Travel Agents Feel Crunch of Coronavirus Shutdown

The rapid spread of the coronavirus has kept most countries scrambling to contain the pandemic and protect their citizens, billions of whom are under “stay-at-home” orders.

That has left most people feeling unsure about what’s happening each day, let alone what the future might hold. But one thing’s for sure: when those orders are lifted, people are going to want to get out of the house in the worst way.

That means travel. And travel agents like Christina O’Toole are hoping they can weather the storm to book all those trips when the pandemic subsides.

“I’ll continue to do this because it’s what I love, and it’s an industry I believe in, and this too shall pass,” said O’Toole, an independent contractor with Avenue 2 Travel, which has a Sewickley, Pa., office.

Whole new world

The $2 trillion CARES Act economic stimulus package included billions in loans for small business owners and independent contractors in the travel industry. The Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans are both operated through the Small Business Administration, and the Emergency Stabilization Fund