Safe ways to resume travel during coronavirus
With less people traveling by plane, here are safe alternatives
Americans are taking more caution with summer travel plans during the coronavirus pandemic.
Only 14 percent of travelers feel safe taking a domestic flight, and 17 percent feel safe at a hotel or resort, according to a survey by MMGY Global for the U.S. Travel Association from late April.
Travel lovers are hopeful to venture out once the COVID-19 pandemic passes.
But travel lovers are hopeful. Once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, more than half of the respondents from the survey said they’d venture out of town again with four in 10 saying they’ll likely travel by plane, and 1 in 3 saying they’d vacation closer to home.
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Here’s how to navigate safe travel and transportation:
Hotel stays
Hotels will likely be stripped of communal amenities like pools, spas and buffets. If they’re not, consider social distancing, health experts say. Upon arriving to a hotel, the travel industry suggests opting for non-contact payment solutions for things like check-in and considering food ordering apps and electronic ticketing for events or excursions to maintain social distancing with others.
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Car rentals
Zipcar, the car-sharing company, has added antiviral and antimicrobial solutions to its car cleaning service, the company said in a recent blog post.
“We’ve also promoted additional healthy hygiene and safety practices within the team that works behind the scenes to care for our vehicles,” the company’s website says.
Hertz rental cars put out a 15-step cleaning and disinfecting process for inside and outside of its vehicles, which will now be certified with a "Gold Standard Clean," to show customers their cars have been sanitized, the company's president and CEO Kathryn Marinello said in a statement.
And Enterprise car rental company has also ramped up its health and safety measures, ensuring customers their vehicles have undergone "vigorous cleaning and sanitation procedures," according to its website.
Road Trips with recreational vehicles
Roadtrips are a safe alternative to avoiding public transportation and a number of RV rental companies have seen an uptick in bookings.
According to a recent survey from RVshare, an online RV rental company, an overwhelming majority (93%) of users said they are looking to avoid crowds while traveling in the next three months.
"While the rush back to airports or hotels in busy cities may take a little more time, many will turn to RV travel. Renting an RV is the ideal way to travel to not only avoid large groups, but a way to escape into nature and spend time outdoors," a spokesperson for RVshare told FOX Business in an email. "With their means of travel, cooking, and sleep all on board, their trips can be completely self-contained allowing people to get back to traveling while doing so responsibly."
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Bookings increased more than 1000 percent this month, the company said. And rentals can be an affordable option for travelers looking to get away throughout the summer. RV rentals typically range from $175 a night up to $300 a night depending on the make and model.
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Biking
If you’re having a permanent staycation in your home city or one that provides rental bikes be sure to wipe down handlebars with disinfectant as the virus can live on surfaces for 24 hours or up to a few days depending on the substance.
Citi Bike, for example, has expanded bike cleaning efforts by wiping them down once they return to shops and valet stations.