Gabe The Travel Guy

A rise in coronavirus numbers across the U.S. may be tempering a bit the recent uptick in travel demand, but the numbers don't lie: this Monday, June 22, more than 607,000 travelers went through TSA checkpoints. A major drop-off from the 2.7 million people who made it through security the same day last year, but the largest passenger number since March 19th. Slowly but surely, desire is turning into action, and Americans are starting to travel again. Here's a quick recap of how the travel experience is shaping up at some popular destinations: Me visiting with Mickey at Disneyland during the holidays Disney : Disneyland has postponed its July 17th re-opening date; no new date has been announced. Disney World parks in Orlando are still on track to reopen by mid-July. When the parks do reopen, there will be no parades, no fireworks shows and no character interactions. But tapping into the Disney experience remains a priority for many families. This week, Disney launched

Those of us who've remained bullish about leisure travel's return -- even in the throes of the worst travel industry crisis of our lifetimes -- are feeling pumped about June! Travel came to a screeching halt by mid-March, and numbers have been dismal even recently, with the TSA reporting a 90-95% year-over-year drop in air passenger traffic. But May has also been the month when we've seen travel companies putting ad dollars behind their promotions -- more of those $49 airfare emails and a clear uptick in social media campaigns. With post-pandemic travel poised to be as inexpensive and flexible as we've seen in years, it looks like June will likely be marked by a bump in actual travel -- led by road trips and regional getaways. How is the world of entertainment -- the way movies are made and experienced -- changing due to COVID-19? Check out Episode 3 of The Gabe Saglie Show , featuring KTLA's Sam Rubin ! Take a peek at some of the domestic reopenings that wil

As my friend Johnny Jet pointed out earlier this week , May is the month that all major airlines will require you to wear a face mask in-flight. LA's mayor also announced this week that, beginning May 11, you'll need to cover your nose and mouth when making your way through LAX, too. So, clues into the post-COVID flight reality are starting to come into focus. The aviation marketing consulting firm, SimpliFlying , is making some pretty bold projections about how flying will look and feel like once post-pandemic travel resumes. Sanitation and distance will rule the day. Some of the most intriguing projections: When you check-in 24 hours before your flight, you'll have the option of buying masks and gloves along with your preferred seat Forget getting to the airport just in time to board -- the recommendation will be arriving four hours before your domestic flight The curbside airport experience will include thermal scanners Your checked bags will be "sani-ta

New data this week from San Francisco-based Destination Analysts shows some positive signs for the travel industry. The latest weekly survey of more than 1200 American travelers (published April 27) shows that personal concerns about contracting the coronavirus is at a six-week low. That said, 6.7 out of 10 still are worried about getting hit with COVID19. But the gradual drop-off may have something to do with the increasing awareness that -- in the new, post-pandemic "normal" -- travel companies will be prioritizing cleanliness and sanitation. That, of course, is in response to consumers' own demands. Travelers post-COVID will expect things like hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes readily available when they're out and about. They'll be receptive to things like body temp screenings and health questionnaires before they board a flight or check-in to a hotel. And -- and this is a big cue for the travel space -- they will want cleaning procedures to be show

I can't be the only one feeling antsy to get back to it.  I'd say "back to reality," but it's becoming increasingly clear that the post-COVID "normal" won't be all that normal at all, at least not at first, or for awhile. That applies to travel, of course. Part of me finds that unfortunate, because I'm missing the ease, the frequency and the rhythm of travel that was so familiar just a few weeks ago. Then again, travel after the pandemic will be more hygienic, not to mention more flexible and more affordable. At the end of the day, no matter what the new travel "normal" is -- sign me up! I'm ready to go! Pico Iyer speaking in Santa Barbara in 2016 In the meantime, I'm finding a few pearls of wisdom from Pico Iyer helpful. The novelist whose travel essays have inspired wanderlust in so many of us for decades was the keynote speaker at Visit Santa Barbara's annual Tourism Luncheon in 2016. As he spoke, I remember fev

Caution continues to reign supreme! But signs are beginning to point toward a post-COVID return to "reality," including as it relates to travel. Phase 2 of President Trump's three-pronged plan to reopen the US economy mentions that "nonessential travel can resume," though the final word will come from state and local officials. In my home state of California, stay-at-home orders in many counties are in effect through May 15th, so it'll likely be summer before Phase 2 arrives here. The Saglie Five + Milo have always loved the road trip! #saglieadventures Of course, the ultimate say over how the travel industry rebounds lies with travelers. We will travel again, that's for sure. But where we go, how we get there and how we explore will be different. Consumer concerns over things like cruises, flights and far-flung travel remain high right now. I figure those will ease more quickly once we begin to move around much more freely again. The one mode