The Orangeville Banner has picked up on the plight of the travel industry - and how it’s affecting local businesses in the small community north-west of Toronto.
“With so many sectors experiencing different struggles due to the pandemic and restrictions, the Banner spoke with some local travel agents to see what the impact of the lockdowns has been like for them,” it explained.
In an article also published in Orangeville.com, it recognized that when COVID-19 pandemic began and vacations stopped, travel agents kept working — without pay, citing one agency owner, Jason Higgins, owner of Canadian Mouse Trips.
Higgins told the publication a story that many other advisors will identify with, including that travel agents, despite driving the travel industry forward even during the pandemic have been “completely forgotten.”
The local travel agency was created six years ago by Higgins, and mainly specializes in Disney Vacations. “We spent the first two to three months just cancelling and moving people’s vacations,” he said. “So basically, it was doing a lot of work for free.”
“It’s been basically a zero-revenue year,” said Celine Higgins, who also works with Canadian Mouse Trips. “We’re still working for the clients that had booked trips previously, that would have occurred during the pandemic.”
The local media report also cited the work of ACTA in advocating for supports for travel advisors and the industry, as well as a resumption of travel.
Once travel restrictions lift, both Jason and Celine Higgins say they hope people will notice the work they, and other local travel agencies, have done and will use their services going forward.
