Bob Older April 27, 2021
Many industries have been hurt by the last 13 months and counting. Many people know that as the president and founder of the Delaware Small Business Chamber, I have and continue to advocate and fight for the small businesses in our state. I am also a business owner. As the owner of Creative Travel Inc., I know firsthand the struggles many of us have had to go through.
The interesting thing is that when I talk to many other business owners that have been hit, they tell me that for a good majority they have been able to pivot their business with curbside pickups or delivery or smaller crowds, etc. Many had cut their workforce to save money and made up for some of the losses. Now many can’t find enough employees to work to cover the gains.
January 16, 2021
Bob Older, president of Creative Travel Inc., has announced the formation of First State Travel Professionals Alliance, a nonprofit membership organization of local agencies, agents and vendors that support them.
In 2020, travel has been one of the industries most affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic. While many business sectors have endured massive losses, travel agencies across the country and in Delaware are expected to lose 18-24 months’ worth of income.
The State of Delaware did not recognize the travel industry as disproportionately affected and thereby eligible for state-based relief. Many travel agency owners disagree with the decision that a loss of over 100 employees statewide was not enough to qualify for relief funds, since it was largely based on misinformation that travel agents operated on a 25 percent profit margin instead of an actual 8-15 percent. Those owners also contend that travel industry losses in Delaware were not an insignificant