Tauck has confirmed its intention to recommence all its US tours by 1 July 2021 after its COVID hiatus.
Dan Mahar, Tauck CEO, revealed the decision in an update to guests and travel advisors this week.
“Our Worldwide Operations team has been working meticulously with our partners to plan for each individual itinerary… We have recently completed a survey of our patrons holding reservations and were heartened to learn that 95% have already been vaccinated and 2% have their appointments scheduled,” Mahar said in an email.
Tauck has steadily been ramping up its return to operation since January, operating a winter itinerary to Yosemite, followed by tours to Charleston and Savannah, and next month has a trip to New Orleans, along with two East Coast tours resuming to Kentucky/Tennessee and Williamsburg/Washington.
“We are heading into the coming months with great optimism but also with a realistic understanding that the recovery will be uneven and there may be setbacks that could disrupt the scheduled startup of some trips,” Dan Mahar noted.
“It is still unclear how quickly the rest of the world will open up.”
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Mahar continued, “Already, several countries have announced that borders will be open to US citizens who have been vaccinated and we are working with our partners to plan the restart. We know countries will not all open at once, and we meet on a daily basis to monitor changing entry restrictions and guidelines.”
“We hope that many tours and cruises outside the USA will start operating sometime this summer, and we will be sharing more news over the coming weeks as we continue our re-opening efforts.”
Tauck’s 2021 itineraries will include the mandatory use of masks, social distancing wherever possible, and enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Tauck is also requiring guests to complete and sign a Travel Well Pledge which confirms that they have either been vaccinated against COVID-19 or passed a PCR COVID-19 test within five days of departure, that they are free of virus-related symptoms, and that they have not been in close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.
(Images supplied)