We recently asked Rene Schneeberger, Vice President Leisure Supplier Management, for what he saw as the biggest trends in travel as we navigate these challenging times.  Here are his thoughts. 

The upcoming holiday season is shaping up to be like no other in recent memory as families navigate gatherings under a global pandemic. It has been a year where we have all had to put our gatherings on hold, missing celebrations, milestones, and making memories. For my part, I had decided early on to simply forego our traditional Thanksgiving gathering out of an abundance of caution for my elderly mother-in-law and our aunts and uncles we love to include. I must admit that the decision, while a prudent one, made our family and me sad. That is, until a newsletter - not unlike this one–landed in my inbox. Even though it was from a totally different industry, the headline “Are Bubbles the New Norm?” caught my attention, as it illustrated how other industries cope with the novel situation we all find ourselves in.

Upon further digestion of the notion, my research found that bubbles successfully worked for sports such as the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League to name a few. It also worked well in other fields such as manufacturing, medical, and even in educational institutions. So why wouldn’t this also work for travel?

A lightbulb went off in my head and I contacted our travel supplier partners for their input on this concept and the response was overwhelmingly positive. As it turns out, a wide array of options covering almost any budget and destination are available for Family Bubble Vacations over the festive season and beyond. What makes traveling in this way a winning proposition for many is the ability to minimize prolonged contact with the public at large through options such as seats together on airplanes, private transfers, private dining, and even private accommodation options, putting the potential for 2020 family holiday celebrations back on the table again.

While there is no fixed number of participants required to travel in your very own Family Bubble, several supplier solutions are offered from 12 travelers onward. Curated options range from adventures in our backyard to the distant paradise of French Polynesia and exotic wildlife sanctuaries in Tanzania and Rwanda.

Here are some great Travel with Your Bubble options.

Club Wyndham

Families can head to one of three Club Wyndham resorts in Arkansas, Tennessee or Pennsylvania. All guests will be in the same resort but will isolate in their own two-bedroom, apartment-style suites with all the amenities for 15 days, including a kitchen. It also includes a $250 gift card that guests can use to stock up on the ingredients they’ll need to prepare their Thanksgiving dinner, delivered right to the suite, from soup to nuts.

Insight Vacations

Groups of 12 or more can take over a “dedicated departure” for a minimal cost.  

Villa Stays

Though out Mexico and the Caribbean villa stays and private residences are available. These allow your family to stay together with limited contact from outside our bubble. For meals, Private chefs are available as well as grocery delivery.