Tag: covid-19

Virtual Experiences to Satiate Your Travel Appetite!

At Southwestern Travel Group, we are avid supporters of travel, but we know it’s important to do our part and halt nonessential travel for the time being so that we can return to normalcy as quickly as possible.

However, just because travel may be limited, discovering incredible experiences from across the world doesn’t have to be. You mean we can travel without travelling? The answer is YES!

Here are 7 free ways to travel the globe without leaving your sofa.

Discover a Museum

Iconic museums from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to the Van Gohn Museum in Amsterdam are available through Google Arts & Culture, a platform that allows you to take digital tours of some of the world’s most famous museums. Some museums, such as the Louvre in Paris, offer free virtual tours directly on their websites.

Explore Historic Sites

Historic sites, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Great Pyramid of Giza, are also available to tour through Google Arts & Culture. Want to see one of the seven wonders of the ancient world? Why not climb Machu Picchu?

Take a Culture Packed Cooking Class

London’s famous Borough Market is also offering online cooking classes. Just join the market’s new Facebook group or follow it on Instagram to see what vendors are cooking up. You can also go the GetYourGuide’s Youtube channel and Learn to Make Italian Ravioli with Chef Francesco or Take a Kid’s Pizza-Making Class.

Go on a Ride at Disney

The magic isn’t over just because the Disney parks are closed. Head over to Virtual Disney World’s Youtube channel and enjoy!

Take a Safari Ride

With Africam and Expore.org, many large South African game reserves like Sabi Sands, Balule Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park are streaming live footage of key wildlife sites. Tune in at sunrise and sunset (South African time) for the best viewings.

safariLive is also offering live streaming at sunset and sunrise of the world’s most famous parks in Kenya and South Africa.

Attend a Concert

All concerts and films in the Berlin Philharmonic’s Digital Concert Hall are now available for free at their website. You can also watch the latest performances at NYU’s Abu Dhabi Arts Center program.

Discover the Beauty of the Outdoors

Both meditative and mind-blowing, the magnificent national parks of Canada and the United States offer travelers breathtaking views while simultaneously protecting natural heritage. Check out Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Atlantic Canada’s second largest national park is a starkly beautiful expanse of craggy, mist-shrouded mountains, wind-swept highlands and landlocked fjords on the eastern coast of Newfoundland. Why not explore the Grand Canyon National Park – see the South Rim here and the North Rim here.

Do you have virtual tours or performances to inspire our travelers? Share it with us so we can share it with them!

Our team of travel experts would love to help you plan your next adventure. At Southwestern Travel Group, our depth of expertise, knowledge of destinations, and attention to detail saves you time, money, and headaches. As travel experts, we can handle any emergency that may arise when you’re on the road — everything from a missed flight connection to a hotel that closes unexpectedly—and we will go the extra mile. To book your next trip, contact us today at 800.222.4441 or [email protected].

A Safe Return to Travel: Student Edition

We understand that planning student travel is not a priority right now.

We also know students will travel again, and as proud members of Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), we are here for you when that planning begins. In light of the ongoing pandemic, we are fully committed to providing continued safe guidance, expertise and travel assistance for you when you begin to reschedule travel plans affected by Coronavirus.

SYTA RESOURCES: PROMOTING SAFE TRAVEL
The SOCIAL IMPACT of Travel on Students
COVID-19: Educator Resource Guide for Student Group Travel
Leaders in Travel Address COVID-19

Are you familiar with S.T.E.P? The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

 

 

 

 

We at Southwestern Travel Group are staying up-to-date with vendor’s continually changing, policies and guidelines. When the time comes to travel again, we will continue to make safety our number one priority. As we work towards a safe return to travel, many of our vendors are introducing the following procedures:

Increased frequency of cleaning disinfecting public spaces
Posted guidelines to help keep travelers safe
Sanitizing stations
Limiting occupancy

Note from our partners in Orlando, FL: “We continue to monitor the Coronavirus situation closely and focus on the well-being of our guests and team members.  We are watching all updates from local and international health authorities and taking all precautions. We encourage our guests to do the same.”

BE SURE TO check out this month’s issue of SYTA’s Teach & Travel publication for travel pointers, emerging destinations and how we, as partners of SYTA, are promoting safe travel. The spirit of travel is alive and we, at Southwestern Travel Group, will always BELIEVE IN TRAVEL. Fuel your travel spirit, planning your next visit to one of these emerging destinations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, make sure to take advantage of the VIRTUAL SIGHTS! Check out ways to experience attractions from across the country, from the comfort of your home as we #ROAMFROMHOME

We will travel again. When that time comes, we are HERE FOR YOU.

Our team of travel experts would love to help you plan your next adventure. At Southwestern Travel Group, our depth of expertise, knowledge of destinations, and attention to detail saves you time, money, and headaches. As travel experts, we can handle any emergency that may arise when you’re on the road — everything from a missed flight connection to a hotel that closes unexpectedly—and we will go the extra mile. To book your next trip, contact us today at 800.222.4441 or [email protected].

Southwestern Travel Group’s Top 19 Tips for Your COVID-19 Staycation

With an unplanned staycation for everyone, cabin fever can set in quickly. Once Netflix starts to get old and the toilet paper has to be rationed, it’s time to get creative! Whether it’s with yourself, a loved one or your kids, your forced Covid-19 staycation does not have to be met with resentment or end in bitterness.

Here’s a few ideas from Southwestern Travel to help you maintain your sanity, get creative and even have fun while stuck at home.

The Day Travel Returns Will Be a Victory for Us All

As the world deals with the unprecedented health crisis of Coronavirus / COVID-19, the economic impact will be felt for years. Many industries and small businesses are already feeling the effects.

One of those industries is the travel industry. With borders shut down, quarantine orders and lock-downs in effect, and near-empty hotels and flights – the industry is losing ground by the day. The airlines, hotels, travel agencies and destinations are not the only ones losing out. Just like ripples of waves on the coast of a beach hideaway, there are ripple effects that come with this health pandemic.