The four-day Thanksgiving weekend is typically the busiest holiday of the year at the Chattanooga Metro Airport, with a busy Wednesday as people take to the skies and a “gangbuster” Sunday upon their return, Airport CEO Terry Hart said. But there’s nothing typical about 2020. “My instinct is that we’ll see half as many people as we’ve seen in the past two years,” Hart said Thursday, the same day as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has issued grim guidelines discouraging travel. in the face of a worsening pandemic. “Everything seems to be down, and I’m just not sure some people are going to cancel and not leave.” (READ MORE: ‘COVID fatigue’, impending flu season poses challenges as coronavirus pandemic continues in Chattanooga area) Hiren Desai, CEO of 3H Group Hotels, said his properties The big markets weren’t expecting much business over the long holiday weekend, but its hotels in drive-in markets such as Chattanooga and Knoxville are in full swing. “We’re full, but at a lower rate,” said Desai, whose portfolio includes 19 hotels, including five in the Chattanooga market. “Weekends keep us going, like many hotels across the country.” (READ MORE: Labor Day weekend trips driven by road trips as people stay closer to home as COVID-19 pandemic persists) Airlines have also cut fares, as well as capacity, because they’ve reduced the number of flights they do, Hart says. For travelers on the road, gasoline is cheaper than it has been since 2016, but the number of travelers will drop significantly further, GasBuddy, a travel and navigation app, predicted. In a statement on its annual Thanksgiving 2020 travel survey, GasBuddy reported that 35% of Americans will take to the roads this year, a decrease from 65% last year. AAA predicts that 50 million people will take a car trip over Thanksgiving weekend – about 4% less than last year – as it predicts that air travel will be cut by almost half, to about 2 ,4 million. In Tennessee, 1.2 million travelers are expected to take state roads, said Jennifer Flynn, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. 2020 Thanksgiving Holiday Travelers Automobile2020: 47.8M2019: 49.9M Change: -4.3% Air2020: 2.4M2019: 4.58M Change: -47.5% Other (bus, train, cruise) 2020: 353,0002019: 1.5M : -76.2% Source: AAA “However, these numbers could be even lower as Americans monitor the public health landscape, including the increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, the renewal of restrictions on quarantine and travel health advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “she said. The US Travel Association held a virtual press conference on Thursday in which Dr. Michael Parkinson described the COVID pandemic -19 as “unprecedented, uncontrolled and dangerous.” “If you are traveling you need to know something about your destination,” Parkinson said, citing the prevalence of the disease in the community, local mask requirements and social distancing guidelines among important factors to know. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger on Thursday extended a county-wide mask term in January, citing the need for continued vigilance as the coronavirus spreads. Photo gallery Thanksgiving travel outlook affected by worsening pandemic, though Chattanooga expects some hotel and tourist traffic See 8 photos (READ MORE: Hamilton County Mayor extends tenure again mask amid COVID-19) Local attractions have taken precautions including limiting capacity, ahead of time, improved cleaning and requiring masks, said Barry White, CEO of Chattanooga Tourism Co. “They made a great job with precautions and safety measures, ”he said, adding that some attractions had already sold out some long holiday weekend slots. “We continue to communicate to encourage safety, encourage physical distance, wear a mask, especially with the recent outbreak, not only in Tennessee but across the country.” The long weekend also provides a good opportunity to get out, one of the safest activities available during the pandemic, White said. “Even if it’s just to get out and hike, walk, we have a beautiful city, beautiful parks, and now is a great time to be outside and enjoy your city, ”he said. Contact Mary Fortune at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter at @maryfortune. .



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Q. My family is planning to travel by plane for vacation. COVID considerations make planning much more complex. What advice can BBB provide for traveling? A. Are you planning to travel by plane for the holiday season? According to data from Airlines for America, airlines in the United States were only serving about a third of the number of passengers they did a year ago, and although many of them have tempting deals to fly, it’s costing carriers billions just to stay. afloat. As the holiday season begins, some may feel the need to visit families. When looking for the best available fare, read the details required by the carrier to travel safely during the coronavirus pandemic and check out the CDC’s guidelines, www.cdc.gov. Before clicking on the button to buy tickets, BBB recommends the following: Make sure everyone traveling has the correct ID, www.tsa.gov. The deadline for the Real ID required by the TSA has been extended to October 1, 2021; however, make sure parties traveling together have up-to-date, compliant identification as required by each state. Read all cancellation policies carefully. Not all situations, including a pandemic, require a full refund of ticket value and fees. Every travel agency, airline, and online broker is different. Book your tickets only after reviewing the travel restrictions. Save time and stress by reading the updated status of restrictions, www.cdc.gov on the Centers for Disease Control website. Consider travel insurance. Have a full understanding of what the policy covers and what does not. Travel insurance covers things like trip cancellations or medical emergencies. There are different levels of coverage depending on the type of plan you purchase. Ask lots of questions and always read the fine print to see what’s covered and what isn’t. Be an informed traveler. Refer to the Department of Transportation website, www.transportation.gov for details on consumer issues, filing complaints, and other aviation information. During the holiday season or any time of the year, find ways to travel safely and avoid scams, www.bbb.org. Remember to report any suspicious activity. BBB is warning people to plan ahead to save money, avoid scams, and travel safely. Scammers usually target people looking for great deals online by offering tempting vacation packages at unrealistic prices. BBB.org is a great resource for finding reputable and reliable travel agencies, agents, and websites. Here are some more tips from BBB to ensure you have a worry-free travel vacation while on vacation. Plan ahead. The world belongs to those who get up early. Allow yourself time to research hotels, flights and the area where you will be staying. As a general rule, the earlier you make your reservations, the better the deals you’ll find and the lower the risk of booking your preferred destination. Making reservations in advance also locks in rates and prevents you from paying higher prices later during the holiday season. Avoid large-scale internet searches. Try to avoid typing phrases like “best deals” into the search engine you are using. Broad search terms like this can sometimes lead you to websites that look official, but are only designed to scam people. Watch out for travel scams. Beware of phone calls or letters claiming you’ve “won a trip” or websites offering prizes too good to be true. It’s easy to spread questionable offers like these, but the vast majority of them leave hopeful travelers in limbo – and penniless. Do your homework. Ask family and friends to recommend a travel agent or travel website and visit BBB.org for free company profiles. If you use online services to find accommodation, be sure to research the company and read customer reviews of the rentals you are considering. Get the trip details in writing. Before making final payment, get all travel details in writing. This should include the total cost, restrictions, cancellation penalties, and the names of airlines and hotels. Also review and keep a copy of the airline and hotel cancellation and refund policies, as well as the cancellation policies of the travel agency or booking site you use. Paying by credit card gives you extra protection if something goes wrong with your travel reservation. Are you planning to travel abroad? Check for advisories regarding Canada www.travel.gc.ca and the US Travel Association, www.ustravel.org, for any issues that may affect your trip. No matter when or where you travel, there are things you should always do to protect yourself, your home, and your belongings: Wait until you post on social media. We all love to share our vacation adventures with our friends and family, but wait until you get back from your trip. Giving too many details about when you will be away and your house will be empty could attract thieves. Check your home insurance. If your home is left unattended while you are away, make sure you know your responsibilities under your home insurance policy. Some policies don’t cover damage if no one checks your home for a while. Share a copy of your itinerary with a family member or friend. Include contact details of someone who is joining you on your trip. Take a map. People rely heavily on smartphones and GPS. Have a hard copy in case of technical difficulties or if you are crossing an area with poor cell phone reception. Check the weather conditions you will be traveling in and pack appropriate supplies and clothing. Avoid traveling alone. Use the buddy system and stay with your friends. Use a hotel safe to store extra cash and keep all valuables locked up. Visit www.bbb.org for more consumer advice. Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga. file photo / Jim Winsett of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.



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