Luxury tour operator Elegant Resorts has urged clients with summer bookings to reschedule for a later date while issuing a reassurance that it is in a strong position financially to survive the crisis.
Managing director Lisa Fitzell also appealed to clients wanting refunds to be patient as the sheer volumes meant the process was taking “longer than expected”.
In an email to clients, she said staff were “exceeding all my expectations” while working from home and thanked customers who had already supported the company and been willing to postpone their trips.
Since repatriating all its customers back to the UK, the company has successfully amended or postponed all its April bookings and has only a small number of May departures to deal with. It will soon move on to sort out clients due to depart before June 30.
Fitzell said if clients could reschedule the operator would look to ensure the balance due dates were moved closer to departure.
She said: “From a travel perspective, it is difficult to predict what the near future might bring. We would like to ask that if you have a future booking for July or August, that you consider being flexible by moving this to later date in 2020 or in to 2021.
“If you are still keen to travel we ask that you wait and see, we can work with you on re-scheduling balance payments closer to the departure dates and thanks to the flexibility we have from our suppliers we can make amendments up to a few days before your departure date.”
For clients who still want a refund, she asked them to contact their travel insurance companies first to work on claims.
She said: “We urge you to take this route first – we can provide all the documentation you need. In cases where we are processing a refund, the sheer volume of refund requests across the industry, along with temporary hotels closures and airlines being slow to handle changes, mean that the process is taking longer than expected.
“We really appreciate your patience at this time, and ask that you understand these really are exceptional circumstances.”
Fitzell, who said demand was slowly returning, also stressed the business remained strong financially. “Elegant Resorts is in a strong position as a business, as well as having robust backing from our group owners,” she said.
She added: “I have personally been in the travel industry for 32 years. Having experienced 9/11, the Iraq War, SARs, and many other disasters that have hit our industry hard, I have never seen anything on this scale before.
“However, my experience has taught me that there are always opportunities to come out of a challenge and this difficult time will only make us stronger in the long run.
“I am so proud of our company spirit at Elegant Resorts. Our incredible team are exceeding all of my expectations, working tirelessly from home to attend to bookings so that we achieve the best possible outcome for each and every client.”
She said she expected to see temperature testing, an increased focus on hygiene and the spacing out of seating on aircraft as some the changes in travel when the crisis subsides, and said: “we will be here, ready to create the most personalised luxury travel experience for you.”
The company has pledged to donate £100 to NHS charities every time it makes a new booking before July 31, 2020.
