Because more people are immunized against coronavirus, so-called vaccine passports would make it safer for people to move, according to Glenn Fogel, CEO of travel company Booking Holdings.
“I’m not sure why people still oppose this, in terms of facilitating people’s travel,” Fogel said in an interview with CNBC’s “The Exchange.”
The Biden administration has indicated that it wants to set up a system to provide documentation on a person’s vaccination status, which can help make it easier to identify people who are protected against the virus and those who are not, but it is not clear how it will go. this thing. Several airlines have also expressed support for documenting vaccinations.
However, there are criticisms of vaccine passports for several reasons, ranging from privacy concerns to scientific reasons to equity issues.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said vaccinated people have a “low risk” of traveling.
Fogel said he would like to see vaccinated people start traveling again.
“The industry has been so devastated, the journey has been so hurt by this terrible, tragic crisis and we need everything that can help to achieve [the travel industry] goes and allows people to travel, because [the vaccines] they are absolutely proven to be safe. “
Booking Holdings owns brands such as Kayak, Agoda, Booking.com, Priceline.com and OpenTable.
“The idea of a Covid passport that says you are completely vaccinated [means] you are a safe traveler, you can go to places where other people may not be allowed to walk, “Fogel said.
On Monday, the company offered a $ 50 post-trip loan for travelers who book a trip until the end of May and travel before the end of the year. The company also continues to offer increased flexibility to cancel travel plans if needed. The promotion aims to attract people to start booking summer trips.
“We see that prices are also starting to rise, which, of course, is assuming demand, which is why I continue to advocate [people to] go out, look at what you want, go and get it now, “Fogel said.
Increasing vaccination rates will also help. Since the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine began in December, more than 165 million doses have been administered to people in the United States, according to the CDC.
For now, Americans may be more comfortable traveling to the United States because of the various Covid restrictions, he said. According to a Booking.com survey, 69% of people said they would prefer to travel closer to home for the foreseeable future.
“There will not be a huge amount of international travel,” he said. “As for people who are close to home, there is certainly still that feeling of uncertainty and who want to be close to home, but I think that will expand and as people feel safer to travel, they will start going for longer trips. “
Shares of Booking Holdings closed Monday at 1.1% at $ 2,409.18.