This week’s broadcast of Eye on Travel comes from the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. There is lots of breaking news. Frank Del Rio, Chairman and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, with a candid report of his court ruling victory over the state of Florida in the ongoing legal fight on requiring proof of vaccinations from passengers. Then, Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, reflects on the evolving (and often unexpected) travel trends during the past 17 months — how disruption may have reset the travel industry in a good way, and why you may want to be a contrarian traveler when choosing where to visit next. Chuck Malkus, Producer of The Money Plane on Netflix, tells the real life story behind one of the great travel crime cases. (It’s The Money Plane Parts 1 & Part 2 episodes on Netflix’s The Heist.) And, as always, Peter answers your travel questions. There’s all this and more on this week’s Eye on Travel.
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Have a travel question? Then ask Peter. E-mail him at peter@petergreenberg.com, or tweet your questions to @petersgreenberg (include #AskPeter).
Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, discusses how the past 17 months have accelerated travel trends and have changed how people travel. People are now throwing away their bucket lists from before the pandemic. Upchurch is seeing travelers taking longer trips and being more conscious about it. Travel agents have also proven their value during the pandemic as advocates for customers in need of refunds and helping them out of bad situations. He and Peter then discuss the cruise industry and the transformation from cruise ships being seen as floating petri dishes in the early days of the pandemic to now being one of the safest ways to travel. They also discuss being a contrarian traveler when choosing where to visit next, going to places where you know who is in control, and being aware of your risk tolerance. They further talk about the future of travel and with trips for 2022 and even 2023 selling out, and they encourage people to start booking now.
Frank Del Rio, Chairman and CEO of Norweigan Cruise Line, speaks about the cruise line’s recent victory against the state of Florida allowing it to require vaccinations for its passengers, calling it a victory for public health. Del Rio is focusing on minimizing risk and making people feel as safe as possible while on board a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel. In addition to the vaccine requirement, passengers must also get tested before embarking. On the ship, it has installed state-of-the-art air filtration systems and has quarantine and ICU areas set up in case there should be a need. According to Del Rio, its bookings for 2022 and beyond are even higher than 2019 levels, and Del Rio believes that its strict protocols have given it a competitive advantage over other cruise lines where vaccinations are not required. He and Peter also speak about how the cruise industry was able to pivot to cruise to Alaska without having to stop in Canada and the added benefits that come with not crossing international borders.
Stephanie Glanzer, Chief Sales Officer and Senior Vice President at MGM Resorts, chats about the changes and growth she has seen in MGM and in Las Vegas over her career. Glanzer speaks about the impact of the pandemic following one of their(its) best years ever in 2019. When confronting the pandemic and the new normal, Glanzer focused on flexibility and making sure it remains transparent and available to customers while keeping them safe. She and Peter then discuss resort fees and Glanzer speaks about how MGM makes sure to disclose them to customers anywhere they can and how this has allowed it to avoid getting pushback. Going forward, she remains focused on maintaining customer loyalty and continuing to pivot and plan for the unexpected.
Chuck Malkus, Producer of The Money Plane on Netflix, tells the real life story behind The Money Plane Parts 1 & Part 2 episodes on Netflix’s The Heist. The robbery took place in 2005 at the Miami International Airport by first-time criminals who watched crime shows to prepare. The group stole $7.4 million, $2 million more than was stolen in the heist that inspired Goodfellas, from a parked Lufthansa flight in large part due to weak security at the plane, and they almost got away with it until one of the group members began spending money which led to their downfall. Malkus promises that the two episodes will be much bigger and even more colorful than Goodfellas.
James Schillinglaw, Editor-in-Chief of Insider Travel Report, speaks about how travel has evolved in the past year and how it has changed forever. The travel industry is adjusting to the realities of life with COVID-19 and has increased its focus on health and safety and being flexible. He and Peter also talk about the confusion regarding testing and vaccinations on cruise ships in the state of Florida. While you may be able to board a ship in Florida without proof of vaccination, Schillinglaw notes that you will be treated differently. You must have proof of insurance and may lose some privileges like use of a hot tub. He believes that the cruise industry will make a comeback. He further talks about the many health forms he fills out as he travels around the world.
By Amanda Morris for PeterGreenberg.com
