COVID-19 Forces Rocky Mountaineer to Close until May
Impacting Travel Rocky Mountaineer Jim Byers March 18, 2020
Rocky Mountaineer has announced that the start of its 2020 season, which was scheduled to start on April 13, will be delayed through the month of April.
Exodus Travels also has temporarily suspended operations (details below).
Guests on suspended Rocky Mountaineer departures will receive a credit valued at 110% of their original booking to be used for travel by the end of the 2022 season. When these guests are ready to rebook, they can contact their travel professional or the Rocky Mountaineer sales centre.
Resumption dates of Rocky Mountaineer’s operations will be assessed in accordance with travel mandates from global and Canadian governments.
“Along with the rest of the tourism industry, we have been watching the immeasurable global impact of COVID-19. These are challenging times for the world and, while we were hopeful for the start of this season, we have no choice but to suspend all routes for the time being. The situation is a difficult one, but the delay is in consideration of the wellbeing of our guests, team members, and wider community,” said Steve Sammut, president and chief executive officer of Rocky Mountaineer.
“We will be offering guests flexibility to rebook their trips and have made these changes to provide travellers with assurance they can postpone their trip to be enjoyed at a time that works best for them. As a 30-year-old Canadian-based business, we are confident that we will all get through the impact of this unprecedented situation together.
"Travel and tourism will be a critical part of helping the Canadian economy recover, and we thank our partners, guests, and team members for their support during these challenging times.”
Meanwhile, Exodus Travels has announced it is suspending all travel departing between March 17 and May 15, 2020.
All travellers booked on a tour departing between March 17 and May 15, 2020 are eligible for a 110 per cent travel voucher, which can be used on any booking made by March 31, 2021 for travel prior to March 31, 2022.
Exodus is currently reaching out to affected travellers according to proximity of departure, to discuss future options. Travelers who booked their tour through a travel agent are being asked to contact their advisor directly to discuss next steps.
"Ensuring customer safety and enjoyment has been Exodus’ primary focus since their first overland journey in 1974, and this fact has never been more important than it is now," officials said. "We are sorry to our travellers and partners for whom this will come as a profound disappointment, but all consideration during this complex and challenging time must be the health and wellbeing of our travellers, team members and community partners.
Exodus will continue to monitor local conditions and all relevant governmental advice and will review all trips, and update passengers a minimum of 30 days prior to departure.
For more information, please visit: https://www.exodustravels.com/covid-19-travel-suspension
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