Travel's Reopening and Coronavirus Recovery

Americans put big-time miles on their vehicles this spring as the pandemic weary exercised their pent-up travel demand on the open roads.

Lawmakers and travel leaders are urging the broader travel industry to make their voices heard: this U.S.-Canada land border closure must end now. The consequences have been dire for tourism, particularly in Canada where there's been zero recovery since last year's shutdown.

The hotel industry is riding high on a summer surge of demand, but labor shortages and changing guest tastes mean this industry has to adapt fast as it looks to reignite revenue drivers beyond leisure travelers.

With an early commitment made in 2020 to safely bring back meetings and events, Fort Worth is carrying the momentum into this summer with a surge of leisure travelers, sports fans, and the return of business events.

Lifestyle hotels have become a popular place to unwind for many travelers, and hotel executives are determined to keep the coolness factors that made them an attraction. But growing pains remain, even when the pandemic goes away.

Hilton’s Confirmed Connecting Rooms feature is a win for leisure travelers looking for larger spaces when booking group travel this summer. But it also aims to make hotels a viable option once again for larger families who may have already decamped for the likes of Airbnb.

It's a promising approach — partnering with an established, niche conservation group to offer trips focused on uncrowded Mediterranean villages and protected areas. And it might just work as more travelers seek "soulful" experiences away from Europe's tourist crowds.

For a state that's restricted businesses and tourism for a year, the rebound is a rapid one — particularly for a major city.

As the travel recovery looks to ramp up for summer travel, a pilot shortage isn't helping any. The time to invest in pilots is at the pilot training level by making it easier to get loans, financing, and scholarships.

KLM forged ahead with its goal to halve carbon emissions by the end of the decade during the pandemic. It's making big investments in sustainable fuels and new jets with the hope that the European travel recovery is right around the corner.