Reprint: About September 11

The heart-stopping shock of the events of September 11 numbed most of us for a few days to any thoughts about that day’s long-term consequences. But now, as we begin to sort through all of the possibilities for how the travel world will look after that memorable date, some images emerge:

The first thing we know is that almost everybody involved with the travel industry took a huge hit – the airlines, travel agents, hotels, destination cities, convention halls, restaurants and most online travel sites.

But God, as they say, is in the details. One detail that many observers haven’t noticed is that most tour operators report that their clients are holding firm and fully intend to show up and take the tours they booked weeks or months ago.

None of the companies we spoke with had canceled any of their scheduled departures other than ones scheduled to take place on days when the U.S. air fleet was temporarily grounded by the FAA. One company receiving very few cancellations said they “were from people who had signed up for two-part trips. When the first part was cancelled by the FAA ban on flying, that made them decide to cancel the second.”

Other tour hosts we spoke with said that clients were delaying trips until the fate of airlines was more secure. The fear of being stranded overseas far exceeded the fear of renewed terrorist attacks.

Part of the reason for this stability is that many people who sign up for specialty tours are older, seasoned travelers who understand the miniscule odds of further hijackings in the security-conscious aftermath of Sept. 11. In other cases, hardworking businesspeople who signed up months ago for vacations that can not be rescheduled are reluctant to abandon their plans.

True, tour operators may be a small bellwether, but the indicators are there for leisure travel to pick up substantially once the most immediate shock from Sept. 11 wears off.

A larger sign of recovery is the federal government’s agreement to bail out the airline industry. Whatever your feelings about the airlines (for a wonderfully pithy send-up of the airlines, visit the Brancatelli File  “September 18 – No Taxation Without Reregulation”), the fact is that monies spent to keep them functioning will have a trickle-down effect. If the airlines are at work, that means travel agents, hotels, car rental companies and tour operators are at work, too.

Even if recent events don’t lead to airline reform, travel will still change. That’s because as important as the airlines are to the travel infrastructure, they are a means, not an end. It is the there, not the getting there, that interests most travelers. And most travelers, in a society that is increasingly oriented toward the quality of experiences, will opt for tours and destinations that are more unusual, distant or physically and intellectually demanding.

That change in orientation, as well as lingering security concerns, will lead many people away from mass-market packages. The era of the small, more customized or specialized tour is about to hit full stride. There is far greater safety in traveling alone or with small, discrete groups than there is with large aggregations of people at heavily visited sites.

Whether a consumer movement finally arises that can pressure the airlines to perform decently or persuade hotels to quit sneaking bogus charges into their bills is almost immaterial. That’s because there will always be smart niche players like the tour operators on this site – and the small, distinct suppliers who work with them – who can remind us just how sweet an experience travel can be.