Agents reveal ‘tough times’ Helpers fix travel woes
TRAVEL agents are feeling the ripple effect of the coronavirus closing borders, cancelling flights and cruises and leaving travellers’ plans in limbo worldwide.
The global coronavirus pandemic has meant Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled gatherings of 500 people or more indefinitely from March 16.
Townsville city travel agent, Travel Associates, have been helping their clients manage their international holiday plans amid the outbreak of the virus.
Travel Associates Townsville City store manager Gail Barnes said times were tough but everyone was “remaining positive”.
“We have had a few cancellations, we have a lot of people travelling in four to six weeks and we are encouraging people to sit tight,” she said.
“Clients are understanding and are calm about it.”
Even though tours and cruises have been cancelled around the world, Ms Barnes said many people “would love to still be travelling”.
“(Our clients) are not scared they are disappointed, there are people who have been planning a holiday for 18 months,” she said.
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Travel Associates is urging travellers to rethink their immediate travel plans to China, Iran and Italy.
Marie De Monchaux booked a holiday to Morocco and Pakistan in September last year through Ms Barnes and was supposed to depart next Wednesday.
Ms De Monchaux had to cancel the Pakistan leg of the trip but was not deterred from travelling.
“Coronavirus has not scared me,” she said. “If you travel anywhere, you just take precautions on the plane and even wrapping yourself in toilet paper is not going to help.”
For the meantime, Ms Barnes said the business would take each day at a time.
“We are not laying off staff but we will potentially encourage staff to take some leave,” she said.
“I think we have hit the worst level of it at the moment and we are dealing with it and I see light at the end of the tunnel.”
Business owner Debbie Rains said that the agency was finding solutions for travellers.
“We are considering their individual circumstances and in some cases we are booking for down the track, or if they are cancelling we are helping them through that process, s or offering alternative destinations around Australia,” she said.