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With a finger constantly on the pulse of the travel technology industry, Travel Tech and its members are leading the way in tracking hotel, rental, and transportation trends that mean the most to consumers. With 2022 booking horizons nearing the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019, the industry’s recovery is in full swing, and it’s clear that many travelers are ready to hit the road, sky, or sea this summer—and this signal of stability comes with the return of greater customer options. Whether you’re headed to the beach or halfway across the globe, Travel Tech has been working to share tips and tricks for planning your getaway and leveraging a vast travel marketplace.
By booking early, opting for fully refundable fares or hotels, and being flexible about where and when you plan your trip, travelers can successfully minimize costs and maximize value this vacation season. Still, the growth of inflation and rising fuel prices is far too real. To combat the impacts of these growing costs, it is crucial for travelers to have as much information and choices as possible at their fingertips to enable comparison shopping. A competitive and transparent online arena of travel choices is essential to combating the impacts of these growing costs by providing options and the ability to comparison shop, ultimately driving prices down. We’re proud to facilitate such competition with members that supply hotel accommodations, home and car rentals, flights, and other tourism services, delivering travelers itineraries perfect for both their interests and their wallets.
Travel Tech remains steadfast in overcoming another major speedbump on the road to a full recovery for travel and tourism: the predeparture testing requirement for vaccinated international travelers. Cross border travel is widely acknowledged as a key economic driver for virtually every nation in the world, which makes the free flow and return to pre-pandemic travel levels so vital. The World Health Organization has been recommending the easing or elimination of travel restrictions for months, and nations such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, and so many others have already done so. Summer 2022 has begun, and we continue to urge the Biden administration to immediately end the predeparture testing requirement for vaccinated travelers and fully reopen our borders.
--Mike Liptak
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