Local travel agency impacted by holiday travel cancellations

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)- Travels by Donna is a local travel agency that has taken a hit since the beginning of this pandemic. Like the rest of the travel industry, they have suffered financially this holiday season. 

The CDC has advised people to postpone their holiday travel plans and stay home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The holiday season is typically one of the busiest items for travel, but the pandemic has impacted the amount of people cancelling or postponing holiday vacations. 

“We have come to a halt,” Donna Anderson, owner of Travels by Donna, said. “In March we were changing and cancelling and rebooking clients… it felt like 12-14 hours a day every day for months.”

Prior to the pandemic, the tourism industry was one of the world’s greatest markets. Now, due to travel restrictions and potential exposure to the virus, more people are choosing to spend their holidays at home. 

“In the past we are so busy that we are here until 7, 8 o’clock at night, all phones are ringing and all desks are full,” Anderson said. “Right now we’re slowed down, we have three agents, we’re part-time and the phones aren’t going as crazy.”

Anderson hopes that the arrival of the vaccine will eventually create an increased demand in travel, especially after people have been stuck in quarantine for months. 

Small businesses have been directly impacted by the pandemic, and, when people do feel safe to travel, Anderson encourages the community to consider supporting her local business.