Americans are starting to travel, again.
But deciding where to stay on your next trip, be it a hotel or an Airbnb, now requires putting a lot more thought into it than just ease of parking and a good restaurant or room service.
So what’s it going to be? A hotel surrounded by hundreds of guests and service personnel you hope are practicing sanitary safety standards? Or an Airbnb you hope has been cleaned after the group of college age partiers cleared out?
We went to one of the preeminent authorities on travelling, Dr. Yvette Green of the Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration at UNO.
“Prior to the pandemic, hotels already has a trained staff with a high level of safety and sanitation protocol. Company Airbnb hosts have already implemented new standards. While individual Airbnb hosts have been asked by their listing companies to add additional protocols.”
Dr. Green says every traveler needs to fully contemplate their trip, their needs and how and where they want to stay in advance before booking their trip.
She says people who are considering traveling again need to weigh their preferences and needs before making a decision:
“Hotel staff are present to provide service in a safe and warming environment,” Dr. Green says. “Airbnb provides privacy and the feeling of being at home. So it often comes down to a personal preference of whether you prefer hotels or you prefer Airbnb.”
Since your health and peace of mind are of utmost importance, Dr. Green says you should go right ahead and ask about how properties are sanitized.
“A traveler should ask what safety and sanitation protocols have been put into place to ensure the safety of the guest. Follow up questions could include specifics like are staff required to wear masks and gloves; if there is a wait time between check out and when the room is sanitized. Also, find out what kind of cleaning supplies are used.”
Dr. Green does recommend bringing your own cleaning supplies if you. “Bringing your own cleaning supplies gives the traveler an extra sense of security while traveling. And that’s definitely a personal preference. The hotels and Airbnb’s already have procedures in place, but if it’s something that makes you feel better and it’s an extra level of safety you want to provide yourself, then absolutely bring your own cleaning supplies.”
Whether traveling alone for business or with family for pleasure, Dr. Green recommends: “Wearing masks, washing your hands often, using hand sanitizer, maintaining social distancing are all extremely important when traveling.”
Finally, Dr. Green says, “Travelers should just take the time and do the research about where they’re going. Research your property, research your mode of transportation to what you need to keep yourself and your family safe while traveling.”