather than moving through your list from top to bottom.

There have been many changes to the way we travel in the past two years.

Here are the trends that seem to be leading the way right now:

#1 – single destination vacations, or at least fewer destinations – when you think of European travel it’s easy to try to fit as much into your itinerary as you think you can. When you compare an international trip to a domestic one, consider the pace. You wouldn’t do a 10 day vacation to Florida where you spend 2 nights in Key West, 2 in Miami, 2 in Orlando, 2 in St. Augustine and 2 in Pensacola. Why are you trying to see all of Ireland in the same amount of time? Slow down and spend more time in one spot!

#2 – longer vacations – This one is hard for Americans, but we’re finally starting to embrace vacations that are at least 10 days and more often trending up to 14 – 21 days. With the rise in teleworking we find that people are more comfortable spending more time away from the office, or even the home office.

#3 – more sustainable vacations – While the pause for Covid precautions is a strain on many, the planet itself has shown signs of new life and improvement during the past two years as a result. Travelers are beginning to consider more closely the impact that their carbon footprint brings. We can help you navigate these new options through our Vacation For Good program when you’re ready.

#4 – integrating experiences such as culinary or wellness into your vacations – have you tuned into an online cooking class or started doing your daily yoga practice through youTube? Why not carry those one step further on your next vacation and incorporate a cooking class, or perhaps include an element of wellness in your daily itinerary?

#5 – private experiences – this has been on the rise for the past several years and promises to continue to skyrocket as we move forward. No one really enjoyed those massive group jaunts through a crowded museum following a cat toy on a stick, did they? Luckily we’re seeing an increase in not only small group options, but private options as well.

What are some changes you would like to make when planning your next vacation? When it comes to the destination, do you still have the same spots in mind, or have those shifted as well?

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Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. Just incase it’s sneaking up on you, it’s this coming Monday – the day after the big game, so plan accordingly.

This week, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I thought we would dive into the world of chocolate! With the exception of my daughter’s best friend, who doesn’t love a good, decadent chocolate treat?

European chocolates are known worldwide as some of the best.

The top three destinations within Europe (ranked alphabetically) are currently Belgium, France and Switzerland. While the cacao beans aren’t grown in Europe, these countries have nearly perfected (I’m sure there needs to be more personal tasting to confirm) the art of chocolate making. The artisanal chocolate shops that can be found on nearly every block in the larger cities, and even the occasional small towns turn out beautiful, and tasty creations that are known worldwide. Those in the photo were some we came across in a small shop in Belgium.

Perhaps you want to dive a bit deeper into the world of chocolate? You can go to to the source and visit cacao farms. While most cacao is grown in Africa there are opportunities to visit farms and production facilities as close as the Dominican Republic. I was able to visit a farm near Puerto Plata several years ago. We planted cacao trees, saw the fruit as it was picked and transformed into the beans, then followed them through the production process. We sorted the beans, then the nibs, we watched as they were transformed into molten chocolate and then we were able to mould them into bars (don’t worry, they didn’t sell any of those that we made). Lastly, we put the labels onto the wrapped bars and packaged them for distribution. The entire process was quite interesting and gave everyone in our group a new appreciation for the work behind a simple chocolate bar.

Itinerary planning is in full swing for 2022 and a long list of clients who are ready to plan for 2023 when schedules allow. When you’re ready to start bouncing some ideas around, I would love to chat about your best course of action. We can set up a phone or video chat. I look forward to hearing from you, even if it’s just to test the waters.

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Wow, don’t you just love that video and it’s message? It was released back in 2020, during the height of the travel lockdowns, by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

We’ve talked a lot over the past few weeks about the questions that are swirling around regarding travel. Yes, things are confusing right now, on that we can all agree.

However, with these cold weeks of winter grabbing hold, maybe it really is time for you to start planning your next vacation, or at least narrowing down that dream sheet.

Studies have shown that just the act of planning a vacation can elevate your mood before you even step foot on the airplane. It’s also the perfect way to get everyone engaged and excited about the upcoming vacation plans.

Itinerary planning is in full swing for 2022 and a long list of clients who are ready to plan for 2023 when schedules allow. When you’re ready to start bouncing some ideas around, I would love to chat about your best course of action. You may simply reply to this email and we can set up a phone or video chat. I look forward to hearing from you, even if it’s just to test the waters.

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The news from across the Pond continues to be encouraging for those considering a Spring 2022 trip. We brought you the announcement last week that Ireland had lifted public health restrictions. Just today the UK announced they will be lifting testing requirements for incoming travelers who are fully vaccinated. While I was typing this week’s message I got a notification that Norway is no longer requiring incoming travelers to quarantine. Testing remains in place for the time being.

We are also seeing more countries requiring booster shots for incoming travelers in hopes to continue this downward trend of infections. The latest list of countries requiring travelers to be boosted is Austria, Croatia, France, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland. This is not a complete list and as with any Covid-19 protocols, subject to change at any time.

All of these are indications that once again things are on the right track. Of course, if we’ve learned anything in the past two years is that they can change on a dime. That said, I’m optimistic that we won’t see major shutdowns in the near future for fully vaccinated (and boosted) travelers in these parts of the world.

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Things are beginning to settle back down with regards to community spread in Coastal Virginia. Although it seems our next challenge may be the forecast of snow later today and into the weekend. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll take a blanket of snow over 35° and rain any day.

This week I wanted to share some of the travel trends we are seeing for 2022

Top 3 trends for 2022 travel

#1 – Making up for lost vacation time – many families are planning for multigenerational travel in 2022 as the past several holidays were spent away from friends and family. We’re seeing larger groups that include all branches of the family tree.

#2 – Going big – With the pent up wanderlust we’ve all experienced our dream sheets have gotten even longer. We’re seeing more inquiries into locations that are often “saved” for milestone occasions, such as Alaska, French Polynesia, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.

#3 – Staying longer – This goes hand in hand with the unused vacation time from the past two Summers. The trips we are planning are rarely the one week fly by that packs in as many locations as possible. We’re continuing to see a shift towards average vacation length of 14 – 17 days and fewer locations. Clients are choosing to immerse themselves in the local culture and slow down enough to enjoy their time away.

As we move into 2022 I know a lot of you have questions about what our predictions are for travel.

The magic 8 ball has gotten quite a workout during the past 2 years, but currently the most common response has been “outlook good.” I certainly don’t think anyone would have imagined in the early days of March 2020 that we would not have come out of this pandemic by now. However, there are encouraging signs all along the way.

As we wrapped up 2021, 91% of our clients who had travel planned were able to enjoy those long awaited vacations with less than 10% choosing to postpone or cancel their vacations. That’s a pretty amazing statistic given what 2021 brought.

The most popular destination, by far, for our clients in 2021 was Europe. This is a destination that is also clearly a front runner for clients who have secured their vacations for 2022. We are approaching pre-pandemic levels of travel already for 2022.

Does this mean we’re in the clear and challenges won’t arise? Of course not!

That said, there is a lot of misinformation out there, especially surrounding the cruise industry.

There was a time last week that you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing a reporter at a port with cruise ships behind them as the CDC announced that COVID outbreaks had been reported on every cruise in US waters. What they didn’t report is that cruise lines are considered to reach “outbreak”(yellow) status when 0.1% of passengers OR a single crew member tests positive for COVID 19. They are the only travel sector required to report data surrounding case counts. As a reference, the percent positivity in Chesapeake is currently 46.1% according to the Virginia Health Department data.

Cruise lines are the only industry in the travel and tourism sectors requiring both vaccination and testing for crew and guests.

When your thoughts turn to the possibility of a cruise, we’re ready to help you make those plans and utilize those credits many clients gained from plans that were cancelled in 2020.

Speaking of cruising – if big ship ocean cruises aren’t your cup of tea, perhaps river cruising has caught your eye. These river cruises offer a much more intimate atmosphere with even the largest guest count remaining under 200 guests.

Just Monday I sent out the information below regarding a special cruise we are offering in October. Click here for the full itinerary and contact me if you would like further information.

This all-inclusive 11 night sailing will begin October 20, 2022, space is extremely limited. Reach out to me today to reserve your cabin, or for additional information. The first cabin to confirm will also receive an autographed copy of Bryan’s cookbook Home ~ Recipes to cook with family and friends.

Embark on a delightful culinary river cruise with special guest Chef Bryan Voltaggio through the flavors and textures of the land that gave the world modern cuisine. A special welcome reception in honor of Chef Bryan will be held to kick-off a series of events exclusive to this cruise which include an on board cooking demonstration and a collaboration with the ship’s executive chef to create a custom-tailored menu for all the guests. He will also host an intimate dinner at L’Amour and give a lecture on seasonal ingredients and French cuisine followed by a Q&A session.

Meet Chef Bryan Voltaggio

Chef Bryan Voltaggio is a culinary innovator of Mid Atlantic Cuisine, a restaurateur and television personality. His menus are driven by the region’s fresh, seasonal, organic ingredients and he strives to engage diners to support local agriculture through his choice of seasonal dishes to provide guests with new experiences with every visit.

A Maryland native, Bryan Voltaggio is a James Beard Foundation Award finalist and was voted Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2010 and Chef of the Year by both the Washington, D.C.- based nonprofit Share Our Strength and the Restaurant Association of Maryland that same year. This past year he starred in his own recently released Food Network series called Battle of the Brothers co-starring his brother Michael Voltaggio. In addition, Tom Sietsema from The Washington Post included his restaurants in his 8 favorite places to eat right now and 2021 Spring Dining Guide along with an acknowledgement of the 22 restaurants that opened despite the pandemic. He has also released two cookbooks; Home: Recipes to Cook with Family and Friends and VOLT.Ink. His first restaurant Volt, which opened in 2008, has since been reinvented due to the pandemic as Thacher & Rye located in his hometown of Frederick Maryland.

A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Voltaggio is also executive chef for Showroom and chef and partner at STRFSH, Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse, and Estuary with his brother Michael Voltaggio.

Happy New Year! I trust each of you had a wonderful holiday season, Now that we are in the beginning stages of 2022 many of you are considering jumping back into the travel pool. At the same time, many travel suppliers are predicting that 2022 crowds could be back to what they were in 2019. Time will tell if these predictions hold true. What we do know is that even if 2022 travel levels return to those we saw pre-pandemic, little else has remained the same. There are more hoops than ever to jump through to get to that stress free vacation you’ve been dreaming about.

This week I wanted to recap the top 10 reasons everyone should be utilizing the services of a travel professional now more than ever before.

#1 – Peace of mind – We hold your hand from start to finish, when flights are cancelled you are in touch with the same person who you’ve been planning with the entire time. When regulations change we are there to help you understand the new protocols.

#2 – Customer Service – much like peace of mind, we’re just a phone call, email or text away. You’re not directed to an 800 number with a 6 hour hold time to reach a representative who has no idea who you are or what your situation is like.

#3 – Maximize your budget – when booking your vacation online, or even directly through the cruise line, resort or hotel, do you think they will tell you that if you travel on a different flight or a week later or earlier that you can get a better value? Of course not.

#4 – Better choices – this is something we’ve touched on in many articles. Just because a vacation was perfect for your friend, neighbor, cousin or your friend’s neighbor’s cousin, doesn’t mean it is the right fit for you. We drill down and make sure that the proposal we provide is the best choice for your travel needs.

#5 – We save you time – A 15-20 minute consultation with one of our agents will start you on the path to your next vacation. Once you choose the proposal that is right for you we’ll continue to monitor that vacation for changes in regulations, flight schedules, pricing and more so you don’t have to.

#6 – Personal service – You will never be a number to us, we are here to get to know you and your travel style so we can better match you with the vacation you’ve been dreaming about.

#7 – Insight and expertise – Most families plan one big vacation every year, we do this all day, every day. In addition to our years of planning experience, we’ve also been to the locations that many of our clients are visiting. There’s no substitute for the first hand knowledge we can provide.

#8 – Document assistance – Did you know that your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after you return home? (You should if you’ve been keeping up with these emails regularly) We check your documentation from the start and continue to monitor changes from the time you book until you return home.

#9 – Consumer advocate – We are here to help when things don’t quite go as planned, which leads right into the next reason

#10 – Industry contacts – We have spent years cultivating relationships with travel industry colleagues around the world.

These are just some of the benefits of utilizing the services of a travel professional when planning your next vacation. This is not the time to try to take on planning yourself. Turn to a professional, if I’m not a great fit for the vacation you have in mind one of my agents most likely will be. Still not a great fit? I’ve got a network of colleagues all over the US, I’m certain I can connect you with someone who will be the right fit for your travel needs.

The number of families planning to travel overseas in 2022 has been close to pre-pandemic levels during the past two weeks. With the current trend in long haul flights, I wanted to share this article from early 2020 with some tips for keeping younger children happy on the airplane.

#1 – Keep them informed, don’t try to gloss over the fact that the flight is long. However, it’s important to break it down into terms they can understand. The concept of a 7 hour flight might be lost on a preschooler, but when you explain to them what your expectations are for them it makes things more clear.

#2 – Routines don’t stop at 30,000 feet. One thing we have found helpful on the overnight flights is for kids to change into pajamas either right before they board the plane or just after they eat dinner on the flight, depending on the departure time. If the flight doesn’t leave until 9pm we’ll eat dinner in the airport rather than wait for the inflight meal. Brushing teeth and putting pajamas on helps signal your body that it’s time for sleep, as do completing all the steps of your child’s nighttime routine. Also, lets be honest, pajamas are pretty darn comfy! Is the sleep they get on the airplane going to be as good as what they would get in their own bed? No, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

#3 – Discipline doesn’t stop at 30,000 feet either! If your kids know the rules and know that you’re serious about enforcing those rules you won’t have a problem.

#4 – Bring the headphones or ear buds that your kids are used to using. Sure they pass them out on the plane, but we all know how uncomfortable they can be on us, let alone the smaller ears of children. No body wants a melt down because they can’t watch a movie or listen to some “nighttime music” to drown out the airplane noise because the ear buds “don’t work right.”

#5 – Pack a carry on for each person – let your kids (within reason) pack their own. We love story cubes when we travel. They are lightweight, easy to pack and can provide some good entertainment. If they have a favorite stuffed animal you may convince them to leave that one at home and take a runner up just incase the favorite stuffed animal decides to head off on their own adventure and becomes lost. Some gum or kid friendly snacks and an empty water bottle can come in handy as well. As far as travel pillows everyone has their own favorite, but I’ve found for kids that the inflatable pillows are a nice solution. Being able to fill them to fit tiny necks and not having to carry around a larger item comes in handy.

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