As travelers return to the roads, seas, and skies, more than 90 percent of travelers say they would feel more comfortable visiting a destination they know is taking extra precautions to address safety concerns, according to Condé Nast Traveler research.
“Now that we've been living with COVID-19 for a while, the transformation of travel is coming into focus,” said Jesse Ashlock, U.S. Editor at Condé Nast Traveler. “Travelers' desires and expectations have shifted, and hotels, airlines, cruise companies, and destinations have all shifted how they operate in return. The New Standard is all about celebrating innovation in the industry in response to the pandemic.”
To help its audience make those decisions and give consumers the confidence they need to return to travel, Condé Nast Traveler has established five key principles, demanded by travelers and fulfilled by the best travel providers:
- Health & Safety. Travel providers must be following all current best practices for protecting consumers from sickness or any other threat while in their care.
- Communication & Transparency. They must speak directly and forthrightly with consumers about what they're doing to respond to this or any other crisis.
- They should be generous with their booking and rebooking policies, and provide for guests affected by external circumstances swiftly and kindly.
- They should be seeking out smart new ideas for improving the guest experience and coming up with creative solutions to issues that remain important to travelers, like sustainability.
- They should do anything they can to support their community, not only in times of need but also times of plenty.
All of these principles, Ashlock notes, will remain vitally important to travelers even after COVID-19 is brought to an end. "We fully expect the New Standard to outlive this pandemic," he says.
By shining a spotlight on brands, destinations, and experience makers who meet the New Standard, the leading travel authority is showing its readers how to get back out there, safely and smartly, becoming better travelers and better global citizens in the process.
Condé Nast Traveler will continue to delve further into the New Standard online and in future issues as we continue the conversation about the future of travel. The travel authority is dedicated to continuing its up-to-the-minute coverage to provide readers with the most current information so they are prepared when they take that next big trip.
“We hope, above all else, that this can be a road map for taking trips again, and provide comfort and confidence to travelers once they're out there,” said Ashlock.
Singapore Tourism Board is the launch partner of the program. New Standard honorees can be found on Condé Nast Traveler's website and in the October issue on newsstands nationwide today. Follow our ongoing coverage of the coronavirus and updates on the travel industry at cntraveler.com/coronavirus.
About Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is the world's most distinguished travel title providing inspiration and advice for discerning travelers. Authoritative and influential, Condé Nast Traveler is a multi-platform, transatlantic brand. Publishing UK and US print editions under Editor-in-Chief Melinda Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler offers award-winning expertise in luxury travel from around the world. For more, visit www.cntraveler.com.
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