USTOA: E.U.’s Removal of U.S. From “Safe” List Causing Confusion

The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) released new findings from a survey of its tour operator active members following the European Union’s announcement in late August to remove the United States from its “safe list.”

According to the survey, three-fourths (74 percent) of USTOA active members who operate in Europe reported guests with existing 2021 European bookings postponed their travel and rebooked for a later departure date following the E.U. announcement. Just under two-thirds (60 percent) of respondents said guests with existing bookings to E.U. countries reacted by canceling their 2021 European travel.  

“What we have heard from our tour operator members is that the E.U. policy change—and the resulting news coverage—immediately raised confusion among travelers, along with hesitation and doubts about their ability to proceed with European vacation plans this year,” Terry Dale, USTOA president and CEO said in a press statement. “In fact, vaccinated Americans, for the most part, can move forward with their travel plans to Europe and many of our members have been operating travel programs and tours successfully in Europe for months.”

He added that more than three-fourths (79 percent) of USTOA’s tour operator members reported having guests who are proceeding with their booked 2021 Europe travel.

To gauge the overall impact that the E.U. announcement has had on tour operators’ current European operations, USTOA asked its active members to select all statements that applied:

  • 45 percent reported no changes in their operations
  • 47 percent said they are canceling departures
  • 42 percent said they are running downsized groups due to cancellations  
  • 37 percent report that they are operating few departures by consolidating or canceling departures  

Operations Outside of Europe 

Only a third (33 percent) of active members said that the recent E.U. announcement impacted existing bookings to other destinations in the world.  The remaining two-thirds (67 percent) reported no impact on their existing bookings to destinations outside of Europe.  

Of the third who reported seeing an impact on existing bookings to other destinations, roughly 88 percent said passengers to non-European destinations are postponing their trips, while a quarter (25 percent) reported passengers are canceling trips to non-European destinations.  

Conversely, roughly 19 percent of active members said they’ve seen an increase in non-European destination bookings because of the E.U. policy change.    

Following the E.U. announcement, two thirds (68 percent) of tour operator members reported a decrease in overall demand for new bookings compared to the weeks prior to the announcement. The remaining third (32 percent) saw no change in overall demand for new bookings following the news.

The survey was completed on September 13, with an 83 percent response rate of active member brands.

Visit www.ustoa.com.

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