Editorial Comment: ITIJ February 2021

With vaccine rollouts well underway in around 60 countries, we’re making good progress in the fight against the pandemic and getting international borders open again. Despite ramped up lockdowns and border restrictions in many parts of the world, the focus is firmly on life after this incredibly difficult period. With the light at the end of the tunnel shining bright, preparations are well underway to ensure that once borders are back open, the foundations have been laid for a safe return to travel.

Digital health passes are likely to be a key component of the future of travel, with a growing number of companies having developed and successfully trialled – on flights and at airports – digital apps that store travellers’ Covid-19 test results or vaccination status. Whatever your view on mandatory vaccinations, as have been called for by Qantas on its international flights, and UK-based over-50s specialist Saga for its cruise passengers, testing is going to be a mainstay of travel for some time to come, and so it will remain an integral part of travel recovery. One thing is for sure, the digitisation of Covid status, however it is obtained, is going to be key to avoiding never-ending airport queues.

All eyes now are on traveller confidence and the factors that are going to make travellers feel safe once more. Promisingly, several reports from different regions of the world are showing strong traveller intent to venture abroad this year, and ongoing virus fears have spurred travellers to make sure they have travel insurance in place for their trips. Although many people were reported to have travelled without insurance last year, thankfully travel insurance is a key focus for those looking to head overseas in 2021. Naturally, insurers will work into their policies any mandates that arise from countries on vaccination status, and will continue to adapt policy wording to changing risks in order to provide products that customers are seeking.

We look at all these topics and more throughout this issue of ITIJ. We also bring you an Industry Voice from Lloyd Figgins at TRIP Group, with his five top concerns for travel risk managers in 2021, and a feature article by yours truly on why customer communication is so very important for travel insurers, with tips on how to get it right.

I hope you enjoy this issue!

Sarah Watson, ITIJ Editor