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.