Celebratory ‘vaxications’ are giving the travel industry a boost

As the US vaccination rollout has sped up, so, too, have requests for vaxications. “We have seen a 25% increase in travel inquiries since the first round of vaccinations became available,” says Leah Smith, president of Denver-based Tafari Travel. “Pretty much weekly, I am getting emails from clients saying they just got their first vaccination and are ready to plan the next two years of travel... It’s not uncommon to get up to four trip requests in one email... “Many clients aren’t even waiting for the second round to book a trip.” And they aren’t going to visit their grandkids, says Brooke Lavery, a partner at the high-end travel consultancy Local Foreigner. “People who normally take five to seven trips a year and for whom travel has been a lifestyle for decades are doing celebration trips,” she says. The movement may be premature. The CDC has delayed its release of updated Covid-safety guidelines for Americans who’ve been fully vaccinated. To date, the organization has continued encouraging the inoculated among us to wear masks, continue to social distance, and avoid crowds. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has publicly expressed caution around post-vaccination travels, given the possibility of spreading the virus along the way.<br/>