How Americans vacation looks different than it has in past years but that doesn’t mean planning a trip isn’t possible. CheapOair, the travel experience experts, offers insight into a few of their favorite and safest National Parks destinations across the country.

“In the midst of a pandemic, crowded cities are certainly not ideal vacation destinations but fortunately there are dozens of gorgeous National Parks that offer safe and socially distanced options for the perfect getaway. Travelers are trading in luxury hotels for breathtaking views from their tents,” remarked Sam S. Jain, Fareportal Founder and CEO.

Yosemite National Park
Located in northern California, Yosemite is one of the most well-known National Parks in the U.S.  With 1,169 square miles of unforgettable hiking trails and valleys, exciting wildlife (you may be able to spot a bear from a safe distance!), and massive ancient sequoia trees that will leave anyone awestruck, it’s truly a one-of-kind American landmark.  

Travel Advisory: The park is currently open with all its primary activities active. Please visit this site for more information and safety tips: https://www.yosemite.com/covid-19/

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
This southern Colorado oasis is home to North America’s largest sand dunes that are estimated to have formed over 11,000 years ago. While this park is the perfect place for traditional outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and stargazing (the Milky Way is easily visible at certain times of the year!), it also offers unique activities such as sand sledding and sandboarding!

Travel Advisory: As of June 17^th, The Great Sand Dunes Park has entered Phase 2 of its re-opening with increased recreational access and activities. Visit this site for more information: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Isle Royale National Park
Michigan, already known for its over 11,000 lakes, boasts this beautiful gem of a National Park. Located on a remote island in Lake Superior, people from all over flock to this unique piece of land to fish, kayak, boat, and camp. Isle Royale is also the only National Park in the U.S to be closed for the entirety of its off-season which spans from November-April.

Travel Advisory: All campgrounds, docks, and trails are currently open to the public.

About CheapOair
CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820) or live chat. Part of Fareportal’s family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less.

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Fareportal, the travel technology company that powers CheapOair and OneTravel, has joined forces with British Airways to launch a New Distribution Capability that will bring customers a personalized travel experience.

“Our partnership with British Airways marks an exciting time for the Fareportal team. We’re constantly striving to bring our customers new and innovative ways to book flights and now with British Airways we’ll be able to continue to provide a seamless experience,” remarked Sam S. Jain, Founder and CEO of Fareportal.

This collaboration, which will be available on both CheapOair.com and CheapOair.ca, will include several features such as flexible flight choices, diverse content, and an overall one-stop-shop booking experience that will include a rich menu of ancillaries such as paid seat selection and baggage options.

“Fareportal has been at the forefront of innovation, which is what this partnership with British Airways represents. Travelers appreciate a personalized experience and interacting with rich content really enhances the entire booking process,” said Sanjay Hathiramani, Global Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations at Fareportal.

About Fareportal
Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next-generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company-owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat. Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international travel and add-on ancillaries.

About CheapOair
CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820) or live chat. Part of Fareportal’s family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less.

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Theme parks and attractions are reopening across the country and CheapOair, the travel experience experts, has a few tips to help travelers have an experience that’s not only magical but also safe.

“We’re very happy to be seeing the extensive safety measures many of our favorite theme parks are taking as they welcome their guests back. With everything from temperature checks, increased cleanings, and a wide variety of hygienic supplies readily available to customers, anyone ready to explore theme parks should take comfort in the steps being taken,” remarked Sam S. Jain, Founder and CEO of Fareportal.

Masks are Essential
Cloth masks are key. According to the CDC, they’re the most effective safety tool for guests in the moments where social distancing may be difficult. A cloth face mask will keep others from spreading any germs they may unknowingly be carrying, and full compliance greatly reduces the risk of spreading. Fortunately, if guests forget masks, the bigger theme parks (and several smaller ones) have complimentary ones on hand or for purchase.

It is important to note that masks are strongly not recommended for anyone under the age of two so it may be safer for guests to leave the littlest members of their families at home.

“The safest way to enjoy any theme park is by wearing a mask. You’re doing your part to keep fellow guests healthy and minimize any potential spreading that comes with a lot of people in a contained area,” added Thomas Spagnola, Vice President of Supplier Relations at Fareportal.

Hand Sanitizer is Your Friend
The CDC recommends using hand sanitizer any time an interaction is made with someone outside your own party or with a foreign surface. While most parks will certainly have sanitizing stations at most entry points, concession stands, bathrooms, and attractions, it’s wise to have your own sanitizer handy at all times. Any sanitizer used should also contain at least 60% percent alcohol to be effective in killing germs.

Take Advantage of Virtual Lines and Contactless
The less shared surfaces and touchpoints, the better. Several theme parks, including the Happiest Place on Earth, are allowing visitors to digitally reserve ride times to reduce the amount of time guests need to physically wait on lines where it is usually more challenging to keep six feet of distance. Additionally, contactless payment options are also extremely helpful for customers wanting to buy food, drink, or merchandise.

 

About CheapOair
CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820) or live chat. Part of Fareportal’s family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less.

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As the world of travel is heavily affected by COVID-19, CheapOair, the flight focused online travel agency, has identified several trends in changing consumer behavior.

“There is no question that the travel industry has had to realign itself at lightning speed these past few months. We are seeing new patterns in customer habits that are reflective of how society has been changed by COVID-19,” remarked Sam S. Jain, Founder and CEO of Fareportal.

One of the clearest illustrations of COVID-19’s effect on consumer travel is the age of those choosing to take flight during a pandemic. According to CheapOair’s data, bookings for individuals 18-24 years old have risen 29% since March, while there has been a 27% decrease in the number of people over the age of 65 planning air travel.

Interestingly, there has also been an uptick in solo travelers, with an 8% increase of people opting to fly alone as compared to the totals of pre-COVID-19 travel data.

“It’s clear that anyone who is perceived to be more ‘at risk’ is erring on the side of caution. We want to see the travel industry invigorated but what’s most important is that we all take strides to ensure that passenger health and safety is the number one priority,” continued Jain.

With the cost of a domestic airline ticket down an average of $66, more people may be tempted to travel as they adjust to the world amid a pandemic, and airlines are making many adjustments to maximize passenger safety.

“Most airlines have implemented precautionary measures which will increase consumer confidence.  We observe airlines are increasing capacity, which is a signal of growing consumer demand.  We believe leisure travel will rebound more quickly than business, as customers take advantage of lower prices and better deals for travel, and we are anticipating an ongoing increase in the number of people traveling in 2021,” said Jain.

 

About CheapOair
CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820), or live chat. Part of Fareportal‘s family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn how to travel the world for less.

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Fareportal, the travel company powering CheapOair.com and OneTravel.com, achieved top honors in the 18^th annual American Business Awards in two categories:  Communications Department of the Year and Product Management Team of the Year.

The American Business Awards, or the Stevies, were created in 2002 to honor the achievements of organizations and professionals in the USA.  It is one of the premier business awards organizations in the U.S. and features a variety of categories to recognize all areas of the workplace. The 2020 competition included 3,600 nominations and entries were judged by a panel of 230 respected executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, and business educators.

“We are extremely proud of our work and it is such an honor to have our team’s achievements recognized with not only one but two gold Stevie® awards,” said Sam S. Jain, CEO and Founder of Fareportal.

Fareportal’s Communications Department created a multi-platform campaign around “National Cheap Flight Day”, an unofficial holiday that is anecdotally regarded as the cheapest day of the year to buy airline tickets.  Their efforts included internal and external communications across multiple channels including social, blogs, public relations, email, and broadcast media that successfully reached millions of consumers.

“We believe in the power of integrated storytelling, and really enjoyed creating and executing this campaign for our CheapOair brand.  Winning a Gold Stevie® is a big honor for the entire team,” said Kathi Moore, Fareportal VP of Branding & Communications.

The Product Management team earned their gold distinction by successfully bringing together and coordinating a multi-continent team to achieve an innovative and streamlined booking process for CheapOair and One Travel desktop and mobile consumers.

“Our primary focus has always been achieving excellence through collaboration across our international team of immensely talented professionals.  Our efforts resulted in the creation of several travel booking innovation products that resulted in a stellar user experience,” remarked Murat Yilmaz, Fareportal VP of Product.

“Our goal was to reduce the work involved in booking a trip and to present our customers with the best deals based on their overt and inferred preferences, creating a hassle free traveling booking experience,” added Michael Nuciforo, VP of Digital at Fareportal.

 

About Fareportal
Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next-generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company-owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 600 airlines, 1 million hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe.  With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat.  Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international travel and add-on ancillaries.

About the Stevie Awards
The Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

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