A glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel…
Just before Easter, several weeks ago now, I wrote in my blog “Business as UN-usual” how we had to pull out all the stops to repatriate travellers and groups, to rebook or to move them.
By now, that is largely behind us and our teams from UNIGLOBE Alliance Travel At goMICE, we are going to focus on the future. A future that (for the time being at least) will be different from what we are used to. We can therefore dream the guidelines in the Netherlands and yet there are often some ambiguities. We will remove these uncertainties about travelling as much as possible in the coming period.
Recently I drove past Schiphol myself and saw that very lovely blue-and-white fleet parked there, gleaming in the sun, waiting until all those beautiful birds are allowed back into the air. A very poignant picture, it got to me, lump in my throat. But my thoughts also immediately went back to the people who have been or are affected by Corona, lose loved ones and everything else we may all still have to deal with…..!
Heading towards a gradual “unlock”
Yet the world keeps turning, even now! All our teams are busy further improving processes, but above all continuing to provide our customers with very good and up-to-date information. We would like to keep you informed as much as possible via our blogs, posts and newsletters about the gradual ‘unlock’ that we (and with us many other countries) currently find ourselves in. For example, we will regularly publish a file in which you can see at the touch of a button what the current possibilities or restrictions are per airline and country.
At the moment, a few new travel requests are cautiously coming in again, and of course we are yearning for that, but the most important thing is, of course, that we follow all guidelines and advice and do not let the virus flare up again.
Companies are champing at the bit
Is there perhaps a bit of light at the end of the tunnel after all? Some confidence seems to be returning, at least among our clients. Clients are cautiously sounding us out about the possibilities of going on (business) travel again from June and in the coming months, and with a great deal of energy our teams are trying to answer all those enquiries or book travel for the coming months.
Furthermore, we are hearing from several SME clients that travelling urgently needs to resume in order to keep their business viable, and we are trying to respond to these clients as best as possible, based on all the restrictions and conditions.
Enquiries are starting to come in at goMICE again as well. Customers, including those facing tougher times, are currently getting in touch with us to look at the possibilities surrounding travel and events. What is possible, what is not, and how best to shape it. Read more about this in our Blog “5 tips for the new business meeting”.
The (temporary) new business travel and meeting
From June, most airlines, such as Transavia, Lufthansa, Delta Air Lines and also KLM, will be scaling up again. Furthermore, KLM let us know during one of the meetings with them that they are aiming for a fleet capacity of 50% from quarter 3 onwards, naturally subject to the condition that the “unlocks” per country continue. They too see an urgent need within SMEs to travel again, even more so than within larger companies. The larger companies often follow a few weeks, sometimes a couple of months, later.
All in all, it will take some getting used to the (for now) new situation and we will have to deal with the measures and restrictions. Being as positive as I am, I prefer to look at the possibilities and opportunities. Strong together and onwards to more light at the end of the tunnel, for everyone, primarily in terms of health, but certainly also economically. We are here for you! Always.
On behalf of the UNIGLOBE Alliance Travel and goMICE teams and management,
Anita van Maanen