Want to move away? Iowa travel agents say plan now, vacation later

We get cranky during the year – and travel agents get busy.

“Snow and ice is always good for our business, no question,” said local agent Dean Burtch.

Simply plan a vacation Later on In the year we can send our souls Immediately One.

Another local agent, Jodi Valentine, said, “Somewhere is hot. “This time of year it’s Caribbean places, Mexico…”

At Allied Travel in Johnston, things are good now, but bring in the past and the mood changes. Epidemic pain is still fresh.

“I don’t know if I can describe it to you without getting emotional,” Valentine choked back tears.

“We had to lay off all of our employees,” Burtch adds.

“A lot of agencies said, ‘We’re not going to do this anymore,’ closed their doors and found something else to do,” Valentine said.

“I think we’re really the only travel agency open in Des Moines that’s brick and mortar,” Burtch said.

Once the pandemic is over, the aftershock is definitely not. Around the world, labor is still scarce, resorts are full, and prices are high.

And then there are the airlines.

“The tables we saw before the pandemic are much lower now than they were before,” Valentine said.

Despite everything, the demand is still high. Americans bought more trips last year than in 2019.

Tails here are still being chased.

“We’ll really have to see what happens in 2023 to know how much business has returned,” Burtch said. But now we are finding it difficult to even answer the phones.

Some segmentation advice from those who’ve seen a thing or two:

Even if you’re dying to get out of this snow, ice, slush, cold, etc. – don’t rush.

“Make reservations in advance,” Valentine said. “When you return from spring break this year, book for next year’s spring break.”

“Last-minute deals, at least in the first half of 2023, are not going to be available,” Burtch said. “There’s no room.”

Some more tips from the experts:

-Check your passports now. For many of us, it’s been a while since we’ve used them.

– Consider Mexico. This is Iowa’s best international deal.

-And use a travel agent! They rarely cost more than booking the trip yourself, and their knowledge and service will enhance every part of your vacation.