Summer Travel Trends and the Zika Effect

Travelers are in the midst of making decisions about their summer plans, and there are many factors—including security—that play into their choices. Traveling overseas on the U.S. Dollar is cheaper than it has been in a while, but concern about the Zika virus is affecting international bookings and could boost domestic travel. How could this affect leisure travel this summer?

Domestic Travel

“With the increase of security threats happening abroad, I wouldn’t be surprised if in 2016 we begin to see more U.S. travelers booking trips to domestic hotspots like Hawaii, Alaska and San Diego,” said Cassie McNab, marketing manager at CSA Travel Protection.
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Travelers in the U.S. are spending more this year, and more this summer— at least that was the forecast in December. A 3.4 percent rise in U.S. travel expenditures was forecast for 2016, according to the U.S. Travel Association, and signs show domestic travel may even get a boost from fear about overseas terrorism and the Zika Virus in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Andrew Saunders, president of the real estate company Saunders & Associates, recently told U.S. News and World Report that security concerns are causing an increase in the number of travelers choosing to stay close to home rather than renting overseas this year.

The Center for Disease Control reports more than 190 travel-associated Zika virus cases have been documented and the CDC warns that pregnant women should consider delaying travel to areas with Zika. The virus has been linked to Microcephaly, a serious birth defect.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll from February showed that 41 percent of Americans aware of the Zika virus say they are less likely to take a trip to affected areas.

Luckily, no cases of Zika are reported to have been acquired in the United States. However, it’s still a sound idea to keep an eye out. The types of mosquitoes that are able to transmit the virus have historically been found across the US, from East to West coasts, and some estimates show that up to 200 million Americans live in areas where the disease could potentially spread during the summer.

On a lighter note — road trips are likely to be a popular summer getaway. With gas prices at decade lows and the 100-year anniversary of the National Park Service, featuring centennial celebration events throughout the nation in August, the roads are sure to be packed.

The AARP reports that 95 percent of Baby Boomers plan to travel domestically in 2016, with Florida, Las Vegas, California, New York and Hawaii as the most mentioned destinations. Summer Vacations, Multi-Generational trips, and Weekend Getaways are cited as the most popular reasons for Boomer travel, which are also some of the peak situations for choosing to stay at a vacation rental.

Learn more about partnering with CSA

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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2016 Travel and Lodging Trends

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Forecasts suggest that the travel industry will continue to grow in 2016, with signs that the popularity of vacation rentals won’t slow down.

Spending more money on travel

A 3.4 percent rise in U.S. travel expenditures is forecast for 2016, according to the U.S. Travel Association’s U.S. Travel Forecast. If travelers are spending more, they’ll likely be more interested in protecting their trip costs by purchasing travel insurance. Partnering with CSA Travel Protection can make that easier for you and your guests.

Hotel issues that could benefit vacation rentals

  • Hotel room rates in North America are forecast to rise 4.3 percent in 2016, according to the 2016 Global Travel Price Outlook. Vacation rentals only become more attractive as the cost of staying at a hotel continues to rise. “As hotels continue looking to maximize ancillary fees, we’re seeing them begin testing different terms and price points for amenities such as WiFi,” according to the report. With amenities such as internet access often included with vacation rentals at no extra cost, this could be another reason travelers choose rentals over hotels. It also indicates that hotels “have begun to enforce more stringent cancellation policies,” which may bring them closer in line with common vacation rental cancellation policies. And, if your guests are ever worried about your cancellation policy, CSA’s travel insurance with coverage for Trip Cancellation might ease their worries.
  • The American Express Global Business Travel Forecast 2016 suggests that while hotels are in the process of boosting their inventory, “limited increases in inventory fail to keep pace with the growing global appetite for travel.”
  • Vacation rentals are a growing sector of the lodging industry and continue to take more market share, according to EY’s Global Hospitality Insights 2015 report on the hotel industry. “In a year, Airbnb, a company that enables people to rent out lodging, added more listings to its existing inventory than the largest hotel companies introduced as new units combined over the same period.” That same report referred to the growing competition from vacation rentals: “Customers are increasingly seeking unique, authentic experiences anchored in the destination they are visiting. Part of the appeal of the shared economy concepts has been their ability to cater to those specific needs.” Vacation rentals should continue to capitalize on providing authentic local experiences that differentiate them from hotel lodging.

CSA Travel Protection can help you cater to your guests’ needs—you can offer them Vacation Rental Damage Protection and travel insurance. And, you can earn commission for plans your guests purchase, which can become an additional revenue stream for your business.

Learn more about partnering with CSA

 

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Wishing Your Guests Happy & Safe Holiday Travel

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This holiday season your guests are on the move, and whether they’re dashing through the snow or cuddled in front of the fire, CSA Travel Protection can be there to support them.

25.3 million passengers traveled on U.S. airlines during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period, the highest number in the last eight years, according to the Airlines for America industry trade group. That averages out to an additional 65,000 passengers per day compared to the same time last year. Your guests might rest easier during the busy holiday travel time if they have travel insurance backing them up.

Nearly 42 million Americans took holiday road trips this Thanksgiving,  many with a vacation rental as their destination. CSA’s 24-Hour Roadside Assistance Services are available to your guests who purchase a Guest Protect plan.

We wish your guests a happy and safe vacation and you a season with fewer hassles. CSA’s Vacation Rental Damage Protection and Guest Protect Travel Insurance Plan might just help bring those wishes to life, if Santa doesn’t beat us to it.

If your guests don’t have coverage for an upcoming holiday trip, it’s not too late! Remember to offer your guests CSA Travel Protection.

CSA thanks all of our partners and wishes you a happy holiday season. And, if you’re not already working with CSA, we invite you to read more or contact us at clientservices@csatravelprotection.com or (800) 989-8684 to find out how we can build a damage protection and travel insurance program that’s profitable for you and valuable to your guests.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 0821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as CSA Travel Protection and Insurance Services.  Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions.  Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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‘Ready, Set, Grow’ with CSA Travel Protection

An industry leader:

• 1.6 million policies sold in 2014

• 1,783 active partners offering our insurance

• 285 new partners this year

 

We want to help you grow your vacation rental business by partnering with you to offer your guests travel insurance and damage protection plans. You can earn commission for plans your guests purchase, which can become an additional revenue stream for your business. Travel insurance can also help reinforce your cancellation policy. Plus, when you offer your guests travel insurance and an unexpected mishap occurs during their vacation that is covered under the plan, you can be part of helping to save the day!

Your business is not focused on travel insurance and it shouldn’t be. So, as your partner and premier provider of travel protection solutions for the vacation rental industry, we’ll keep you up-to-date and informed about changes in the travel insurance industry─ especially changes to the regulatory environment.

Last year we took steps as an industry leader to move our partners away from the practice of offering travel insurance in an “opt-out” fashion, where travel insurance was automatically included in a reservation unless the guest chose to remove it. Now guests must make an affirmative selection in the booking path, which leads to more satisfied customers who are aware of all that they are purchasing. As our business partners have successfully transitioned to affirmative selection many have reported that the take-up rate results remain quite positive.

Many in the industry questioned whether making this change was necessary, but since we began transitioning our partners to affirmative selection it has become very clear that industry regulators are taking a close look at opt-out. 37 state regulators have signed on as part of a Market Actions Working Group that is closely examining the practices of travel insurance providers and their re-sellers and has identified opt-out as an area of concern. State regulators in California and Florida, two of the largest vacation rental markets, have also released statements against opt-out sales.

Bottom line: we look out for our partners and would love to talk to you at one or more of the upcoming conferences about how we can help your business.

Learn more about partnering with CSA

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as CSA Travel Protection and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on CSA’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.